Three bean salad is a simple, affordable side dish made with green beans, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and a sweet and tangy dressing. It is easy to make ahead and perfect for barbecues, cookouts, and parties.
Ingredients
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Vinegar and oil - Apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil make the base of the dressing.
Sugar and seasoning - Sugar adds sweetness, while salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder balance the flavor.
Beans - Red kidney beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas) add heartiness and texture.
Green beans - Use frozen green beans cooked just to tender. They hold their texture and color better than canned.
Onion - Use white or yellow onion. Red onion will also work in this recipe.
Parsley - Fresh parsley adds a little color and freshness.
See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic powder to a small jar or bowl. Canning jars are great for dressings because the lids close tightly and you can shake vigorously without spilling.
Shake the jar, or whisk until combined. Refrigerate the dressing while you finish the salad to allow the flavors to come together. Give it a good shake or stir before adding it to the beans.
Add the red beans, garbanzos, green beans, sliced onions and parsley to a large bowl.
Next, add the dressing to the three bean salad.
Gently toss and stir the ingredients with a rubber spatula until combined and coated. Take care not to tear the beans.
Cover and refrigerate the salad for 2 hours, up to overnight. Stir and toss well before serving.
Recipe tips and notes
- Slice the onion paper thin so the flavor does not overwhelm the other ingredients.
- Rinse the garbanzo beans and red kidney beans gently with cold water, then drain them well.
- For the best texture, cook the green beans using the lowest recommended package time. As soon as they are done, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Frozen green beans work better than canned here because they hold their texture and color better.
Make-ahead and storing
This salad is best made ahead of time so the flavors can come together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, then stir well before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
According to USDA recommendations, do not leave food out for longer than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
This is a cold side dish that goes great with barbecue, hot dogs, hamburgers, you name it! Serve it with this loaded potato salad, potato egg salad and this refreshing artichoke salad for a fantastic side dish buffet.
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📖 Recipe
Three Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Garlic Powder
Bean Salad
- 16 ounce can Red Kidney Beans rinsed and drained
- 16 ounce can Garbanzo Beans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 10 ounce package Frozen Cut Green Beans cooked to the lowest recommended time on package
- 2 tablespoons Onions sliced paper thin
- 2 tablespoons Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook the green beans following the package directions and use the lowest recommended time. As soon as the beans are done, add them to a strainer, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking.
Make the dressing
- Add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic powder to a small jar or bowl. Shake the jar to combine, or whisk until combined. Refrigerate the dressing while you finish the salad to allow the flavors to come together. Stir well before adding to the salad.
Finish the three bean salad
- Add the red beans, garbanzos, green beans, sliced onions and parsley to a large bowl.
- Add the dressing to the bean salad.
- Gently toss and stir the ingredients with a rubber spatula until it's all combined and coated. Take care not to tear the beans.
- Cover and refrigerate the bean salad for 2 hours, up to overnight.
- Stir and toss well before serving.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Colin Parrish
How long can you freeze this for?
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Hi Colin, You can freeze this for 2-3 months.
J monte
I had to adjust the ingredients to what I had on hand - garbanzos, black beans and leftover steamed green beans. The dressing is perfect. Most recipes I found had too much sugar. Yours was just enough.
Elizabeth
Hi. I’m glad you put leftover steamed green beans to good use, that’s a good idea! Thank you for your kind review.
Yvette
Love that it's lower sugar- had everything in the pantry and so easy to throw together. Great for summertime! Yum!
Elizabeth Rodriguez
So glad you enjoyed it! Love hearing that it was easy to pull together. I agree, great summer side. Thanks for stopping by!