A quick and easy Italian Bean Salad that is as easy as chopping and mixing everything together in a bowl - no cooking required! This is a really light and fresh bean salad, that comes together in less than 5 minutes. A delicious high fiber and high protein side for a meal, or a easy addition to a BBQ.
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We LOVE butter beans. Like the name suggests, then are really creamy and because of the size of them they have a meatiness to them too. Such a good way to bulk out meals, but also delicious enough to be the star of the dish. This bean salad is all about simple, nutritious and delicious ingredients.
If you are looking to increase your fiber, then beans as such an easy and budget friendly way to do that as they are a great source of protein and fiber.
Mixed with a few simple fresh ingredients, you can take the humble can of beans and turn it into a delicious salad like this Italian white bean salad. This is great for weekly meal prep too, as it stores so well.
Looking for more bean recipes? Why not try our comforting Cheesy White Bean Bake, quick Chickpea Tuna Salad, delicious White Bean Pasta or our creamy Butter Bean Soup?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Beans - We used a mixture of butter beans and cannellini beans (white kidney beans) in this. White beans are traditionally used in Italian recipes, but there is no reason you couldn't use black beans or kidney beans in this Italian bean salad recipe. You could also add in some chickpeas.
- Onion - Use red onion for the best pop of color. If you struggle with eating raw onion, then you could either soak it in water for 15 minutes or gently cook it. You could use shallots or our Pickled Red Onions.
- Tomatoes - Use a mixture of cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. The sun-dried tomatoes add a real burst of tomato flavor.
- Bell pepper - We used a red bell pepper, but any color works. For extra flavor, why not use Roasted Red Peppers?
- Herbs - We used a mixture of fresh parsley and basil for a real mix of Italian flavors.
- Garlic - Make sure it is really finely crushed into an almost paste, so that it mixes well into the white bean salad.
- Lemon - Use lemon juice. You can add zest as well if you want extra lemon flavor. You may need more or less lemon flavor depending on how juicy your lemon is.
- Vinegar - A good quality red wine vinegar. You could use apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead if you prefer.
- Dijon mustard - This adds a real burst of flavor. You can swap it for wholegrain mustard.
- Oil - A really good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season to taste.
- Parmesan - This is optional and can be left out to make this a vegan Italian bean salad.
- Olives - It's not an Italian recipe without olives. We used Kalamata (even though they are Greek!), but any olives will work. Stuffed olives are a good choice too.
Variations
The great thing about this white bean salad recipe is that it is so easy to adapt. Different beans, cheese, vegetables - so many options. Here are our favorite ways to change things up.
Beans - Any beans work here. You can swap the butter beans and cannellini beans for garbanzo beans (chickpeas), pinto beans, kidney beans or even mix in some lentils for an added protein boost.
Salad/Vegetables - The options are almost endless here. You could make some roasted vegetables with pepper, zucchini (courgette), onion and eggplant (aubergine) and mix that in. Add some diced cucumber and some greens like arugula (rocket) or spinach for an iron boost. Avocado also adds to the creaminess.
Cheese - You don't have to add cheese to this at all, but we think it adds something special. You can swap the Parmesan for cooked halloumi, feta or a crumbled blue cheese. To keep it Italian, use mozzarella or burrata.
Dressing - Feel free to use your favorite salad dressing. A creamy dressing like our Tahini Dressing works well, or you could ditch the fresh herbs and mix in our Pesto Salad Dressing.
How To Make an Italian Bean Salad
- Step 1: Slice the red onion, halve the cherry tomatoes and olives, dice the bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes and finely chop the herbs.
- Step 2: Put all of the beans into a large bowl and add the chopped salad items.
Add the remaining ingredients.
- Step 3: Give it all a really good toss and serve.
Italian Bean Salad Serving Suggestions
This Italian white bean salad is a delicious addition to a Picky Plate and a great way to give it a protein boost. We also like it stuffed into a sandwich or pita bread with some cooked chicken or tuna.
You could just eat a big bowl of this as it is, but we love it as a side to salmon or chicken. Why not try our delicious Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast, juicy Air Fryer Steak or our easy Creamy Dill Salmon?
Dannii's Top Tips
- Rinse the beans well when they come out of the can. This is to get the extra salt off them. Canned beans are great, but a little salty.
- Go easy on the dressing. You want it to be subtle, and not overpowering - so stick with the recipe.
- Make sure you mix it really well before serving, so that the dressing distributes well.
- Try to let the white bean salad sit for 30 minutes before serving, as it allows all the flavors to come together.
- Add some spice with diced jalapenoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is great for meal prep, because it stores so well. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
No, we wouldn't recommend freezing this, as the beans will become mushy when defrosted.
Yes, you can use dried beans. Cook them according to the packet instructions.
More Salad Recipes
If you've tried this Italian white bean salad, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Italian Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 235 g (1.25 cups) of Butter beans - canned; drained weight
- 235 g (1.25 cups) of Cannellini beans - canned; drained weight
- 1 Red onion - sliced
- 8 Cherry tomatoes - halved
- 6 Sun-dried tomatoes - diced
- 1 Red bell pepper - diced
- 8 Kalamata olives - halved
- 5 g (0.25 cups) of Fresh basil - finely chopped
- 5 g (0.25 cups) of Fresh parsley - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon of Olive oil - extra virgin
- 2 Garlic cloves - crushed
- 1 Lemon - juice only
- 60 ml (0.25 cups) of Red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 20 g (0.25 cups) of Parmesan - finely grated
- 1 pinch of Sea salt
- 1 pinch of Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the red onion, halve the cherry tomatoes and olives, dice the bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes and finely chop the herbs.
- Put all of the beans into a large bowl and add the chopped salad items. Add the remaining ingredients.
- Give it all a really good mix and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse the beans well when they come out of the can. This is to get the extra salt off them. Canned beans are great, but a little salty.
- Go easy on the dressing. You want it to be subtle, and not overpowering - so stick with the recipe.
- Make sure you mix it really well before serving, so that the dressing distributes well.
- Try to let the white bean salad sit for 30 minutes before serving, as it allows all the flavors to come together.
- Add some spice with diced jalapenoes.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
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