Easy 5 Bean Salad — 🫘🙌🏻🥗The BEST bean salad with 5 types of beans, artichoke hearts, red onions, veggies, and takes just 10 MINUTES to prepare! Everything is tossed in a tangy, savory yet slightly sweet vinaigrette that ties everything together perfectly. Serve this as a protein-packed side dish for dinner, at picnics and potlucks, or as a stand-alone healthy lunch option. The recipe is EXTREMELY flexible, too!
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Easy 5 Bean Salad Recipe
I adore this easy 5-bean salad recipe with, as you may have guessed, has five varieties of beans in it. If you want to mix-and-match the exact types of beans used, feel free.
In the FAQs below I give some alternate bean varieties to consider. There are countless versions of this bean salad recipe that has been around for ages and everyone’s mom or grandma makes it a little different.
For my version which is naturally vegan and gluten-free, I love adding artichoke hearts for a bit of unique flavor and texture, along with red onions and celery for some light crunch contrasted with the tender beans.
Everything is tossed in a simple vinaigrette that’s light yet very flavorful thanks to a decent splash of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, a touch of sugar (don’t skip it because it balances the pungent nature of the vinegar), salt, and pepper.
This is the best bean salad recipe that’s great served as a protein-packed side salad alongside casual weeknight dinners, as a healthy lunch option, and is great for entertaining, summer holidays like Memorial Day, the 4th of July, or Labor Day. Set it out at picnics or potlucks (no mayo, holds great!), or make it for game day parties. It’s just such a satisfying and surprisingly filling salad!
Ingredients in 5 Bean Salad
If you have questions about the beans and/or substitutions please consult the FAQs below. In general I use reduced salt versions of beans (if available) that I drain and rinse well.
You’ll need the following:
- kidney beans
- black beans
- garbanzo beans
- white beans
- canned green beans – you could use fresh green beans but I use canned for ease so I don’t have to parboil them. Canned wax beans are similar
- artichoke hearts – any type is fine. The cheapest/healthiest is either using a can of them OR buying a bag of frozen artichoke hearts from Trader Joe’s (if you have one in your area), thawing, and dicing. If you want to use artichoke hearts packed in oil from a jar, that’s fine. Just make sure to drain them and then give them a rough chop. I am not a fan of artichokes packed in oil because they are just TOO greasy for me, but it’s up to you
- green bell pepper – or your favorite color
- red onion – or another color if preferred
- garlic cloves
- apple cider vinegar
- olive oil
- granulated sugar – you can use honey or agave syrup, maple syrup too but that add more ‘flavor’ than the other options
- salt
- pepper
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How To Make the Best Bean Salad
- Add drained and rinsed beans to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the other veggies, and then the remaining ingredients, and toss very well to combine and coat evenly.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, before serving!
what to serve with bean salad
Storage Directions
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It actually tastes better on the second day.
In the Freezer: You could perhaps freeze this salad for up to 2-3 months. I haven’t tried but in general, I have frozen beans and they’re fine. Thaw in the fridge and serve.
Recipe FAQs
No, you don’t! Feel free to mix and match the bean types based on what you have on hand, what you enjoy, and don’t sweat it. If you only have 4 bean varieties, no worries. Or if you have 6 types, add them all. This is a very flexible recipe.
In addition to the:
kidney (regular/light red or dark red)
black
garbanzo (chickpeas)
white beans (such as great northern)
green beans
Also consider:
cannellini (similar to white beans)
pinto beans
navy beans
wax beans (similar to green beans but waxier, paler, more slender)
another other bean you love!
No, you don’t. Crack the can, drain, rinse, and use! Canned beans have already been cooked and you don’t need to cook them additionally for this recipe.
Yes you absolutely can use homemade beans if you have them cooked and ready. And if you do make homemade beans, you may have lots of beans on hand to use up and this recipe is a perfect way to do so. When I make Homemade Black Beans this happens to me!
One can of beans is about 1 3/4 cups so you can be the judge of how many cups worth of canned beans you need to add to the salad based on what you have and what you’re trying to use.
Yes, yes, and yes. This is such a flexible recipe and I adore artichokes so for me this is a must-include.
But if you want to try your hand with the following (instead of OR in addition to) here are a few ideas:
olives – black or green (pitted!) or pimento stuffed
cherry or grape tomatoes
cucumbers – Persian, English, regular
peppadew peppers
cheese – crumbled feta or mozzarella balls
fresh herbs – basil, mint, parsley
mustard – Dijon, spicy, etc.
No sorry, if you’re a bean hater, this isn’t the recipe for you. Make another one of my many salad recipes.
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Easy 5 Bean Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 14.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (light red or dark red)
- 14.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounce white beans, such as great northern beans or cannellini beans
- 14.5 ounce can green beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped (See Notes for other options)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced small (or your favorite color bell pepper)
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, diced small
Vinaigrette
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add all the drained and rinsed beans, and then all the remaining ingredients.
- Toss very well to combine and taste the bean salad and make sure it's properly seasoned. Seasoning Tips – If the salad tastes at all flat, boring, or like it's missing something, it probably needs more salt. You're flavoring about 5 pounds!! worth of plain ingredients and it all needs salt to bring out the best flavor. I easily add 2-3 teaspoons salt total, but it is personal preference and depends on how salty the beans were you purchased. Consider adding additional pepper, too. However, salt tends to be more crucial than pepper. For a touch of heat, a sprinkle of dried red chili flakes is great or a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper. The sugar is necessary to balance the acidity of the vinegar so I do not recommend skipping it. If you are very concerned, start with 1 tablespoon at first, and then go from there. You can sub with honey or agave syrup, (or maple syrup but that adds its own flavor) rather than sugar if desired although I prefer just plain white sugar.
- Cover the bowl tightly and chill for at least 1 hour prior to serving. Give a good toss before serving.
- Storage – Salad will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days and I find actually tastes best on the second day after the flavors have marries. While I haven't personally froze leftovers, I think it would be fine frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- Make Ahead – You can make this salad up to 24-36 hours in advance. Cover it tightly, pop it in your fridge, and let the flavors marry and meld. Since I think it tastes better on the second day, if you’re making this for an event like a party, a summer holiday, game day party, or holiday entertaining, and want to get a jump on things, this is an easy choice to knock out ahead of time.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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So good, four friends requested the recipe!!
I am glad it was a hit for you and your friends!
I make a bean salad with beans, broccoli, celery and carrots. Really good, fresh and delicious.