This vegan bean salad is made up of a medley of flavors, textures, and colors that will win over anyoneโs taste buds! It features a blend of three different bean varieties, crisp veggies, and fresh herbs, all brought together with a vibrant homemade dressing. Serve it chilled on a hot summer day for a refreshing lunch or as a side dish with your favorite mains!
Why youโll love this recipe
- Nutrient-rich: This vegan bean salad is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the beans and fresh veggies. Itโs a healthy meal that anyone can enjoy!
- Versatile: You can serve it as a main dish, a side dish, or even a light lunch. Alternatively, add tofu or tempeh to increase the protein content.
- Great for meal prep: You can make this salad ahead of time and enjoy it throughout the week. I always recommend it for meal prep!
- Easy to prepare: No fancy ingredients or complicated steps are involved in this quick and easy vegan bean salad recipe.
Easy vegan bean salad
Vegan bean salad is a quick, easy, and convenient dish that I love making as the weather starts warming up. This recipe features a hearty combination of cannellini beans, red kidney beans, and chickpeas, providing a variety of flavors and textures.
The beans are combined with crisp veggies, like red onions and bell pepper, which add a pop of color and refreshing flavors. I like to add dill and parsley for a hint of brightness, and everything is tied together with a zesty vinaigrette dressing.
I recommend serving this salad chilled, as it allows the flavors to meld together perfectly. You can bring it to picnics, enjoy it as a side dish to your main course, or pack it for a work lunch!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beans: You will need cannellini beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo for this salad. For more convenience, I suggest using canned beans. If you prefer, you can pressure cook your beans from scratch.
- Veggies: I love the combination of red onions, grape tomatoes, celery, and yellow bell pepper. Feel free to swap in any other veggies you have on hand like cucumbers, carrots, or green beans.
- Herbs: Italian parsley and dill add freshness and a pop of flavor. You can also replace them with different herbs like basil, oregano, or cilantro.
- Vinaigrette: Made with a simple mix of olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, salt and red pepper flakes. You can adjust the spices to your liking. I suggest using extra-virgin olive oil for the best taste.
How to make vegan bean salad
- Step 1: Start by thoroughly rinsing and draining each can of beans. Then, dice all the vegetables and chop the herbs. Place everything in a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and all the herbs and spices for the dressing until emulsified.
- Step 3: Drizzle the dressing over the beans and veggies, then toss the salad together until everything is well-coated. Cover your vegan bean salad and refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors come together.
What to serve with vegan bean salad
This vegan bean salad is the perfect choice for summertime get-togethers in the backyard. Serve it with other barbecue favorites like these:
- Grilled or baked tofu
- Grilled veggie skewers
- Orzo pesto salad
- Buffalo tofu
- Vegan hamburgers or hot dogs
- Vegan tuna salad sandwiches
- Vegan guacamole
- Toppings like avocado slices or toasted nuts
Storage
For any leftover vegan bean salad, follow these simple steps:
- Fridge: Vegan bean salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: This salad doesn't freeze well due to the fresh veggies and herbs. I recommend just keeping it in the refrigerator.
- Prep ahead: You can make this salad a day ahead and let it chill in the fridge overnight. I typically recommend this because it allows the flavors to really develop.
Variations
- Tex Mex: Add some corn and black beans, and replace the dressing with a lime-cumin vinaigrette.
- Spicy: Add diced fresh or pickled jalapeรฑos and hot sauce to the dressing.
- Greek: Add chopped cucumber and replace the dressing with tzatziki sauce.
- Indian: Substitute the vinaigrette with a curry-yogurt dressing and add chopped mango.
- Grains: Add some cooked quinoa or couscous for extra heartiness.
- Dried fruits: Mix in some chopped dried fruit for a hint of sweetness. My favorite options include cranberries, raisins, and apricots.
Top tips
- Prep the beans: Rinse the canned beans thoroughly to get rid of the film thatโs often left behind.
- Let it rest: Let this easy vegan bean salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving for a more balanced flavor.
- Spice: Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on your preferred level of heat.
- Vegetables: Dice the veggies into small, uniform pieces for the best texture and eating experience.
FAQ
If you don't have red wine vinegar, you can substitute it with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. While there will be a slight difference in flavor, the tanginess is quite similar.
Yes, this vegan bean salad is naturally gluten-free. However, itโs always best to double-check your ingredients to ensure they're certified gluten-free if you have any type of allergy.
While beans are a great source of protein, you can add more protein by incorporating tofu, tempeh, or cooked quinoa.
More salad recipes
If you enjoyed this easy vegan bean salad recipe, you might also like to try some more healthy salads like these:
- Spicy Cucumber Salad: A 10-minute salad thatโs light and refreshing.
- Orzo Pesto Salad: A vibrant and summery recipe with veggies and pesto.
- Lemon Orzo Salad: A similar salad with bright, Mediterranean flavors.
- Kani Salad: A plant-based twist on a Japanese dish made with hearts of palm.
Vegan Bean Salad
DESCRIPTION
INGREDIENTS
Salad
- 15 ounces cannellini beans
- 15 ounces dark red kidney beans
- 15 ounces garbanzo beans
- โ cup red onions diced
- โ cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- โ cup celery diced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 cup Italian parsley chopped
- ยผ cup fresh dill chopped
Dressing
- ยผ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
METHOD
- Wash, rinse, and drain all beans. Place them in large mixing bowl.
- Add all the diced vegetables and chopped herbs to the mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top of the bean salad and toss together.
- Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least an hour to let it marinate before serving. Then toss again right before serving.
NOTES
- Prep the beans: Rinse the canned beans thoroughly to get rid of the film thatโs often left behind.
- Let it rest: Let this easy vegan bean salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving for a more balanced flavor.
- Spice: Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes based on your preferred level of heat.
- Vegetables: Dice the veggies into small, uniform pieces for the best texture and eating experience.
claire scanlon says
Hello!
I just made this now and I had to sample before putting in fridge to chill. Delicious!
I like to double a recipe to make up for kitchen cleanup! Added an extra can of Great Northern beans, used 2 cans. I removed the skins of the garbanzo beans because they taste better with skins off. Rinsed and strained beans in colander and set it aside. I chopped up fresh asparagus, cherry tomatoes, jarred roasted red peppers, sliced thin red onion, capers, black olive slices, Greek peperoncini slices with the dill and parsley. I left out the crushed red pepper flakes because it was spicy enough and I will probably add some Frankโs hot sauce on mine. Hubby doesnโt like it too hot. I put the veggie mixture in a bowl and added in the vinaigrette lemon dressing. My jarred dried oregano needed to be revived so I chopped it up before adding to dressing! Mixed the veggies with dressing into 2 containers of the beans. The beans are delicate so I tossed them carefully at the end.
I have a feeling this bean salad is going to be gobbled up quickly! Perfect for summertime eating! Thanks again!
Puja Verma says
Thank so much for sharing your version. I love your idea of using asparagus and roasted bell peppers. I've have to try it myself with some Frank's hot sauce. I have some left over after making some Tofu Buffalo wings.