Mediterranean Three Bean Salad Recipe

Here’s an easy three bean salad recipe with a Mediterranean twist. This protein-packed vegan salad is perfect for meal prep or as a side dish. Make sure you watch the video for step-by-step instructions. 

We have lots of salad recipes here on the blog and keep adding to them. Salads are a great addition to any table and many of them can be turned into a complete meal. Our readers love our Turkish white bean salad, lentil salad and easy Mediterranean salad. This three bean salad with a Mediterranean flair is one of my favorites because it brings an American classic and my favorite Mediterranean flavors together to make a delicious recipe. 

A new twist on a classic

Three bean salad is something that many of you have probably grown up with. Many make this salad at home and it’s also available in cans and jars at almost any supermarket. This healthy three bean salad recipe however is a twist on the classic bean salad. This protein-packed vegan salad is perfect for meal prepping. 

The recipe calls for beans such as navy and pinto and extra ingredients such as artichokes and olives. The dressing is made with simple ingredients and adds a little bit of zest and tanginess to balance the flavors. Unlike the classic recipe, this one adds no sugar to the dressing. 

Three bean salad ingredients

To make this easy bean salad with a Mediterranean twist, you need the following ingredients:

• Pinto beans
• Red kidney beans
• Navy beans
• Red onion 
• Parsley 
• Mint 
• Marinated artichoke
• Olives

And for the three bean salad dressing you just need lemon, vinegar, olive oil, garlic and spices such as oregano and sumac. 

This is such a versatile salad recipe and you can modify the ingredients to you liking. We’ll talk more about the additions and modifications below. 

What beans to use 

To make this recipe, I used three types of beans: navy, pinto and red kidney. These are the beans I grew up with and seem to be common to many three-bean salad recipes. They well together and make this salad into a complete meal that you can make ahead of time and enjoy for a few days. 

As for dry or canned, this decision is totally up to you. I used canned beans for this recipe but you can also cook them at home and use them in this salad. Note that beans need to soak for a while before you cook them so please plan accordingly. 

You can also use green beans for this recipe, canned or fresh. If using fresh, I suggest you blanch the green beans: bring a pot of water to boil and cut the green beans into 2-inch pieces.

How to make Mediterranean three bean salad

• If using canned beans, drain and rinse them separately. Add them to a large bowl.
• Chop the red onion and add it to the beans. 
• Wash and dry parsley and mint. Chop them finely and add them to the salad. 
• Cut the artichoke and olives into smaller pieces and add them to the bowl as well. 
• Using two spoons, gently mix the salad. 
• To make the salad dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the salad. 
• It’s best to serve this salad cold. 

Additions to this salad recipe

The best part of this salad is that you can modify it to your liking and add or leave out the ingredients:

• Not a fan of olives? Leave them out or substitute with some capers. 
• Add grape tomatoes for a pop of color. 
• Chop some celery and add it to the salad for extra crunch. 
• Swipe one of the beans for chickpeas if desired.
• Sliced red bell pepper will add some subtle sweetness to the salad. 
• Use other herbs such as green onions or cilantro. 

How to serve this Mediterranean bean salad

I usually have this salad as a complete meal on it’s own because it’s packed with protein and keeps me full for hours. You can also serve it as a side dish with lots of dishes, such as beef shish kabob and our Mediterranean chicken sheet pan dinner!

A few notes about this three bean salad

• Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. This salad keeps for up to 3 days. However, since this salad is made with fresh herbs, it’s best to not let it sit in the refrigerator for a long time. 
• This salad is best served cold. Once you’re done making it, cover the bowl and refrigerate for one hour so the flavors combine well. 
• I chop the onions pretty small for this salad but you can also slice them or use a vegetable slicer to get very thin slices.  

Looking for more recipes?

• Greek chickpea salad
• Persian noodle soup (Ash Reshteh)
• Turkish lentil meatballs (vegan)

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5 from 4 votes

Mediterranean Three Bean Salad Recipe

An easy three bean salad recipe with a Mediterranean twist. This protein-packed vegan salad is perfect for meal prep or as a side dish. Make sure to watch the video for step-by-step instructions. 

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 280kcal

Author Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

• 1 can pinto beans 15 oz.
• 1 can red kidney beans 15 oz.
• 1 can navy beans 15 oz.
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint chopped
• 1 cup marinated artichoke sliced
• 1 cup olives green and black

Three Bean Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Drain and rinse the pinto, navy and red kidney beans. Place them in a large bowl.
• To the beans, add chopped onion, parsley, mint, artichoke and olives.
• Mix well using two large spoons.
• To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
• Pour the dressing over the bean salad and mix well.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about one hour.
• Serve cold.

Video

Notes

• You can add other vegetables such as tomatoes, green onions or red bell pepper. 
• If desired, use chickpeas instead of one of the beans. 

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal