Mediterranean Bean Salad

Mediterranean Bean Salad is an easy three bean salad recipe (3 bean salad) loaded with legumes and veggies all tossed in a delicious Mediterranean dressing. It’s also nutritious, delicious and it travels well so it’s a perfect cold bean salad to take to a potluck or summer barbecue! 

This Mediterranean Bean Salad will remind you of a classic three bean salad (or 3 bean salad) but it’s even better!  We’ve added a lot of extra goodies here like celery, cucumber, onion, tomato, parsley and basil and it’s all tossed in a delicious vinaigrette. 

You’ll love how easy this 3 bean salad recipe is to make, and if you want to make it extra special, toss in some kalamata olives and sliced pepperoncini to the mix.  They add so much flavor and Mediterranean flair to this dish!  

Three Bean Salad Recipe

This salad is a delicious mix of canned garbanzo beans, kidney beans and cannellini beans all tossed with chopped organic vegetables, fresh herbs and a delicious bean salad dressing. I typically add Parmesan cheese, kalamata olives and pepperoncini to this salad because they add so much flavor to the mx!

• Beans – We use a mix of Garbanzo, Kidney and Cannellini Beans for this salad.
• Red Onion – A little diced onion adds a lot of flavor.
• Vegetables – Chopped celery and cucumber adds a nice freshness and crunch to this salad.
• Tomatoes – I like to use Roma tomatoes because they have fewer seeds.
• Herbs – We use Italian Parsley and fresh basil which adds a lot of flavor to the mix.
• Salad dressing – We use an easy-to-make Italian vinaigrette to toss this salad with.
• Parmesan Cheese – It adds great flavor!
• Kalamata olives (optional) – I usually add kalamata (cut in half or sliced) which adds a great flavor.
• Pepperoncini (0ptional) – Pepperoncini are also a great addition to this salad (sliced or toss them in whole).

For full recipe instructions, please see the recipe card below. 

Variations

• Use feta cheese instead of Parmesan
• Add other vegetables like chopped zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper
• Toss in some kalamata olives and pepperoncini 
• Add lots of fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons
• Double up on the dressing so the beans can marinate (and you’ll have a little dressing left over for a green salad).
• Sprinkle in a little dried basil and oregano (I always sprinkle in about 1/4 teaspoon each for a more robust flavor)

How to Make Three Bean Salad

This salad comes together in about 10 minutes start-to-finish.  It can be eaten at room temperature, but it’s really best if chilled for an hour or two before serving.  

1. Make Dressing – Add ingredients to  You a mason jar, seal the lid and shake well.
2. Rinse beans – Drain and rinse the beans and add them to a large bowl.
3. Chop veggies – Chop the celery, cucumber, onions, tomato and herbs and add to the large bowl.
4. Toss salad – Drizzle the dressing over the ingredients and toss.
5. Chill salad – Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving.

Bean Salad Dressing Recipe

This dressing uses just four simple ingredients (olive oil, lemon, garlic and Italian seasoning) to lightly toss your salad with.  You can adjust the seasoning after tossed, adding more or less, to your liking.

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Garlic
• Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

If you make the dressing in advance, be sure to shake it well before tossing the salad with it. If the dressing hardens in the refrigerator (it likely will), just set it out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes then shake well to combine.

How to Make Bean Salad Dressing

This three bean salad dressing comes together as quickly as you can shake a jar, but it’s best if chilled in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and Italian seasoning. Or add the ingredients to a mason jar, seal the lid tightly and shake to mix the ingredients well.

Why We Love This Salad

• Super quick and easy to make
• It travels well making it a perfect potluck and barbecue salad 
• High in protein and fiber
• It’s vegetarian (vegan if you omit the cheese)
• Makes a great as a side dish or vegetarian main course
• It’s really great tossed in with a green salad

Looking for more healthy salads to serve?

• Crunchy Detox Salad
• Romaine Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea and Cucumber Salad
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Greek Chopped Salad
• Italian Tuna Pasta Salad

Want more ideas? Check out all my healthy salad recipes.