Mediterranean White Bean Salad Recipe
This Mediterranean White Bean Salad is a vibrant, refreshing dish packed with cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, Kalamata olives, and tangy feta cheese, all tossed in a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or a healthy side, it comes together in just 15 minutes without any cooking required, making it ideal for quick and nutritious meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 (15 fluid ounce) can white (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 mini cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 10 ounces little tomatoes (grape, cherry, etc.), halved
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Drain and rinse the cannellini beans thoroughly. Chop the mini cucumbers, red onion, red bell pepper, and halve the little tomatoes. Pit and chop the Kalamata olives and finely chop the fresh parsley.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the drained beans, chopped cucumbers, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, parsley, and dried oregano. Gently mix all the salad components together to combine evenly.
- Add Dressing: Drizzle the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything gently but thoroughly to ensure the dressing coats all ingredients.
- Finish with Feta: Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the top and give a light toss to incorporate without breaking the cheese pieces too much.
- Serve or Chill: Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors, or chill it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld beautifully before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon juice or a pinch of garlic powder to the dressing.
- This salad can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated; however, add the feta last to maintain its texture.
- Substitute Kalamata olives with green olives if preferred.
- Use fresh oregano instead of dried, if available, for a brighter herby flavor.
- Adjust olive oil and vinegar quantities based on personal taste preferences.
