Italian Bean Salad (Printable)

Tender beans and crisp vegetables tossed in a zesty Italian herb dressing for a refreshing summer side.

# 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 tablespoons red wine vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans.
02 - Add the finely chopped red onion, diced red and yellow bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped parsley to the bowl with the beans.
03 - In a small bowl or mason 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 all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool even on the hottest July afternoon.
  • The dressing actually improves as it sits, so making it ahead is not just allowed but encouraged.
  • Three different beans give you a satisfying mix of textures without any fuss.
  • It travels beautifully for potlucks and tastes even better at room temperature.
02 -
  • Rinse the canned beans until the water runs completely clear, because leftover can liquid will make your dressing cloudy and dull tasting.
  • This salad needs those thirty minutes in the fridge at minimum, and overnight is even better, since the beans absorb the dressing and transform entirely.
  • Do not use a heavy hand with the garlic, as raw garlic intensifies dramatically over time and can overwhelm the whole dish by day two.
03 -
  • Dry the rinsed beans on a clean kitchen towel before adding them to the bowl, because excess water dilutes the dressing and waters down the flavor.
  • Make the dressing directly in a mason jar and shake it, which saves washing an extra bowl and makes storing leftover dressing effortless.

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