Italian Bean Salad (Printable Version)
Tender mixed beans with crisp vegetables in a zesty Italian herb dressing. Ready in 15 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beans
01 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/2 cucumber, diced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Italian Dressing
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 tsp dried oregano
15 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
16 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained cannellini beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans.
02 - Add the chopped red onion, diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped parsley to the bowl with the beans.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane when the temperature pushes past ninety degrees.
- The dressing seeps into the beans as it chills, so every bite tastes better than the last one.
- You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now, waiting for their moment.
02 -
- Rinsing canned beans thoroughly removes the starchy liquid that makes salads slimy and dulls the flavor of your dressing.
- This salad tastes noticeably better on day two, making it the perfect make ahead dish for busy weekends.
03 -
- Make the dressing directly in the bottom of the serving bowl, add the beans and vegetables on top, then toss, saving yourself a dirty dish.
- Let the salad sit out of the fridge for fifteen minutes before serving so the olive oil loosens up and the flavors bloom.