White Bean Salad Recipe - Good Cheap Eats (2024)

You will enjoy this filling, yet easy and refreshing white bean salad on repeat throughout the summer and into the fall. This bean salad recipe is a perfect side dish for grilled chicken or brats or to include in your lunchtime meal prep alongside a few other salads. It comes together in less than ten minutes!

Naturally gluten free, this bean salad recipe is a budget-friendly way to add protein and fiber to your meal plans, a perfect salad for summer. Be sure to check out the variations as there are loads of different ways to make bean salads easy and delicious!

White bean salads are a perfect addition to summer suppers. Not only are they typically served chilled or at room temperature helping you avoid a hot kitchen, but they are super filling so that you know folks won’t be hungry ten minutes after supper’s concluded.

Keep a bowl of this White Bean Salad in the fridge to be enjoyed as an afternoon snack as well as with dinner. It’s delicious alongside Drunken Brats as well as Marinated Chicken. Recently I packed it alongside Coleslaw with Apples for a plant-based lunch prep.

Why Make This

It’s quick and easy! This salad can be made with cannellini or great northern beans. If you buy them canned, you’ll have a super quick fix ready to go.

It’s budget-friendly. Beans are the budget-friendly food to lean on when you’re trying to keep costs down.

It’s delicious! The combination of creamy white beans in a tangy vinaigrette is super tasty, the perfect summer salad.

Ingredients

With just a few simple fresh ingredients you can whip up this white bean salad in about 5 minutes. Here’s what you’ll need:

cannellini beans – These are one of four white beans. I use canned beans, but you can definitely cook your own. You could also use other white beans such as Great Northern or Navy beans.

red bell pepper – I like red for the contrast of colors, but you can use any colored pepper diced small.

parsley – Fresh parsley really adds some great color and freshness to this salad. If you’ve got basil or cilantro, you can swap those in in if you like.

sweet onion – In the summertime, I love using a little sweet onion such as a Vidalia onion in recipes, but you could also use red onion, scallions, or even chopped shallots if that’s what you have on hand.

white wine vinegar – I like the brightness from white wine or sherry vinegar, but you can also use red wine vinegar if you prefer. For a sweeter white bean salad, use apple cider or rice vinegar. In a pinch, you can use lemon juice to add acid to the salad.

garlic – fresh garlic adds nice zing to the salad. You can add roasted garlic cloves if you’d like a milder flavor.

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – Don’t be afraid to season your salad. Adjust to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.

olive oil – a good tasting olive oil combined with the vinegar makes for a quick dressing in this salad. You can use another cooking oil if that’s what you have on hand.

Variations

• Use a different bean. I used cannellini beans, but you could use another white bean such as Great Northern or Navy beans or even black, pinto, or garbanzo beans.
• Swap out the fresh herbs. Try using something like cilantro, basil, or even mint instead for a different taste.
• Add other veggies. You can fold in other types of vegetables, such as roasted cauliflower, roasted peppers, chopped celery, cucumber, or sun dried tomatoes.
• Make it a Mediterranean bean salad. Try adding some feta cheese and Kalamata olives!
• Turn it into a complete meal. You could add canned tuna or grilled chicken to this White Bean Salad. It’s one way you can turn a can of tuna into a meal.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make this White Bean Salad. It takes about ten minutes!

1. Combine the salad ingredients. Place the beans, pepper, parsley, and onion in a large salad bowl.
2. Dress the beans. Add the vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Stir gently so as not to break up the beans. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

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