This simple White Bean Salad is the ultimate summer salad! It’s quick and easy to make but doesn’t skimp on flavor thanks to a mix of refreshing Mediterranean vegetables, fresh herbs, creamy cannellini beans, and lemon vinaigrette.
Craving more fresh summer salads? Check out my Watermelon Salad with Mint and Feta, Broccoli Salad, Macaroni Salad, and Chickpea Salad while you’re here!
Canned white beans may not look exciting at first glance, but once you learn about their endless uses, you’ll be thrilled to have them in your cupboard! With their creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery flavor, these beans make White Bean Soup, Sun Dried Tomato Butter Beans, and many more recipes so heavenly.
This quick and easy White Bean Salad recipe is another way to use up a few cans of cannellini beans. It has fresh and vibrant Mediterranean flavors and is packed with plant protein, making it anything but boring.
The beans are combined with herbs and a blend of Mediterranean veggies, like cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, and cucumbers, then tossed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice to round out every bite. Simple, bright, and refreshing, it has everything you need in a summer salad!
Why you’ll love this Mediterranean white bean salad
- Mediterranean-style – This vegan bean salad has the best the Mediterranean has to offer, like colorful vegetables, fresh parsley and mint leaves to brighten every bite, and a simple lemon vinaigrette.
- Perfect for summer! The crisp and juicy veggies and herbaceous Italian-inspired flavors will keep you cool on hot summer days.
- Incredibly fast and easy – Just toss everything in a bowl and enjoy!
How to make a vegan white bean salad
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Add all of the white bean salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Give it a taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Looking for a little more flavor? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, sumac, dried oregano, or za’atar, fresh basil leaves, and/or a splash of red wine vinegar and toss to combine.
Place the salad in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or serve it right away. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
You can swap the cannellini beans (white kidney beans) for an equal amount of navy beans, great northern beans, chickpeas or butter beans (lima beans).
Dry beans do work in this salad, although they aren’t as convenient as canned beans.
To make this recipe with dry beans, soak 1 cup of dry white beans in water overnight, then drain the water and add the beans to a medium saucepan. Cover with water and heat to a boil. Allow the beans to simmer until they’re soft and tender (1 to 1.5 hours), then drain and set aside to cool before using them in the salad.
Serve this creamy white bean salad as a satisfying side dish with any Italian-inspired main dish. I like pairing it with light vegan pastas, like my Lemon Pasta, Spinach Artichoke Pasta, or Lemon Asparagus Pasta, and a green salad or vegan Caesar salad on the side. This Vegan Tiramisu is always perfect for dessert!
Because of its light and refreshing flavors, this bean salad also pairs well with summer favorites. Bring it with you to the picnic, potluck, or barbecue, and enjoy it alongside vegan macaroni salad, veggie burgers, chickpea salad sandwiches, and more.
Yes! In fact, the flavors will be even better after letting this salad chill in the fridge. I recommend serving it within a few hours of assembly, although you can prepare it up to 1 or 2 days in advance.
The leftover bean salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Any longer and the vegetables will start to soften.
White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- (2) 15-ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 medium English cucumber diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives or black olives
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup diced small red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 15 fresh mint leaves chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste (I used 1 tsp salt)
- 1 cup crumbled feta I used dairy free feta crumbles
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.
- Taste; add more salt and pepper to taste, or more lemon juice.
- For the best flavor, chill the salad in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
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For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. You can also add a pinch of oregano or sumac for more flavor.
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The salad will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for about 2 days. After that, the vegetables start to soften too much.
Thanks, this was delicious! Omitted the mint and used fresh basil. Added garlic powder.
I”m glad you loved the salad, Karen! Thanks for sharing your ideas and wonderful review!
Delicious salad that was served with Nora’s tomato bisque! Perfect summer dinner!
We didn’t have cucumber so we substituted hearts of palm instead.
Hi Doris. Your meal sounds delicious! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! Happy summertime cooking!