A twist on the classic three bean salad, this 10 Minute Four Bean Salad is a delicious, healthy side dish. Creamy cannellini beans, crisp sweet peppers, and vibrant red wine vinegar bring this dish together in just a few minutes!
This 10-Minute Four Bean Salad is a quick and easy dish that combines the wholesome goodness of four different beans with a burst of fresh flavors. This vibrant salad is a perfect balance of textures and tastes, making it a delightful addition to any meal or a satisfying standalone dish.
Preparing this salad is a breeze. In just ten minutes, you can combine the beans, vegetables, and dressing, allowing the flavors to meld together. The result is a vibrant and hearty salad that is perfect for picnics, potlucks, or as a quick and healthy meal option when time is of the essence.
Serve this bean salad with Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing, Instant Pot German Potato Salad, Italian Antipasto Salad, or Greek Pasta Salad!
Jump to:
Ingredients to Gather
The classic three bean salad has been a staple at many barbecues over the past few decades. It's good, but I think we need to up the flavors bring it into the current decade! This versatile recipe is vegan, healthy, and full of delicious Summer flavors! Plus it only has a few simple ingredients you probably already have in the house!
Beans- And lots of them! I chose to use black beans, green beans, cannellini beans, and garbanzo beans. You can use red kidney beans, great northern beans, or any other beans you have on hand. Pick beans not just for their flavor, but also for their color and texture. Cannellini beans are creamy, while garbanzo beans are crunchy.
Pepper- Use one large bell pepper. I think the orange ones add great crunch and sweetness, but if you have a red one, yellow one, or even green one would work great here! If you have some sweet mini peppers on hand, use those! I would use 3-4 mini peppers per one large sweet pepper.
Celery- The stalks closest to the heart of the celery are much more tender than the outside stems. Try to grab four from the inside, the "heart" of the celery. The leafy part of the celery is delicious and adds texture and flavor so definitely chop that up too! If you can't get from the inside, use 2 outside stalks instead.
Red Onion- Some people love them, some hate them. They add a great spiciness to this salad. If you aren't a red onion fan, leave it out or substitute it with scallions or chives.
Let's Make 10 Minute Four Bean Salad!
Variations
- Add feta! If you don't mind that this salad wouldn't be vegan, feta or fresh mozzarella would be amazing here!
- Change up the beans. Use red kidney beans, mini cannellini beans, or great northern beans. Use your favorites!
- Feel free to change up the vegetables. No peppers on hand? No worries! Add cucumbers instead. Substitute green onions for red onions. Chop up some zucchini and add that!
- Change the dressing. Red wine dressing is class in a bean salad, but feel free to use a lemon vinaigrette, ranch dressing, or a white wine vinaigrette.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Burgers with Feta and Spinach , Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin, or Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin would be a perfect main course for this side salad. This salad would be a wonderful side dish for salmon, grilled chicken, Lebanese Beef Kafta, or grilled shrimp or smoked beef tenderloin! It's hearty enough to stand on it's own too, just top some mixed greens with the salad for a healthy serving of protein for lunch or dinner.
Recipe FAQ
Keep this in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an air tight container. This salad can be served at room temperature or refrigerated.
Beans are naturally high in carbs, but they also have a lot of fiber. So I would not consider this a low carb meal, but it is very filling.
Yes! Make sure you add the bean salad to a freeze safe container and remove as much air as possible. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Other Recipes to Try!
Did you give this 10 Minute Four Bean Salad a try? I’d love to hear from you! Give me a shout on Instagram or Facebook and share this recipe on Pinterest! And don't forget to check out some other drool worthy recipes below! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and enjoy these delicious recipes!
- Whipped Feta Dip with Honey
- Lemon and Blueberry Zucchini Bread with Lemon Icing
- Dairy Free Cherry Vanilla Sorbet
- Garden Vegetable and Herb Pasta Salad
📖 Recipe
10 Minute Four Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large Bell Pepper (red, yellow, or orange) about 1 cup
- 4 Celery stalks From the heart *see note
- ½ cup Red Onion
- ⅓ cup Fresh Parsley
- ⅓ cup Fresh Basil
- 1 can Green Beans 14 ounce can
- 1 can Black Beans 14 ounce can
- 1 can Cannellini Beans 14 Ounce can
- 1 can Garbanzo Beans 14 ounce can
- 3 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice the bell pepper, red onion, and celery into small pieces and add them to a large bowl.
- Chop the fresh herbs and add them to the bowl with the chopped vegetables.
- Drain the beans into a large colander. Run water over the beans and drain them well.
- Add the beans to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Add the red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper. Mix everything well to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- The inside stalks of the celery are much more tender, so try to get 4 stalks from the inside. It's ok to chop the leaves as well, they are tender and add flavor. If you only have the outside stalks of the celery, use 2 large stems instead of 4 smaller ones.
- Feel free to substitute any four cans of beans. Pick beans for the texture but also their color.
- Keep the bean salad in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
MarjH says
Best bean salad out there. Most call for sugar, don't know why. The combination here is soooo good.
lynnswayoflife says
I am so happy to hear this! I don't understand the sugar either! So happy you liked the recipe! Thanks for sharing!