Classic Bean Salad
Updated July 21, 2025
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 small shallots (or 1 large shallot), peeled
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup mixed coarsely chopped fresh parsley and celery leaves
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
51 grams carbs; 450 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 13 grams fiber; 659 milligrams sodium; 17 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Mince 1 shallot and place in a large bowl. Thinly slice remaining shallot and set aside.
- Step 2
Add vinegar, mustard and a pinch each salt and pepper to the bowl with minced shallot and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 3
Add chickpeas, cannellini beans, kidney beans, celery, herbs and sliced shallot to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Taste and add more salt or vinegar. Drizzle with additional olive oil and top with more black pepper, if desired, and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
Here's my mom's recipe, at LEAST 60 years old (the recipe, not my mom): 1 15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 15 oz can cut green beans, rinsed and drained 1 15 oz can cut wax beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup chopped red onion 2 cups chopped celery 1 large green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 vegetable oil 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt Mix all together and refrigerate overnight. I've monkeyed with this over the years and settled on 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup oil and vinegar
This salad is excellent. Guess I grew up in a weird family- my mothers bean salad tasted very similar to this. Try to ignore people in comments posting recipes with lots of sugar like you get at the supermarket. This dish is way better. Only suggestion I have is to add a can of cut green beans to the mix. Otherwise it’s a perfect bean salad recipe.
Even better with added fresh green beans from the garden.
I definitely wish I'd heeded the comments about the oil but I did add more vinegar to taste. skipped the celery. Very solid salad. Would make again but am wondering if red wine vinegar would be better.
just commenting to say to reserve your judgment until after you let it sit in your fridge for a bit! i ditched the celery (due to the current produce scare) and swapped the shallot for red onion, added more ACV + salt + pepper to my taste, and didn't think it tasted great tbh. i let it sit in my fridge for a little over a day and it's perfect now! magical flavor melding contraption that the refrigerator is.
This salad is delicious and versatile! Agree with others that 1/2 cup of olive oil is too much for the amount of vinegar suggested, but I just added more vinegar (apple cider plus balsamic plus red wine vinegar) until it was balanced. You can choose how much salad dressing to add. It’s delicious as written and can also be changed to your liking. Added another can/box of black beans as other suggested plus cucumber plus red onion and feta. It’s a great recipe and it’s easy to adapt. Love it!!