Mediterranean Bean Salad Recipe

 Fresh and nutritious, this Mediterranean Bean Salad will be perfect anytime.

Mediterranean Bean Salad Recipe

This is far from just a salad: it's a delicious marriage of kidney beans and chickpeas with the added crunch of cucumber, celery, and red onion. Paying homage to the way simple, clean flavors—those characteristic of Mediterranean cuisine—marry beautifully. They all combine to give a most refreshing yet satisfying dish, with a dressing of lemon, olive oil, garlic, and mixed herbs, which is quite irresistible. Whether it's your spring picnic or summertime potluck, or even a cozy gathering in fall, this salad is sure to make them fall in love. For everybody—vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free.

Effortless preparation

One of the things I love best about this salad is that it's simple enough for anybody to prepare. All it requires is basic chopping and whisking, and voila, you'll have a gourmet dish ready in about 20 minutes. This recipe might be useful for when you are willing to serve your guests or just pamper yourself with some good food.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

This recipe first came across me in 2013 when I was going through my creatively barren season amidst office routine. Most often, for culinary inspiration, I referred to books or local Mediterranean cuisines. This is a recipe born when I really wanted to make a salad just like the one from Lebanon that I had there but put a little bit of a take from the Mediterranean in it. If you're a fan of that great, huge burst of fresh flavor in your mouth, you're bound to enjoy the salad.

Serving Suggestions

This bean salad pairs wonderfully with other Mediterranean dishes such as falafel, hummus, or baba ganoush. For those who love exploring, try it alongside other Mediterranean favorites like: Cucumber Tomato Salad with Greek Dressing Favorite Chickpea Salad Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing Mediterranean Tomato & Feta Dip Tabbouleh I'm excited for you to try this recipe and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Recipe Details: Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Yield: 6 servings Category: Salad Method: By hand Cuisine: Mediterranean Diet: Vegan Ingredients: 2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 cups cooked) 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked) 1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup) 2 stalks celery, sliced and chopped (about ¾ cup) 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or mint ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 ½ lemons) 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced ¾ teaspoon salt A small pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions:

In a serving bowl, place the beans, onion, celery, cucumber, parsley, and dill. For the dressing: in a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and lightly toss. Serve it immediately for the best flavor or let it marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours to develop the taste. Leftovers will last 4 days in the fridge and can be refreshed with a little salt and lemon juice. Dive in with every delicious bite to the freshness of the Mediterranean!