Bright colors, fresh delicious flavor makes this Three Bean Salad a perfect side for summer!
My mom has been eating bean salad for as long as I can remember. And, honestly, I always thought it was gross. Not that I had ever tried it. I just couldn’t get over the way it looked. However, I was in my preteen and teen years, so, there’s that.
I recently decided it was time to make my own. I loved. every. bit. Who knew combining just a few simple ingredients with a light and refreshing dressing could make such a delicious side dish?
In fact, it’s easy and quick enough to make for an impromptu picnic or barbecue. What makes it even easier is putting it in a mason jar for travel, plus, it’s more fun that way, too. I mean, what’s not fun about mason jars?
The process is so simple, I literally used a couple of cans of beans, steamed some fresh green beans and red peppers, tossed in freshly chopped onion, tossed it in a bowl with a super simple vinaigrette, and I was good to go!
You could put it on one large jar for a crowd and serve from there, but my favorite is packaging the three bean salad in individual containers for a small gathering. That way, everyone can help themselves to their own jar. If you’re really generous, you could even let your guests keep the jar as a fun little gift. Me? I’m partial to my mason jars and have a tough time parting with them. So, ya, there’s that.
How ever you choose to serve your three bean salad, your guests will love it’s fresh, light flavor.
Ingredients
Salad
- 16 ounce can garbanzo beans
- 15.25 ounce can red kidney beans
- 1 cup chopped fresh green beans
- 1 medium red bell pepper rinsed and diced
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
Dressing
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅛ cup canola or vegetable oil {I do NOT recommend using olive oil since it tends to solidify in the refrigerator}
- ¼ teaspoon white sugar
Instructions
Salad
- Steam chopped green beans for 4-5 minutes
- Meanwhile, rinse canned garbanzo and kidney beans using a colander; place in a medium bowl and set aside
- Add diced pepper to green beans and steam 1-1 1/2 minutes longer; remove from heat and rinse with cold water
- Add the green bean mixture and the diced onions to the beans; set aside
Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil and sugar. Mix well
- Pour dressing and 1 teaspoon salt on bean mixture and toss until combined
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes before serving
Nutrition
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Sandra @ A Dash of Sanity says
I so need to make this for summer!! It looks so fresh and definitely right up my alley! Perfect for summer BBQs. Thanks for the recipe! Pinning, Stumbling and Yumming!