This easy Cannellini Bean Salad is so delicious with the combination of creamy white beans, crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, and feta cheese! It's all coated in a simple red wine vinegar dressing. Such a great way to add nutrition to your day. 😊 Meal prep it for a light lunch or serve it as the perfect side salad with smoky paprika salmon or Greek chicken meatballs!
As a dietitian, I incorporate dietary fiber into many of my recipes because it is so beneficial to help support a gut health and keep you full longer. And this cannellini bean salad is one of my favorites! Like other white beans (Great Northern beans, navy beans, and butter beans), cannellini beans, also called white kidney beans, provide plant-based protein and fiber. What makes cannellini beans so great for a salad is that they have a creamy texture but still retain their shape.
If you like this recipe, you may also love my chickpea cucumber salad with garbanzo beans, Greek-inspired tomato and cucumber salad with feta, Mediterranean tuna salad, or black beans & corn salad.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
This easy white bean salad is made with versatile ingredients. Below are some notes and substitution ideas. The ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Salad Base Ingredients
- Cannellini Beans - cannellini beans have a nutty flavor and creamy texture. While I recommend using cannellini beans for this particular Italian white bean salad, other canned beans will work too. Some kinds of beans that are great substitutes are great northern Beans, butterbeans, navy beans, or chickpeas.
- Cherry Tomatoes - I suggest using fresh cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes add a pop of flavor and also contain vitamins C, potassium, and a powerful antioxidant called lycopene that helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
- Red Peppers - bell pepper adds sweet flavor and nutrients. I use red peppers because they're the sweetest variety. But you could use yellow, orange, or green bell peppers instead. Bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.
- English Cucumbers - crunchy cucumbers like English cucumber or Persian cucumbers work best for this recipe. Both have fewer and smaller seeds and thinner skin than regular cucumbers.
- Red Onions - red onion adds a bit of sweetness and crunch. If you prefer a more mild onion flavor, use green onions.
- Fresh Herbs - this recipe calls for a combination of fresh parsley and fresh dill. If you want, you can also add fresh mint, fresh basil, or fresh oregano, too.
- Feta Cheese - salty feta is sooo good with the white beans. I suggest using a block of feta and crumbling it yourself with your hands or a knife.
- Optional: sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, or black olives.
Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Red Wine Vinegar - red wine vinegar adds a little tang to the dressing. Feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you prefer the taste.
- Fresh Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice adds a ton of flavor and brightens this dish up. It also contains ascorbic acid, a natural preservative.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil to coat the veggies and add heart-healthy fats that also support hormone health and brain health.
- Dijon Mustard - a natural emulsifier that also adds a nice flavor.
- Honey - a small bit of honey adds a touch of sweetness to balance everything out.
- Garlic - you’ll be using raw fresh garlic so a little bit adds lots of flavor. Garlic is an antimicrobial and it also contains antioxidants. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can substitute with garlic powder.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper (+optional dried oregano) - a pinch of salt & pepper to tie everything together. Feel free to add dried oregano for more flavor.
How to Make Cannellini Bean Salad
Below are the directions for how to make this recipe with some photos that I hope are helpful. Check the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Make the dressing by blending the ingredients in a food processor or blender. This creates a creamier consistency than whisking it. That said, you can also mince or grate the garlic and whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Step 2: Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Dice the red bell pepper, English cucumber and red onion. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters if they're larger ones. I like to chop my vegetables into pieces that are around the same size as the cannellini beans. Chop the fresh parsley and dill and crumble the feta. *Tip: this is optional, but to get rid of some of the excess water in the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and gently scoop out some of the seeds in the middle with a spoon.
- Step 3: Add everything to a large bowl and top with the dressing. Gently mix to combine.
Hint: to cut some of the sharpness of the red onion, chop it and then give it a rinse under cold water before adding it to the salad.
Dietitian Tip
Cannellini beans are the main ingredient in this salad! They provide dietary fiber for gut health and 14g of plant-based protein per cup! And legumes like cannellini beans are also high in vitamins B6 and B12 which have been shown to support brain health. This simple white bean salad is a great option to make it easy to incorporate beans into your eating pattern.
Video of How to Make Cannellini Bean Salad
Here's a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
The best part about making a Mediterranean bean salad at home is you can customize it to your taste. Below are some ideas.
- Italian - if you like Italian dishes, replace the feta with parmesan, use fresh basil in place of dill, swap out the red wine vinegar for white wine vinegar, and add sun-dried tomatoes for more of a tuscan flavor. Serve it with crusty bread.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to the dressing if you like a little kick.
- Tahini Dressing - swap out the red wine dressing for a lemon tahini dressing if you like a creamier consistency.
- Vegan - you can easily make this recipe vegan by replacing the feta cheese with avocado or tahini, both of which will add similar creaminess as the cheese does.
- More Protein - the white beans add plant-protein. But feel free to add your favorite protein. This simple salad goes great with smoky paprika salmon, balsamic chicken, hot honey shrimp, or Greek chicken meatballs.
Equipment
To make the salad dressing, I suggest using either a food processor or a high-speed blender. I use my Beast Blender or Ninja Food Processor.
Storage for Cannellini Bean Salad
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you see liquid settle at the bottom of the container the next day, it's totally normal. Just give it another toss.
Expert Tips
- To save time, use canned cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans). Rinse your beans to improve the flavor and texture of the final dish.
- Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for the best flavor.
- Toss the salad gently so the beans stay intact.
- If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon instead of lemon juice from the bottle.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this lemony white bean salad is a nutrient-rich option. It contains plant protein from the beans, dietary fiber to support gut health from the legumes and vegetables, and heart-healthy fats that also support brain health and hormone health from the olive oil. This fresh recipe also contains antioxidants and vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, and magnesium. It is also gluten-free.
Find feta cheese near the other cheeses in the dairy section of most grocery stores. You can buy it in a block and crumble it with your hands or buy it already crumbled. I suggest buying it in the block and crumbling it yourself because the feta that comes crumbled often has added ingredients and tastes drier.
Yes, you can serve it either cold or at room temperature.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Cannellini Bean Salad:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Mediterranean Cannellini Bean Salad with White Beans
Equipment
- 1 blender (or food processor)
Ingredients
For Base Salad
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- ½ an English cucumber, diced
- ½ a red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup chopped red onion (~¼ an onion)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
For Salad Dressing
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (~1 large lemon)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 cloves garlic (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ¾-1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
Instructions
- Make the dressing by blending the ingredients in a food processor or blender. This creates a creamier consistency than whisking it. That said, you can also mince the garlic and whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Dice the red bell pepper, English cucumber and red onion. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters if they're larger ones. I like to chop my vegetables into pieces that are around the same size as the cannellini beans. Chop the fresh parsley and dill and crumble the feta. *Tip: this is optional, but to get rid of some of the excess water in the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and gently scoop out some of the seeds in the middle with a spoon.
- Add everything to a large bowl and top with the dressing. Gently mix to combine.
- Hint: to cut some of the sharpness of the red onion, chop it and then give it a rinse under cold water before adding it to the salad.
Video
Notes
- To save time, use canned cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans).
- Rinse your beans to improve the flavor and texture of the final dish.
- Buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself for the best flavor.
- Toss the salad gently so the beans stay intact.
- If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon instead of lemon juice from the bottle.
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you see liquid settle at the bottom of the container the next day, it's totally normal. Just give it another toss.
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