Tbilisi Salad with Beef, Red Beans, and Bell Pepper

Beautiful, original, zesty in flavor, no mayonnaise! Tbilisi salad is a great combination of meat, vegetables, beans, and nuts. This salad is a true gem of traditional Georgian cuisine. It's not only beautiful but very tasty!

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:
Translation table of volumetric measures
Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe
By weight of the composition:
Proteins 33 % 11 g
Fats 45 % 15 g
Carbohydrates 21 % 7 g
205 kcal
GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

  1. Step 1:

    Step 1

    How do you make Tbilisi salad with beef and beans? Gather the ingredients. Tbilisi salad is usually made with canned beans - that's much easier and faster. I'm offering a version with fresh boiled beans. It's delicious either way.

  2. Step 2:

    Step 2

    Peel the onion and cut it into thin half rings. I used red onion - it tastes sweeter and is better for salads. But you can use a regular onion too.

  3. Step 3:

    Step 3

    Pour the apple cider vinegar over the onion, stir, and leave it to marinate for 15 minutes. Then drain the vinegar. Marinating gets rid of the onion's excess bitterness and sharpness.

  4. Step 4:

    Step 4

    How do you boil red beans? Soak the beans in cold water the night before and leave them overnight. Then boil them in plenty of water until soft, about 1.5 hours. Drain the cooked beans in a colander and let them dry.

  5. Step 5:

    Step 5

    Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet - this makes them more fragrant and crunchy. Then chop them with a knife.

  6. Step 6:

    Step 6

    Remove the seeds from the red bell pepper and cut it into thin strips.

  7. Step 7:

    Step 7

    Pre-boil the beef. How do you boil beef for salad? Bring water to a boil in a pot and lower the meat in as one piece into the boiling water. That way the beef stays soft and juicy. Cook the meat for about 1.5 hours, adding salt and spices to taste at the end. Cool the cooked beef and cut it into strips.

  8. Step 8:

    Step 8

    Wash the garlic and parsley (or, better, cilantro) well, dry them, and chop finely.

  9. Step 9:

    Step 9

    Put the boiled beef, beans, bell pepper, marinated onion, walnuts, garlic, and parsley in a salad bowl. Season the salad with salt and pepper, drizzle with vegetable oil, and mix. Serve. Enjoy!

  • It's better to use lean cuts of beef for the salad and to cook it long enough so the meat comes out as tender as possible. For a more uniform texture, you can pull the beef into small shreds rather than cut it into sticks. Unfortunately, I didn't have fresh cilantro on hand and had to make do with parsley. But cilantro is preferable in this salad - it gives the salad the flavor it needs, capturing all the nuances of traditional Georgian dishes.
  • You can also add pomegranate seeds here, and finely chopped chili pepper for heat.
  • Pierce the meat with a knife: if the knife goes in easily and the juices run clear, it's done; if the juices are pink or red, keep cooking.
  • The salad looks neat and pretty if you cut all the ingredients into pieces of the same size and shape (cubes, for example).
  • Since everyone's tolerance for salt, sweetness, bitterness, heat, acidity, and spice is different, always add spices and seasonings to your own taste! If you're using a seasoning for the first time, keep in mind that some are especially easy to overdo (chili pepper, for example).

Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish

  • Onion - 41  kcal/100g
  • Clarified beef fat - 871  kcal/100g
  • Fatty beef - 171  kcal/100g
  • Lean beef - 158  kcal/100g
  • Beef brisket - 217  kcal/100g
  • Beef sirloin - 380  kcal/100g
  • Beef - lean roast - 200  kcal/100g
  • Beef shoulder - 137  kcal/100g
  • Beef - ribs - 233  kcal/100g
  • Beef - ham - 104  kcal/100g
  • Beef - tail - 184  kcal/100g
  • Boiled ham - 269  kcal/100g
  • Corned beef - 216  kcal/100g
  • Sweet pepper - 27  kcal/100g
  • Walnuts - 650  kcal/100g
  • Black walnut (English) - 628  kcal/100g
  • Black walnut (Persian) - 651  kcal/100g
  • Walnut oil - 925  kcal/100g
  • Garlic - 143  kcal/100g
  • Ground black pepper - 255  kcal/100g
  • Fresh parsley - 45  kcal/100g
  • Vegetable oil - 873  kcal/100g
  • Salt - 0  kcal/100g
  • Apple cider vinegar - 14  kcal/100g
  • Red beans - 93  kcal/100g

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