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    Home - Recipes - Salads

    Easy Bean Salad

    Sep 17, 2018 · Modified: Aug 9, 2022 by Courtney · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

    394 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This easy bean salad with lentils is a fresh and simple take on the classic three bean salad. It's a perfect summer salad, potluck side or meal prep recipe for easy weekday lunches.

    A side view of a bowl of  bean salad with lentils.

    Bean salad is a staple in my house.  From family potluck dish, to make ahead salad for boating (or camping), to meal prep lunches this dish is in heavy rotation.  In fact, I probably make this easy bean salad at least twice a month.

    Usually we make the salad with canned beans, but during the summer when green and yellow beans are plentiful, I've taken to using fresh beans in my bean salad.  If you don't have fresh beans on hand, or even just don't feel like blanching your own feel free to swap out the fresh beans for a tin each of yellow and green beans.

    3 bean salad with a twist

    This salad is a lot like a traditional 3 bean salad but it differs in that I also add lentils to it.

    I grew up eating 3 bean salad a lot, but when I started making it on my own somewhere along the line I started adding lentils and it was love at first bite!  Now I never make bean salad without lentils in it.  I just love the extra flavour that they give to the salad, and the extra protein is great too - which is why I love having this salad around for an easy vegetarian lunch option.

    Also, what you might also notice is different from the classic bean salad is the dressing.  Where most recipes call for some type of vinegar and sugar, this recipe does not.  Instead, I like to dress the salad with a simple lemon garlic dressing.  I just love the freshness that the lemon juice brings to the salad!

    How to make this easy bean salad

    You can make this salad 2 ways: either with canned beans or with fresh.

    To make the salad with canned beans, simply drain and rinse all the beans and then toss them with the salad dressing ingredients along with the diced onion.

    If you want to use fresh beans you just substitute with half a pound each of yellow and green beans trimmed and halved.  Steam the beans for 5 minutes (or until the are just tender) then cool and mix together with the rest of the salad.

    Don't forget to marinate!

    Although you can serve this salad immediately after making it, for best results plan ahead, and allow the salad to marinate for at least an hour before serving - I promise it is worth the wait 🙂

    DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

    This recipe for easy bean salad is suitable for the following diets:

    • vegan and vegetarian
    • clean eating
    • gluten free, dairy free, and allergy friendly

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    MORE SALAD RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

    If you like this easy bean salad, you might want to check out some of our other awesome healthy salad recipes:

    • Fattoush salad
    • Healthy Nicoise Salad
    • Vietnamese Shrimp Salad

    If you have made this recipe we’d love to see it! Tag us on Insta @loveandgoodstuff.
    Loved this? Don’t forget to rate it below!

    A top down view of a bowl of bean salad with lentils.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    Easy Bean Salad

    A simple and fresh 3 bean salad with lentils
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time5 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 312kcal
    Author: Courtney
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients:

    • 1⁄2 pound green beans - (OR 1 can green beans drained and rinsed)
    • ½ pound yellow beans - (OR 1 can yellow beans drained and rinsed)
    • 1 19 oz can red kidney beans - drained and rinsed
    • 1 19 oz can lentils - drained and rinsed
    • ⅓ cup chopped parsley
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 1 clove garlic - crushed
    • sea salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    For Fresh beans:

    • Trim the ends off of the beans then cut them in half.
    • Steam the green beans for 5 minutes, or until tender.
    • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly.
    • For best flavour, allow the salad to marinate for a couple of hours before serving.

    For canned beans:

    • drain and rinse all the beans and lentils
    • Combine them all in a large bowl along with the rest of the ingredients and toss thoroughly

    Nutrition

    Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 14gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 238mgPotassium: 754mgFiber: 14gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 549IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 5mg

    * nutritional information is calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @loveandgoodstuff or tag #loveandgoodstuff!
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    About Courtney

    I'm Courtney and I love great food!

    Creating delicious meals, photographing them, and sharing them with friends and family are some of my favourite joys ❤️
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly says

      September 17, 2018 at 6:39 pm

      I love easy side dishes like this that are packed with nutrients + good stuff! I'm going to have to try adding lentils to my next bean salad 🙂

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        September 17, 2018 at 7:01 pm

        You should! They are delicious, and I just love the added protein.

        Reply
    2. Krissy Allori says

      September 17, 2018 at 6:44 pm

      This looks so colorful and healthy! YUM!

      Reply
    3. Valentina says

      September 17, 2018 at 7:18 pm

      I can see why you make this so often. It's healthy, delicious and looks super impressive! Very pretty!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        September 17, 2018 at 7:20 pm

        Thank you 🙂

        Reply
    4. Thanh | Eat, Little Bird says

      September 17, 2018 at 7:18 pm

      What a beautiful looking salad! Sounds so delicious too - I love beans of all kinds and this sounds perfect!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        September 17, 2018 at 7:21 pm

        Thanks so much! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Suzy says

      September 17, 2018 at 7:19 pm

      We forget how wholesome and tasty beans can be. Great salad!

      Reply
    6. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says

      September 17, 2018 at 7:46 pm

      Bean salad is such a delicious dish to make; easy to make, looks amazing and full of flavours. Perfect for a family meal, and it would be nice packed in to a lunch box to take to work.

      Reply
    7. Anna says

      September 19, 2018 at 7:08 am

      You can't go wrong with a 3 bean salad! I love this as a side dish or a healthy meal in itself.

      Reply
    8. Alisa Infanti says

      September 19, 2018 at 11:53 am

      I agree... beans salad is always better if it can sit overnight and draw out all the flavour goodness.

      Reply
    9. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

      September 19, 2018 at 2:43 pm

      What a great healthy recipe! I love all the plant-based protein in this and the lemon garlic dressing sounds dreamy!

      Reply
    10. Jacqui says

      September 19, 2018 at 3:19 pm

      It's great that you mentioned allowing the salad to marinate. I've noticed that it is the case for many salads - they do become super flavorful after some time, and it is completely worth waiting!

      Reply
    11. Wendy says

      September 29, 2018 at 4:21 am

      Looks like a perfect dish for a potluck, and so pretty! Can't wait to try.

      Reply
    12. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says

      September 29, 2018 at 1:03 pm

      This is my kind of salad!! I love me a good bean salad, but rarely make it myself for some reason!

      Reply
    13. Kristen King says

      September 29, 2018 at 9:29 pm

      I was just looking for a good bean salad because beans are 0 points on Weight Watchers. This is definitely the one I'm going to make!

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        September 30, 2018 at 3:58 pm

        Enjoy! Hope you love it 🙂

        Reply
    14. Monica says

      October 01, 2018 at 12:02 am

      Such a simple and delicious classic - and it goes so well with all kinds of family meals!

      Reply

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