White beans are a favorite in our house; we love them not only in soups such as minestrone soup and beans with rice, but also in salads. This Tuscan Bean Salad is easy to assemble with canned or leftover boiled white beans. Enjoy it for a light lunch, as a side dish for dinner, or take it to your next get-together or picnic—everyone will love it! I love to put this salad together right before eating, similar to caprese orzo pasta salad, rotini chickpea pasta salad, and Waldorf chicken salad. Once you have the ingredients ready, it is so easy to make. You can also prepare it in advance and refrigerate it for a few hours. Tuscan White Bean Salad has an amazing combination of delicious taste and health benefits. Here is my recipe for Instant Pot cannellini beans.
Watch How to Make Tuscan White Bean Salad
Why you’ll love Tuscan White Bean Salad?
✓ Takes less than 10 minutes to make this quick and easy salad. ✓ Full of Mediterranean flavors – fresh and totally satisfying ✓ Healthy and nutritious – high in protein, fiber, and vitamins. ✓ Versatile – can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. ✓ It’s great for everyone, including kids, and perfect for parties and get-togethers.
Ingredients
Cannellini white beans: also known as white kidney beans. Cannellini beans can be canned or cooked. If using canned, drain and rinse them first. You can also cook dried cannellini beans or navy beans in the instant pot or on the stovetop. Red onion: Sliced red onions give the salad a sweet, slightly sour, and beautiful pop of color. They are also very fiber-rich and contain vitamin C. Cherry tomatoes: These are a good choice because they are virtually always sweet and hold their shape in the salad. Tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C. You can use any tomatoes if you don’t have cheery tomatoes. Bell pepper: I prefer using red bell pepper in this salad for its vibrant color. However, you can easily substitute it with yellow or orange bell pepper. Dressing: Extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper are mixed to make the dressing. It gives the salad a bright, citrusy taste and a creamy texture. Parsley: Chopped parsley gives the salad a fresh, herb-like taste and a pop of green color.
How to Make?
You’ll enjoy this quick, easy, and nutritious salad with simple ingredients that is ready in 10 minutes!
Toss the Beans & Veggies
Combine the cooked or canned cannellini beans, thinly sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, and chopped parsley in a large bowl.
Make the Dressing
Whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Combine and Serve
Gently fold the dressing into the bean mixture until everything is evenly coated. Just before serving, garnish again with fresh parsley. You can enjoy your Tuscan cannellini bean salad immediately or cover and chill it in the refrigerator to let the flavors develop even more.
Variations
Add greens and other veggies: Adding green leafy veggies and fresh herbs will improve the salad’s nutritional quotient. Arugula, kale, spinach, lettuce—anything can be used. You can also use avocado, corn, black olives, or artichoke hearts. The possibilities are endless! Add feta or mozzarella cheese: Add some feta, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, or parmesan cheese to enhance the creaminess and flavor of the salad. Add balsamic vinegar: Add vinegar instead of lime juice for your dressing. Feel free to use Balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, etc., for that kick.
What to Serve with Tuscan White Bean Salad?
This Tuscan white bean salad is so good that I enjoy it straight from the bowl! But if you’re looking for some fun ways to serve it up, here are a few ideas:
Build-your-own sandwiches: Toast some bread or buns with Tuscan white bean salad as a filling, and let everyone add their favorite toppings, such as lettuce, cheese, or sprouts. Lettuce wraps: To turn this salad into a fun and healthy finger food, wrap lettuce leaves in a wrap. Fill each leaf with a scoop of Tuscan white bean salad, and enjoy!
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