10 Minute Easy Bean Salad Recipe
Looking for a quick, healthy side dish packed with flavor and nutrients? This 10 minute easy bean salad is full of fresh vegetables, plant-based protein, and a flavorful dressing you’ll want to use on everything. It’s perfect for meal prep, and you can enjoy it as a light lunch or even a main course.
Whether you’re a fan of hearty black beans, creamy cannellini beans, or tangy kalamata olives, this recipe is easy to customize. With simple ingredients and a quick prep time, it’s one of those favorite things you’ll keep coming back to. It’s one of those recipes I find myself making every single week—I love packing it for work lunches because it holds up so well and tastes even better the next day.
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Bean Salad Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber, chopped
- 1 tomato (or roma tomatoes), chopped
- 1 red onion or sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (you can also try dairy-free cheese or vegan feta cheese)
- A handful of black olives, green olives, or kalamata olives
- Optional: chopped bell peppers, grape tomatoes, green onion, or red bell pepper for added color and crunch
- Optional: fresh parsley, fresh basil, or other fresh herbs
**Feel free to swap in your favorite type of bean. Pinto beans, navy beans, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, white beans, and great northern beans all have a similar flavor profile and make great additions. You can also turn this into a minute four bean salad by mixing in several kinds.
Bean Salad Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
- ½ cup red wine vinegar (you can substitute with balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp garlic paste or mashed garlic cloves
- Salt (kosher salt works well) and black pepper to taste
- Optional: garlic powder or fresh lemon juice for extra zing
- Optional: a drizzle of maple syrup for sweetness
How to Make the 10 Minute Bean Salad
Prep the Fresh Vegetables
Start by washing all your fresh vegetables. Chop 1 medium cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Dice 1 large tomato (or a few roma tomatoes) into small chunks. Then, finely chop 1 red onion or a sweet onion, depending on your flavor preference. If you’re adding bell peppers, grape tomatoes, or green onion, chop those as well.
Drain and Rinse the Canned Beans
Open your can of black beans and your can of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans). Pour them into a colander and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess salt and helps keep the salad tasting fresh. If you’re using other types of canned beans like cannellini beans, navy beans, or red kidney beans, follow the same process.
Mix it all Together
In a large bowl or large mixing bowl, add the chopped vegetables, drained beans, and your choice of olives (black, green, or kalamata olives). Stir gently to combine. Add ½ cup of parmesan cheese (or use vegan feta cheese or dairy-free cheese if you prefer).
Make the Dressing
In a small bowl or medium bowl, whisk together the following dressing ingredients:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste or a few mashed garlic cloves
- A pinch of kosher salt and a few turns of black pepper
- Optional: ½ teaspoon garlic powder, a splash of fresh lemon juice, or a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweeter touch
Whisk until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
Dress the Salad
Pour the dressing evenly over the salad ingredients in the bowl. Use a large spoon or tongs to mix everything together until the dressing coats all the beans and veggies.
Let the Flavors Blend
Cover the bowl or transfer the salad to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors soak into the beans and veggies, giving the whole dish that fresh flavor people love.
Serve and Enjoy
You can serve this salad cold straight from the fridge or let it come to room temperature before serving. It’s perfect on its own, as a light lunch, or as a healthy side dish for dinner. It also makes a great plant-based main course packed with grams of protein and fiber. If you are looking for more high protein dishes give our High Protein Steak Bowl Recipe a try!
Tips & Variations
- If you want a gluten-free version, double-check your mustard and cheese.
- This salad makes an excellent source of fiber and is rich in grams of protein thanks to the canned beans.
- Serve at room temperature for the best taste, or cold for a refreshing bite.
- Add cooked green beans cut into thin strips for extra crunch.
Why You’ll Love This Nutritious Dense Bean Salad
This Mediterranean bean salad is not only delicious but also an easy recipe to make ahead. With simple ingredients and lots of room to customize, it’s great for busy weeks or last night’s leftovers. Beans are packed with plant-based protein and fiber, which can help support heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
It’s a good reason to keep canned beans on hand at all times!
10 Minute Easy Bean Salad Recipe
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- Small bowl (for dressing)
- whisk or fork
- Colander
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 medium cucumber chopped
- 1 large tomato or 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese or dairy-free cheese/vegan feta
- ¼ cup black olives green olives, or kalamata olives (sliced or whole)
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ cup chopped bell peppers any color
- Fresh parsley or basil
- Green onion sliced
For the Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp garlic paste or 2 minced garlic cloves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp maple syrup, or 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Chop the cucumber, tomato, and red onion into small pieces. If you’re adding bell peppers, grape tomatoes, or green onion, prep those as well.
- Drain and rinse the black beans and chickpeas under cold water using a colander.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the chopped vegetables, rinsed beans, olives, and parmesan cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic paste, salt, and pepper. Add any optional ingredients like garlic powder, lemon juice, or maple syrup.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well coated.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend. Store leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within a few days.
