This modern three bean salad is my take on the classic with a creamier apple cider vinaigrette and no refined sugar! Made with pantry staples, this is ones of the easiest plant-based lunches you can make. Served by itself or even to top another salad, it's perfect for weekly meal prep!
This delicious modern three bean salad is one I'm known to sneak spoonfuls of while standing with the fridge door open, but most of all I love it as a fresh and simple plant-based lunch. And if you like to have easy-to-make, healthy food readily available in your fridge to make your life easier throughout the week... then I think you're going to love this salad too!
Real quick, what makes this salad modern? It's just a slightly modernized apple cider vinaigrette made with a little bit of tahini (for creaminess) and natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
I often serve this scooped onto a thick slice of my favorite everything bagel avocado toast, and it leaves me feeling full and satisfied during my workday. Let's make some!
Ingredients You'll Need
For this modern three bean salad, the bulk of what you need is in the recipe name itself: three types of beans! This recipe is made from pantry staples, so if you keep a well-stocked pantry, you'll most likely have everything you need already. Here's the full list:
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Cannellini beans (or white kidney beans)
- Celery
- Red onion
- Fresh parsley (cilantro will work, too!)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey or maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- Tahini
- Salt & pepper
How to Make Three Bean Salad
In only a matter of wash, chop, rinse, drain, blend, and combine, you'll have this salad ready in minutes!
First, you'll get the salad ingredients ready:
- Wash and dice celery and red onion
- Roughly chop fresh parsley
- Drain and rinse kidney beans, cannellini beans, and chickpeas
Then, you'll make the creamy cider vinaigrette. I recommend using a blender for the vinaigrette to really emulsify the ingredients... and avoid having to mince any garlic ;). If you don't have a blender, you can always whisk or shake in a mason jar -- you'll just want to mince the garlic. Simply blend together the extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, tahini, salt, and pepper until everything is creamy and smooth.
Last but not least, you'll put everything together. Add the beans, celery, onion, and parsley to a bowl and stir to combine; then, pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
And that's it! Your beautiful, delicious, addicting plant-based lunch will be there for the eating.
Serving Ideas
While great on its own, I actually love to combine three bean salad with other proteins and veggies, too. It's already spiced and dressed, so it basically works as a salad dressing and salad ingredients all in one, so three bean salad is perfect for topping mixed greens, spinach or romaine. It's also delicious served with:
- Other veggies (I love cucumbers or avocados!)
- Hard or soft-boiled eggs
- Alongside tuna or your favorite tuna salad
- Tofu or tempeh
- A toasted piece of sourdough, pita, or your favorite bread
Prep & Store
As I mentioned, this three bean salad is awesome for meal prepping in advance and having ready for a plant-based, whole foods lunches and snacks throughout the week. You can store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge (I prefer glass storage containers) for a week.
Finally, if you're looking for a few other meal prep lunches, there are a few on Roots and Radishes that I make on the regular: olive tapenade and tuna pasta salad, simple detox quinoa salad, and this pesto pasta salad with chicken. YUM!
That's it, friends! If you make this recipe, let me know in the comments below 🙂
Print📖 Recipe
Modern Three Bean Salad
This three bean salad is made slightly more modern with a creamy apple cider vinaigrette with Dijon, tahini, and maple syrup! A delicious, healthy, plant-based lunch just for you!
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: ~3 cups
- Category: Lunch, Salad
- Method: Combine
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tbsp tahini
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: Add the chickpeas, kidney beans, cannellini beans, celery, red onion, and parsley into a large bowl. Stir to combine everything.
- Make the vinaigrette: To a blender, add olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic, maple syrup, Dijon, tahini, salt, and pepper. Blend until everything is well emulsified. Taste and add salt if desired.
- Dress salad: Pour the creamy apple cider vinaigrette over the three bean salad and toss gently to coat. Eat immediately or store in the fridge until you're ready!
Notes
- Fresh herbs: Try swapping parsley for cilantro, and even adding a tiny bit of fresh rosemary! I recommend fresh herbs for this one for optimal flavor.
- Storing: Modern three bean salad can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a week.
Liz says
Really good. I used what I had so swapped Basil for the parsley and walnut butter for the tahini. I don’t eat chickpeas so I used kidney, cannellini, green and waxed beans. I’ll definitely make this again.
Tera Gigot says
Oh wow, amazing ideas Liz - I'm so glad you enjoyed it!