It’s always helpful to have a dependable bean salad in your recipe rotation — something wholesome, adaptable to different diets, and quick to throw together. This version features creamy white beans paired with avocado, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs for a cooling, summer-ready dish. Made with pantry staples and finished with a bright lemon and olive oil dressing, it’s light, simple, and satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This
I first made this white bean salad recipe for my cousin’s baby shower. At the time, I knew I was going to bring a salad, but I didn’t want to show up with a boring bowl of greens. Even though I’m plant-based, I’m picky when it comes to salads — they must be big, hearty, full of protein, and satisfying. This bean salad began with a can of white beans mixed with all of my favorite things.
Ingredients
- White beans: I use canned beans to keep it easy, but you can cook dried beans if you prefer. Choose cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans — I use a mix.
- Fresh herbs: Basil and parsley make a lovely combination that is fresh and summery!
- Cherry tomatoes: I like to use heirloom cherry tomatoes for their sweet flavor.
- Avocado: Choose an avocado that is just ripe enough and not too soft.
- Dressing: Lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
- Salt and pepper: Season the salad generously and adjust to taste.
How to Make White Bean Salad
- Prep the beans. Drain and rinse the beans and add them to a large bowl.
- Prep the remaining ingredients. Chop the herbs, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the avocado. Add to the bowl.
- Mix the dressing. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a jar or measuring cup and pour over the salad.
- Season. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust.
Tips
- Slice, don’t dice, your cherry tomatoes to preserve their juices and keep the salad from becoming too watery.
- Add the avocado just before serving to maintain its color and texture; a splash of lemon juice can help prevent browning.
- Once everything is mixed, give it a taste and tweak the seasoning — adjust the salt, lemon, or vinegar as needed to get the balance just right.
Hope you enjoy this easy white bean salad recipe!
White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 30 oz canned white beans cannellini, Great Northern, or navy
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the beans, then add them to a large bowl.
- Chop the herbs, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the avocado. Add to the bowl and mix everything together.
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar or measuring cup and pour over the top of the bean salad.
- Season generously with salt and pepper, and adjust to taste.
Nutrition
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