This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This three bean salad recipe is a fresh take on my Grandma’s recipe, with half the sugar and twice the flavor! It’s one of my favorite summer salads because it’s so easy to make, protein-packed, and fits many diets.
Here’s my favorite spin on that classic bean salad—you know, the kind at picnics and potlucks long into the cicada-buzzing summer? It seems like everyone has their own way to make this American classic.
Here’s my spin on the bean salad I grew up with, and I’ve added a little more complexity and freshness and cut back a hint on the sugar. It’s still a three bean salad that’s as easy as dump and stir, but it’s a little zhuzhed up, if you know what I mean. Is it actually better than Grandma’s? I think so. (Sorry, Grandma!)
5 Star Reader Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is the best three bean salad I’ve ever eaten! Something about it is just so much more refreshing than other recipes I’ve had. It is so scrumptious and I will be making it often!” -Bonnie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Loved this! Did not miss the usual sugar in this classic! Made this exactly (minus red onion).” -Betsy
Ingredients You’ll Need
My spin on three bean salad is just as easy to make as the 1950’s style classic. The main steps are “dump and stir”: literally open the bean cans and stir everything together! At the same time, I wanted to liven up the classic by cutting back on the sugar and adding some freshness. Here’s what you’ll need for this three bean salad:
- Kidney beans and pinto beans: I like pinto beans in a bean salad, since the common chickpeas can have a tough texture and don’t soak up the marinade as quickly.
- Canned green beans and wax beans: Adding yellow wax beans to this bean salad makes a nice color contrast! They can be harder to find at the grocery, so you can also use only canned green beans.
- White onion and red onion: White onion is standard and has the most classic flavor. Red onion adds brightness with the lovely purple color.
- Curly parsley: The green confetti adds a fresh flavor and visual flair. Use curly parsley if you have it, but Italian also works.
- White vinegar and olive oil: Bean salad works well with white vinegar, just like a classic cucumber salad. It adds just the right astringent punch, balanced by the salt and sugar.
- Dried dill and garlic powder: These seasonings heighten the savory and fresh flavors in this dish.
The Back Story of My Bean Salad
Bean salad is a classic American salad of canned beans marinated in a vinaigrette. It’s a staple at picnics and potlucks because it doesn’t require refrigeration and can sit out in the heat for hours. This type of bean salad originated in the 1950’s, when recipes using canned beans started appearing in cookbooks (per this source).
Most cooks have their own regional spin on bean salad. The most common ingredients are kidney beans, green beans, and garbanzo beans (it’s often called three bean salad). You’ll also often see pinto beans, wax beans, and onions, and it’s almost always marinated in a dressing of vinegar, oil, sugar and salt.
I created this salad based on my mom’s and grandma’s: green beans, wax beans and pinto beans were always present (though wax beans can be harder to find).
How To Make Three Bean Salad
This recipe is almost embarrassingly easy. The longest part is opening the cans.
- Drain and rinse the beans. A good rinse keeps the salad from tasting tinny.
- Slice the onions into slivers. I use a “French cut” where I slice from the tip to the root instead of through the middle: it makes the onion slivers look attractive instead of long and floppy. It’s easiest to explain by showing you: watch minute 1:40 of this How to Cut an Onion video!
- Whisk the dressing. Vinegar, oil, sugar, dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper come together in a bowl.
- Combine and stir. Add the beans, onions, and parsley, then toss until coated.
- Marinate (if you can wait). You can eat it right away, but 1 hour in the fridge takes the flavor from good to incredible.
The end result? This recipe has half the sugar as the standard, but it’s just as delicious! It’s got all the classic elements so you feel like you’re eating Grandma’s. I’ll be eating this for years to come.
Ways To Serve Bean Salad
This is literally my favorite side dish from May through September. It plays well with just about every grilled dinner, and it’s great for adding protein to a vegetarian plate. A few favorite pairings:
- Grilled mains: It’s a natural alongside grilled chicken thighs, grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, or anything off my list of 25 fun vegetarian grill recipes.
- Burger night: Add it next to a grilled veggie burger or classic cheeseburgers.
- Potluck spreads: Set it alongside best potato salad, orzo pasta salad, or easy vinegar coleslaw for the full picnic lineup.
- Holiday gatherings: It’s a regular on my 4th of July recipes and Memorial Day recipes rotation and earns a spot in any picnic menu.
Storing Leftovers & Make Ahead Tips
You can store this homemade bean salad recipe refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. Like a pickle, the flavor gets better over time! It’s great for lunches throughout the week. Beans eventually spoil even when refrigerated, so I recommend not eating after 5 days.
Dietary Notes
This bean salad recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
A classic bean salad typically uses a combination of canned beans, such as kidney beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), and green beans. Some variations may also include wax beans or black beans.
You can use dried beans, but they will need to be cooked beforehand according to package directions. This will require additional preparation time compared to using canned beans. You also may need to adjust the salt quantities.
Keep in mind, one 15-ounce can is equal to 1 ½ cups cooked beans.
The dressing for a classic bean salad is usually a vinaigrette made with oil, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. Common variations include adding Dijon mustard, herbs like parsley or dill, and spices like garlic powder or onion powder.
More Bean Salad Recipes
I’m a big fan of this easy salad and it works for picnics, potlucks, summer grilled meals, and as a side any time of the year. It’s a protein-packed vegan side dish, so it helps to make any vegetarian or plant-based meal more filling. Here are a few other bean and legume-based salads you might enjoy:
- Grab a simple Chickpea Salad or White Bean Salad
- Opt for Black Bean and Corn Salad instead
- Go for an Edamame Salad or Black Eyed Pea Salad
Classic Bean Salad
This three bean salad recipe is a fresh take on my Grandma’s recipe, with half the sugar and twice the flavor! It’s one of my favorite summer salads because it’s so easy to make, protein-packed, and fits many diets.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Salad
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 15-ounce can kidney beans
- 15-ounce can white beans or pinto beans
- 15-ounce can green beans
- 15-ounce can wax beans (or another 15-ounce can green beans)
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1/4 medium red onion (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped curly parsley (or Italian parsley)
- ½ cup white vinegar*
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or pure maple syrup or honey)
- ¼ teaspoon each dried dill and garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- Thinly slice the onions into slivers (go to minute 1:40 of this How to Cut an Onion video to see how!). Finely chop the parsley.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the white vinegar, olive oil, sugar, dill, garlic, powder, and kosher salt. Add the beans, onions and parsley and stir until coated. You can eat immediately, but for best results refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the salad to marinate. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
*Use standard white vinegar, not white wine vinegar!
Loved this! Did not miss the usual sugar in this classic! Made this exactly (minus red onion)
Sonia,
I just brought this salad to a potluck last week which your mom attended! It was well received. Since it makes a lot, it’s a great dish to take to an event like this and still have some leftover for me.
BTW, just saw Kristi at another group yesterday and she sure enjoyed your girls weekend in NYC! She commented that you chose wonderful restaurants, and really enjoyed the theater, too.
Take care,
Barb
How fun! I love to hear this :) Thank you so much for making this recipe — that means the world! And yes, we had a blast in NYC!
This link used to go to a salad called “dill bean salad” but this is not it. It had quite a lot of dill in it, which we loved. Any chance you have a link to the original?
Hi there! It’s an older recipe that we updated. I’ll email it to you! :)
“Dill and garlic powder: These spices are our addition: they heighten the savory and fresh flavors!”
These are SEASONINGS, but neither are SPICES.
Thanks for your feedback! We’ve edited the post accordingly.