This white bean salad is the perfect year round side dish! It goes great with winter braises and is perfect for a barbecue!
Made with mostly pantry ingredients, this is an easy side dish you'll turn to time and time again.
Beans are number one at our house! We use them in everything from main dishes, to side dishes and even snacks!
It's no secret that beans are good for you - read this Healthy Benefits of Beans from Real Simple.
Not only are beans good for you, they are delicious and economical!
This mediterranean white bean salad uses mostly pantry ingredients and is easy to make year round! It's the perfect accompaniment to any roasted or grilled meat or fish. You can even add a can of tuna to it and make it a main dish!
Ingredients.
- Red onion - you can use white onion, scallions or even green onions.
- Sherry vinegar - or red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or your favorite vinegar.
- White beans - canned great northern or cannellini.
- Mint - or fresh basil or parsley.
- Red bell pepper - fresh or roasted red bell peppers.
- Capers.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step instructions.
Begin by making a quick pickle of the red onions (alternatively you could us my Quick Pickled Red Onions.) After dicing the red onion, place it in a medium bowl with the vinegar and stir. Let it sit for 15 minutes, while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Rinse and drain the beans.
Roughly chop the fresh mint.
Dice the red bell pepper.
Add the red peppers, beans, capers and mint to the bowl with the onions.
Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and taste to adjust the seasonings.
This is such an easy, healthy and flavorful cannellini bean salad! The creamy beans, the crisp onions and bell peppers, the tangy capers.
Even better are all the ways you can change this up! Sometimes I add kalamata olives, sometimes feta or goat cheese. You can add a can of tuna and some parsley to make it a Mediterranean main dish salad!
This is an old recipe that I found in a 2009 Fine Cooking magazine and I've been making it ever since. I'm not sure if I changed it much or how it evolved through the years!
More bean salads to try!
Recipe.
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White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 15 ounce canned white beans rinsed and drained
- ½ cup mint roughly chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place onions and vinegar in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes, while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the beans, bell peppers, capers, mint and olive oil to the bowl with the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Ann says
Your recipe was spot on - this salad was very easy to make! I paired it with some steaks on the grill. Turned out to be a perfect side dish.
Amy Liu Dong says
I made this last night, and my husband loves it.
I love it too because it is easy, quick, and delicious!
Jamie says
Such a unique-looking salad, the color it gives is just enticing and mesmerizing! It definitely looks so yummy and the best part it's a healthy meal we can enjoy!
Peter M says
I concur...beans are good for you and it's nice that they taste great. I'm diggin' the touch O' capers.
Antoinette says
P.S. Was delicious - substituted organic, neighbor-grown ripe tomatoes for the red bell pepper b/c I don't like bell peppers anyway - delightful summer eating! Thanks, Pam!
Peet says
This looks delicious! Think i will have it with some lamb cutlets...
Kalyn says
Absolutely loving the sound of this, and I'm wondering how I missed it in Fine Cooking. Will have to make this for sure!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I always have some cans of beans in the pantry, but my new favorite (and super easy) way to cook dry beans is in the slow cooker. 18 hours on low, and they are perfectly cooked and ready for beautiful salads like yours.
livinginalocalzone says
I love beans too - they are a staple every night in some way on my table. White beans especially. And with mint.... this idea is on the rotation for the week 🙂 I don't have red onions though - I may substitute some green onions/scallions in there and some scapes...
Antoinette says
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Me me me! I might have to try this one tonight as an accompaniment to... pizza.
Cate O'Malley says
I rarely use beans in salads, but this one looks so good!
the ungourmet says
This looks great! Terrific photos too! I just love the capers in there. I will definitely have to give this on a try soon!
Paula says
Mmmm, mmm, good! I'm a big beanie person. I eat bean salads often for lunch; sometimes stirring in a bit of tuna, too. I'm not a fan of mint, though, so I'd substitute basil instead. Love the capers in this recipe. They really sneak in so much flavor to whatever dish they are added.
Grace says
raw onion is not kind to me, but i love the rest of this dish. combining beans and mint is something i've not yet done. just so ya know. 🙂
Kirsten says
Looks good. I am thinking that I need to pick up a sherry vinegar, this is like the 5th recipe I have read that has called for it.
Tins and Treasures says
My girls and I love anything with beans. This looks sooo good. Have a great weekend. ~Natalie
Kristin says
This is great, I was just looking at my mint yesterday and trying to think of what to do with it. Yum!
Joanne says
I am totally the same way - I have tons of bean salads bookmarked and none that I've actually made. Maybe I'll make them as a sandwich filler instead of as a dinner side. Hmmm... This one looks great, I love mint in salads - it really adds an extra kick.
Susan D says
This looks and sounds wonderful and such a great summer salad. I have everything except the fresh mint and red pepper......easy enough to get. I'm gonna be trying this. Thanks for the recipe. Blessings, SusanD
BTW, I'm very careful on that motorcycle. It's not the motorcycle that concerns me when I'm on the road. It's the people driving and not paying attention, or worse texting while driving. Scary!
maybelle's mom says
We eat beans 3 times a week, easy, because that is what my daughter loves to eat best. I will add this to the list.