White Bean Salad (Printable)

Mediterranean salad with creamy beans, tomatoes, herbs, and a zesty olive oil dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Beans

01 - 2 cups (about 1 can, 14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup (5.3 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced (optional)

→ Herbs

06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried oregano

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
12 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Additions

13 - 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)

# How-To:

01 - In a large salad bowl, mix cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber if used, and minced garlic.
02 - Incorporate chopped parsley, basil, and oregano into the bowl with the vegetables and beans.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the combined ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Fold in Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese if desired.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to intensify flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can chop an onion, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
  • The beans stay creamy and actually absorb the dressing flavor the longer it sits, so it's even better the next day.
  • It doubles as a light lunch, a side dish that impresses at potlucks, or a foundation for adding grilled proteins whenever you need it.
02 -
  • Rinsing your canned beans isn't optional—it removes the starchy liquid that would make your salad cloudy and heavy, and it takes maybe 30 seconds.
  • The onion will taste sharp right after you dice it, but five minutes sitting in the dressing mellows it into something sweet, so trust the process even if it seems too punchy at first.
  • Tasting as you go isn't fancy, it's necessary—your palate is the only recipe book that matters when it comes to salt and acid.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead and want the flavors to really meld, combine everything except the fresh basil, which can turn dark if exposed to dressing for too long—add the basil right before serving or eating.
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top just before serving wakes up the whole salad if it's been sitting for a while and feels like it needs a little more brightness.
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