An easy and delicious bean salad filled with fresh flavors. This bean salad is made with black beans, white beans and garbanzo beans.
Whip this tasty salad together in just 10 minutes! Perfect for potlucks, barbecues or family dinners.
Why make this salad
This salad is a salad you can feel good about eating! It's high in fiber, protein, and iron and is low in calories!
How many bean salad recipes are out there? There's three bean salad, four bean salad, five bean, Mexican bean, and black bean and corn!
That's a whole lot of bean salads and I'm sure there's a whole lot more out there! Why so many recipes?
First, beans are good for you so people tend to come up with ideas to use them. Second, beans are so versatile.
They can be served hot or cold; plain or dressed and pair well with so many different ingredients. And finally, people like beans! They taste good in just about everything, including salad!
Key ingredients
- Black beans
- Garbanzo beans
- White beans, like cannellini beans or great northern
- Tomatoes
- Fresh parsley
I used canned beans when I made this salad. You do want to fully rinse the beans to remove all the liquid the beans were packed in. Just place the beans in a colander and rinse.
You could also cook your own dried beans. I have an easy Instant Pot recipe for making beans.
Steps to make
A complete list of instructions is available below! Just scroll to the bottom!
- Rinse and drain beans
- Seed and chop tomatoes
- Add chopped green onions
- Add chopped tomatoes and fresh parsley
- Mix olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper together
- Add oil mixture to bean mixture
- Stir and serve or cover and refrigerate
A few tips for making this salad
- 1 roma tomato equals ½ cup chopped tomato
- 6 green onions equals ½ cup chopped green onions
- When chopping parsley, it's easier to do a fine chop if your parsley is dry
- Don't leave out the red pepper flakes! You can add a bit more if you like spicy or reduce just a touch if you don't.
- Always taste your salad and add additional salt and pepper if needed
- Stir salad just before serving
Variations and substitutions
- Add additional canned beans
- Mix up the variety of beans - pinto, kidney, pinquintos
- Use fresh cilantro instead of parsley
- Any type of chopped tomato will work in this salad
- For extra spice, add a finely minced jalapeno
Recipe FAQs
You can keep this salad up to 3- 5 days in the refrigerator. If it's not refrigerated eat within one day.
No, this salad does not need to be refrigerated. This makes it a perfect side dish to take to a summer potluck or BBQ. You don't have to worry about anything going bad if it isn't kept cold.
This salad is also a perfect make ahead salad. Once made I do cover and refrigerate and pull out when ready to serve. If you do make ahead, just give a quick stir just before serving.
Serving suggestion
This salad is perfect served alongside BBQ Chicken, Grilled Flank Steak, Baby Back Ribs and Grilled burgers and hot dogs.
More bean recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
More delicious salad recipes
Three Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 oz can Garbanzo Beans
- 1 15.5 oz can Black Beans
- 1 15.5 oz can White Beans
- ½ cup green onions (chopped)
- ½ cup roma tomato (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and drain canned beans. Add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add chopped onions, tomatoes and parsley to beans. Mix lightly
Dressing
- Combine olive oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper together
- Add dressing to beans
- Toss lightly
- Serve or cover and refrigerate. Toss before serving.
Notes
- 1 roma tomato equals ½ cup chopped tomato
- 6 green onions equals ½ cup chopped green onions
- When chopping parsley, it’s easier to do a fine chop if your parsley is dry
- Don’t leave out the red pepper flakes! You can add a bit more if you like spicy or reduce just a touch if you don’t.
- Always taste your salad and add additional salt and pepper if needed
- Stir salad just before serving
David @ Spiced says
I love recipes like this, Kathy! They're easy, but packed with so much flavor...and they go great with all sorts of summer grilled foods. In fact, a burger + bean salad is one of my favorite summer meals! We have a bean salad that I really enjoy, but ours doesn't use garbanzo beans. I'm going to have to try your version out soon...plus, I'm intrigued by those red pepper flakes! 🙂
Kathy says
The pepper flakes give just a touch of spice!
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Kathy, such a flavorful and healthy salad! I'm always trying to get more beans in my diet and this is a delicious way of doing it!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
All my favorite ingredeints in this one Kathy! I love easy, healthy salads like this during the summer!
Kathy says
Me too! And even better, so does my family!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
Delicious and nutritious! Love this - a fantastic meal in itself or a lovely side dish 🙂
Kathy says
I often just eat a bowl of this for my lunch. It's just perfect and filling.
Valentina says
Cannellini beans are my favorite. What a hearty and healthy meal this would be -- and so yummy with that tangy dressing! And it's pretty, to boot. 🙂
Kathy says
Thanks, Valentina!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I love bean salads and this one is no exception! I have loads of various types of beans in our pantry because they are just so darn convenient! You can whip up a salad in no time at all. Great for meal prep too!
Kathy says
Super fast and easy!
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
Hi Kathy! Yes, you're right! Beans are good for you and really stick to your ribs! Very colorful as well! Then, there's also the saying, "The more you eat, the more you ...."
Kathy says
Ha! I think every kids sings that little tune!