Цвекло с Боб — Bulgarian Beet and White Bean Salad with Garlic

General Xerophagy Published June 11, 2026

On the strictest fasting days — the ones that call for xerophagy, when even cooked food and oil are set aside — you still need something with real weight to it. This pan-Slavic plate of roasted beets and white beans, sharpened with raw garlic and red wine vinegar and brightened with a snow of dill, is exactly that: cold, clean, and genuinely filling. The beets bring earthy sweetness, the beans bring protein and body, and the garlic-and-vinegar dressing wakes the whole thing up.

Versions of this turn up from Bulgaria across Serbia to Ukraine, and it has fed the faithful through Holy Week for generations because it asks nothing of the stove. Roast the beets ahead (or use pre-cooked vacuum-packed beets), open a can of beans, and it comes together in minutes with no oil and no cooking at the moment of serving — the discipline of the strict day kept, the body still fed.

On a permitted oil day, dress it with a couple of tablespoons of sunflower or olive oil for extra richness, and it becomes a fine cold salad alongside any larger fasting meal.

FASTING LEVEL: Xerophagy (no oil, no cooking at serving — see notes)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 15 minutes (beets cooked ahead or pre-cooked)

INGREDIENTS

- 4 medium beets, cooked and peeled (roasted ahead or vacuum-packed)
- 1 can (400g) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 large bunch fresh dill, chopped
- A handful of walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

METHOD

1. Cut the cooked, peeled beets into 1.5cm cubes and put them in a bowl with the drained white beans.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. (On oil days, whisk in 2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil here.)

3. Pour the dressing over the beets and beans. Add the sliced red onion and toss gently — the beets will stain everything a deep magenta, which is part of the charm.

4. Let it stand 10 minutes for the flavors to marry; the onion will soften and lose its raw bite in the vinegar.

5. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. Fold through most of the dill and the walnuts, if using. Serve cold, scattered with the remaining dill, with raw bread on the side if your fasting level allows it.

NOTES

- On oil days, add 2-3 tablespoons of sunflower or olive oil to the dressing for a richer salad.
- The walnuts add protein, crunch, and the resinous flavor beloved across the Slavic and Caucasus table — but they make the dish less strict, so include them only if nuts fit your day.
- Vacuum-packed cooked beets make this a true five-minute dish; avoid pickled beets here, which would overwhelm it.
- Doubles easily and keeps three days in the fridge, getting better as it sits.