A classic three bean salad with crisp-tender kidney beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans and a bright, sweet-tangy vinaigrette. Ready in minutes and even better after a chill, it’s the perfect make-ahead side for picnics, potlucks, and BBQs.
Gather This
With canned beans and pantry ingredients, you are well on your way to make this classic three bean salad. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Canned Beans– These are certainly the easiest, just open the can and rinse to reduce sodium. But the texture can vary greatly from brand to brand. Some are mealy, others super soft and fragile and others perfectly fine. We use kidney beans, chickpeas and cannellini beans.
- Red onion
- White wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Celery
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh garlic
- Coarse sea salt
- Ground white pepper
Make it A Meal
This three bean salad is such a mild mix that you can literally serve it with just about anything. I particularly like to serve it when we’re having a cookout with things like burgers, grilled chicken and ribs.
You can also pair it with other cold salads like Cowboy Caviar Dip (Texas Caviar), Greek Pasta Salad, Cornbread Salad, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad or Wild Rice Salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to marinate mine for at least four hours, but letting it sit in the fridge overnight is even better.
These marinated beans are best within 2-3 days of preparing. The dressing can get a little overwhelming and the beans start to go limp. Store covered and chilled.
Sure! These will undoubtedly have the best texture and taste, but require a little more time in the kitchen. Dried beans can take hours to soften.
Three Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 15.5 ounce canned kidney beans , rinsed and drained
- 15.5 ounce canned chickpeas , rinsed and drained
- 15.5 ounce canned cannellini beans , rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup red onion , minced
- 3/4 cup celery , thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 cloves fresh garlic , grated
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the drained and rinsed 15.5 ounce canned kidney beans, 15.5 ounce canned chickpeas, 15.5 ounce canned cannellini beans, diced 3/4 cup red onion and sliced 3/4 cup celery. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, grated 1-2 cloves fresh garlic (1 if it's big, 2 if they are small), 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt and 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the beans and toss to combine. Cover and chill for at least an hour, but up to overnight.
- Toss again before serving.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Storage
These marinated beans are best within 2-3 days of preparing. The dressing can get a little overwhelming and the beans start to go limp. Store covered and chilled. Leftovers, if there are any, are great tossed into a nice green salad or even stirred into a basic rice or pasta dish.Freezing
I do not recommend freezing this recipe. After the items have been pickled, and possibly frozen once before, they won’t defrost in an appealing manner.Nutrition
More Cookout Side Dishes
In addition to the burgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken, you of course need some rocking side dishes to accompany them.
So simple and quick to whip up. Next time I’m gonna try it with frozen beans!
What a fabulous, simple, and tasty salad! I can see breaking this out for so many occasions. It’s perfect for the spring & summer get togethers! I love butter beans!
My kids love beans so I always need new ways to cook them so we aren’t eating the same thing every night. This three bean salad was loved by all!
Love this salad. Light bit filling, refreshing, and full of fiber!
This was so easy to throw together and made a perfect side dish for our BBQ chicken. Delish!
I love Summer Salad Season for tasty, tangy recipes like this one!