Pitchfork Foodie » Course » Salad » Easy Three Bean Salad Recipe
By: Amy on  |Updated:
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This Three Bean Salad is the best BBQ side dish or summer salad for any potluck! It’s made with simple pantry ingredients (green beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans) and is even better as a make-ahead salad! You’ll only need about 10 minutes to make this salad!
3 Bean Salad is one of my very favorite salads because it’s a salad without mayo! Sometimes I’m just not in the mood for mayo salads.
It has a vinaigrette dressing which makes it feel like a healthy salad. I’m not a real health nut, but I love that since this salad is all about beans it has lots of protein and fiber.
The zippy flavors and textures in this cold salad come really do make it the perfect summer salad to serve at any barbecue!
See more: 15 Best BBQ Side Dishes
Three Bean Salad Ingredients
This will remind you of an old fashioned three-bean salad, probably like your grandma’s recipe.
It was popular back in the day because it’s easy to always have all the ingredients you need on hand. It’s basically a mixed bean salad recipe. It’s EASY & CHEAP! Win! Win!
- KIDNEY BEANS: Canned kidney beans
- GREEN BEANS: I always use canned fresh cut green beans, fancy green beans will work. You can also use frozen green beans (cook them as directed on the package. Cool. Then add to the salad.)
- GARBANZO BEANS aka CHICKPEAS: Wondering if chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same? Yes! They are the same bean.
- ONIONS: Sweet onions are my fave. Red, white, or yellow onions will be great. You could also use scallions.
- OIL: Canola oil or vegetable oil.
- VINEGAR: White vinegar gives the salad a great flavor. If you don’t have that you can substitute with cider vinegar, or even red or white wine vinegar would work, although the wine kinds of vinegar are milder.
- SUGAR: Granulated white sugar. You can also substitute with equal amounts of honey. Be sure to whisk it good so it incorporates with the oil.
- SEASONINGS: Salt and pepper. I like adding a touch of celery seed too, it’s optional though.
- HERBS: (optional) chopped Italian parsley, fresh dill.
See More: Easy Salad Recipes
How to make 3 Bean Salad
This is the easiest salad in the world to make! You don’t need any special equipment. A can opener is about all it takes.
- Whisk oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds together.
- Add fresh herbs and onions.
- Drain beans and add to a big bowl.
- Pour dressing over the beans, and toss.
- Refrigerate salad overnight or for at least four hours.
All about Classic 3 Bean Salad
I’m tackling some of the FAQ’s about easy three bean salad. Comment below if you have a question I missed!
Do I have to cook canned beans?
No! They’re already cooked and all you need to do is drain them and rinse them.
How to make a five bean salad?
Want to make a four or five bean salad? Add a can of wax beans and a can of black beans. I’d add one more can of your favorite variety of beans, you’ll have a total of six cans of beans. Double the dressing recipe.
How long will 3 bean salad keep?
Three Bean salad should be stored in the fridge. It will last for 3-5 days.
Other summer salad recipes
Here are a few other summer salad recipes that are easy to make!
Marinaded & Vinaigrette Salads
- Marinaded Cucumbers
- Chinese Cabbage Salad
- Tomato Herb Salad
- Pasta Salad with Summer Veggies
- Orange Balsamic Spinach Salad
Easy Fruit Salad Recipes
Creamy and Mayo Salads
See More: Grilling recipes to serve Bean Salad with.
Grab my Three Bean Salad Recipe
I’m completely in love with this Easy Three Bean Salad! You just can’t beat an inexpensive salad that is best made the day before! It’s a game changer!
Easy Three Bean Salad
3.80 from 45 votes
Servings 10 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
ThisThree Bean Saladis the best BBQ side dish or summer salad for any potluck! It’s made with simple pantry ingredients (green beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans) and is even better as a make-ahead salad! You’ll only need about 10 minutes to make this salad!
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
- 15 ounce can kidney beans
- 15 ounce can green beans
- 1/2 cup onions diced
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 TBSP fresh parsley optional
Instructions
Whisk oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seeds together.
Add fresh herbs and onions.
Drain and rinse beans. Add to a big bowl.
Pour dressing over the beans, and toss.
Refrigerate salad overnight or for at least four hours.
Notes
Keeping salad: Keep the bean salad in the refrigerator in a sealed container or covered with plastic wrap.
How will bean salad keep: 3-5 days in the fridge
To make 4 bean salad:Add a can of drained and rinsed wax beans.
To make 5 bean salad:Add drained and rinsed wax beans, black beans, and one other can of beans of your choice. Double the dressing part of the recipe.
Substitute beans:If you don’t like one of the kinds of beans you can substitute for another type of canned beans. Using mixed beans makes the salad interesting and pretty!
Honey or sugar:You may substitute equal amounts of honey instead of adding sugar if you want a salad without refined sugar.
Herbs:The herbs are optional. Dried herbs may also be used instead of fresh herbs. Reduce the amounts by half.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg
Reader Interactions
Comments
Michelle says
Yikes, this is not a healthy salad. There’s a lot of added sugar. More than half the daily recommended amount per serving. Let’s face it, who can eat just 1 serving when the whole slaps is supposed to feed 10 people. This recipe is just as good with a tablespoon of sugar.Reply
Amy Engberson says
It sounds like you have figured out how to make this salad so it’s just right for you! Enjoy!
Reply
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