This Classic Three Bean Salad recipe includes fresh green beans along with canned beans tossed with a white wine vinegar dressing.
Classic Three Bean Salad Recipe with Fresh Green Beans
Old fashioned recipes like this classic Three Bean Salad, aren’t passé but rather a mainstay, at least at my house. The reason is because it combines healthy vegetables and beans, tossed in a light vinegar dressing–all of which is a definite family-pleaser.
Three Bean Salad is one of those salads that I love to make not only because it takes very little time to assemble, but it’s also a healthy side dish, too.
If you are like me, simplicity is what I crave for most weeknights. So if you are in a hurry, you can make this recipe entirely with canned ingredients. However, for this recipe I wanted to show you how simple it truly is to include a wholesome addition like blanched green beans.
Not sure how to blanch beans? Here’s a quick video tutorial that shows you how to do just that.
Besides, I love the crunch of green beans, as well as the color that it brings to the salad.
Usually, I’ll break them into smaller chunks by cutting or breaking them by hand.
RELATED: Delicious Salads to Make at Home
The hand-breaking part, is a by-product of my youth, when the smallest members of my family helped my mom prepare green beans for blanching and freezing.
This task I’ll never forget, because I loved the feel of fresh green beans breaking like small wooden twigs. Truly it’s amazing what memories we keep–huh?
Anyway, the rest of the recipe is pretty standard. Drain and rinse the rest of the canned beans and place these in a large bowl, along with the blanched green beans.
Add to this, sliced red onions and chopped celery (if you feel like it). Then mix the vinegar dressing, pour it over the salad and toss well.
It’s best at this point to allow the salad to marinate a bit before serving. That’s why this salad is great for parties.
You can make this salad a day or so ahead of time. This allows the dressing to do its magic with the beans–meaning: the beans become more flavorful and take on the taste of the dressing, but without getting too soggy.
RELATED: Wax Beans with Mint Salad
Three Bean Salad Variations
As mentioned above, you can use all canned ingredients: green beans, garbanzo and kidney beans, or you can add some fresh ones, but don’t limit yourself.
Why not include one (or more) of the following ingredients the next time you make this recipe:
Beans
- yellow wax beans
- cannellini beans
- black-eyed peas
- Great Northern beans
- black beans
- lima beans
- roma beans (blanched and sliced)
Vegetables
- roasted red peppers (chopped)
- sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
- capers (drained and rinsed)
- Vidalia onions
- Green Scallions (chopped whites and greens)
- Cherry Tomatoes (sliced or whole)
- Cucumbers (sliced)
Herbs
- Basil (torn or chopped)
- Mint (torn or chopped)
- Dill (chopped)
Have I whet your appetite yet? I hope so! Remember, too, that this recipe is perfect for picnics and potlucks. Definitely, a must-have at any gathering. Enjoy!
For more delicious party, picnic and potluck recipes, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Recipe Section.
Classic Three Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 cups green beans blanched
- 15 oz garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup red pepper chopped
- 1 cup red onion chopped
For the Dressing:
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup Prosecco White Wine Vinegar can be substituted with basic white vinegar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blanch the green beans in boiling water for about three minutes. Remove and place in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking. Drain well. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the garbanzo beans, green beans, kidney beans, red peppers and red onions.
- In a small bowl combine the sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Then, stir well.
- Drizzle the vinegar dressing over the salad mixture. Toss and mix well.
- You can serve this salad immediately or cover and refrigerate. Enjoy!
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