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A delicious blend of beans tossed in a tangy dressing, three bean salad is the perfect side to any dinner! It’s super easy to whip up and has incredible flavor in each bite.
This three bean salad is an easy and flavorful salad you’ll love bringing to all of your potlucks this summer. A few more recipes to try out are Greek orzo salad, black bean and corn salad, and Mediterranean quinoa salad! They’re cool and refreshing but packed with amazing savory flavor!
Three Bean Salad Recipe
If you’re looking for a tasty, protein-packed salad to bring to all of your summer get-togethers, look no further! This quick and easy salad uses 3 different types of beans- green, kidney, and garbanzo, all tossed in a delicious, tangy dressing. I add in chopped red onions too for crunch and a pop of flavor! It’s going to fly off the table at your next potluck.
The delicious texture of this salad works with just about any entrée! The crunch and tangy flavor is a great contrast to meat dishes like this grilled honey barbecue chicken! As simple as this three bean salad is, it is so satisfying and delicious! It’s always a favorite at our house! You’re going to love the tangy dressing combined with soft beans and crunchy red onions!
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make It
The best part about this delicious salad is the fact that you only need a handful of pantry staples to throw it together! The combination of these flavors is absolutely irresistible. You can find measurements for each ingredient listed in the recipe card below.
- Canned Beans: I used a mix of green beans, dark kidney beans, and garbanzo beans. You can also swap these out for black, pinto, or wax beans.
- Red Onion: Adds sharp, delicious flavor and the perfect crunch!
- Vinegar: This recipe uses a blend of white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar! The combination is tangy and slightly fruity.
- Sugar: This helps to balance out the acidity of the vinegar.
- Olive Oil: Helps coat the beans in all of the delicious flavors.
- Salt and Pepper: Add both to taste!
How to Make Classic Three Bean Salad
Making this three bean salad is as easy as it gets! It mixes up in minutes and is great for making ahead. I actually recommend it because this way, the flavors have more time to meld!
- Prepare Beans and Onion: In a colander, add the beans and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and add the red onion.
- Mix Dressing Ingredients: In a small bowl whisk the vinegar, sugar, and olive oil.
- Combine: Add to the bowl and toss until coated. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few extra ways to customize this delicious salad! It’s so good, you’re going to want to bring it to every summer party.
- Swap Out Dressing: A fun way to customize your salad is to use different homemade dressings! Try this lemon vinaigrette or Greek dressing next!
- Add Herbs: Fresh herbs are the best way to add a delicious pop of flavor to your salad! Try adding a dash of Italian seasoning or chopped basil, or mint!
- Use Other Veggies: If you find the flavor of red onion to be overpowering, try using chopped celery or red bell peppers instead!
Storing Leftover Three Bean Salad
This simple three bean salad is great for both storing and making ahead! It’s the perfect thing to have on hand for a quick and easy snack or dinner side. The best part about this salad? The longer it’s stored, the more infused and delicious the flavors become!
- In the Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
More Delicious Summer Salads
Cool, crisp, and bursting with flavor, here are a few more salads to add to your dinner lineup! They’re super easy to make and loaded with healthy and delicious ingredients. You can find my full list of tasty salad recipes here!
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Three Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce can green beans
- 1 16 ounce can dark kidney beans
- 1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 Tablepoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a colander, add the beans and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and add the red onion.
- In a small bowl whisk the vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. Add to the bowl and toss until coated. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Quick and easy for my family and they all love it.
I added a can of wax beans to the three listed & doubled the dressing, perfect! I love having this to add to the side of my green salad with cottage cheese for dinner, reminds me of trips to restaurant salad bar!
I tried it and my family loves it
When my children come home they always asking me to make it
So thanks for the help
Really simple but flavorful recipe – I took it to a potluck and it got devoured. I made a double batch and appreciated being able to select 2X to get the correct amounts. I subbed out 1/2 cup of minced garlic instead of onion (since raw onion doesn’t agree with me) and it worked well. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. I did have to add at least a tsp each of sea salt and fresh ground pepper to bring out the flavors. I love that it is vegan and will make this again and again!
Delicious! I like that it doesn’t gel in the fridge. Tangy and sweet. 💕
great classic, another one of those that I’d missed without realizing it until I saw this recipe, so thank you for the reminder and recipe