Three Bean Salad is a healthy lunch that won't leave you wanting more. It's filling, tasty, and lasts well in your lunchbox. Find the recipe below.
Healthy body, healthy mind
How many times have you heard the saying never trust a skinny chef - well the same can probably be said for food bloggers! I'm far from skinny but that's no surprise considering we eat 3 meals a day and then spend the rest of our time either thinking about, testing, or researching food. Food is on our hips as much as it's on or minds. That being said I'm trying my best to cut back on naughty make and bakes.
Luckily, cutting back on calories doesn't mean you have to cut back on flavour, particularly at lunchtime. Today I'm sharing a salad recipe that is made with less green leafy veg than you'd expect but more beans. It's my quick and easy three bean salad. You can literally throw this together in minutes and it will last in the fridge for up to a week.
In fact, this is one of those recipes that actually tastes better the longer you leave the flavours to sit and meld, so I highly recommend making a huge batch on a Sunday evening and tucking into it at lunchtimes throughout the working week.
Serving suggestions
Three bean salad is great on its own. The beans mean its super filling and won't leave you craving snacks later in the afternoon. That being said, it's such a versatile recipe that it also works well served up at BBQ's, buffets, or as part of a mezze platter with hummus, pitta and falafel. I particularly love this recipe with a BBQ'd tuna steak!
How to make a three bean salad
So what goes in to a three bean salad? Well first of all there's three different types of bean! My favourite are kidney beans, black eyed beans and rosecco beans but you can choose any combination you like! Just make sure you buy the ready cooked, tinned varieties which doesn't require any effort on your part.
On top of the bean base I add, diced red pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, parsley, mint, red chilli and sweetcorn. The dressing is a simple combination of olive oil, lemon juice plenty of pepper and salt.
Beyond a little bit of dicing, this salad is so simple to put together and easily scaled up meaning there is no excuse not to pack a healthy lunch every day of the week. I don't exaggerate when I say that we have a caterer's size container of this stuff in our fridge at all times!
The recipe
Three Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 720 g beans tinned, drained weight
- 150 g sweetcorn tinned, drained weight
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 red pepper
- 0.5 large cucumber
- 5 spring onions
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2 lemons juice only
- 100 ml olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add the drained beans and sweetcorn to a large bowl.
- Diced the tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber and spring onions and add to the bean mix.
- Scrunch the parsley together and shred before adding to the rest of the salad.
- Squeeze over the lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil and season.
- Give the whole salad a stir and let sit for at least 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Notes
Lasts for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
More salad recipes
More lunch recipes
For the full range of lunch recipes on the blog check out the lunch time collection.
You can easily search for recipes, including by meal, in my recipe index.
Ludmilla says
I am Brazilian and I love beans!! Your recipe looks delicious and light!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Ludmilla 😀 you can add in and swap out any beans you like! Enjoy 🙂
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Now that's my kind of salad. Stumbled, pinned and yummed.
Emma Walton says
Thanks Jacqi 😀 glad you like it!
Cathy @ Planet Veggie says
This is just my kind of salad - interesting and substantial. I love beans.
Emma Walton says
Thanks Cathy 🙂 it's got to be filling or I'm looking for biccies by 3pm 😛
Lucy says
I love beans! They're so healthful and filling. This would be a perfect take-to-work lunch. Yum!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Lucy! When I'm working long hours it certainly hits the spot and keeps me full until dinner time 🙂
Christine | Vermilion Roots says
I love a good salad for lunch especially one that keeps me full and energized for the rest of the day, like this one! 🙂
Emma Walton says
Thanks Christine! It's nice to be able to enjoy a light lunch that doesn't leave you starving for the rest of the day!
Valentina says
This is so pretty! Love that it's also healthy and will travel well. Perfect. 🙂
Emma Walton says
Thanks Valentina! It really does travel well - perfect for picnics, long journeys or work lunch 🙂
Dini @ The Flavor Bender says
I love a good bean salad!! This looks delicious 🙂 I agree that they taste even better when the flavors mingle together longer! 🙂
Emma Walton says
Thanks Dini! Glad you like it 🙂
Claire @foodiequine says
I am currently suffering form a food blogging induced expanded waistline so this is right up my street as a lunch idea. Never come across rosecoco beans before. Off to investigate!
Emma Walton says
Haha I know that feeling Claire! Rosecoco beans are so pretty (and tasty) I'll put them in anything 😛
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
I know bean salad is healthy, and filling...but I've never seen it so gorgeous and colorful!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Sue. Colourful food is always the tastiest! And this recipe is no exception 🙂
Sarah says
This looks so simple to make and I LOVE that you have fresh herbs in it! Herbs always add the necessary pop of freshness and flavor to any summer salad...can't wait to try this! 🙂
Emma Walton says
Thanks Sarah. Once I started putting herbs in salads I just couldn't stop. It makes them taste ten times better!
Tania says
I love this colorful salad! Healthy body - healthy mind. That's exactly right! 🙂
Emma Walton says
Thanks Tania. Glad you like it 🙂
Tara says
Such a delicious looking lunch! I love all the colors. My husband would definitely love this.
Emma Walton says
Thanks Tara. You'll have to give it a go and let me know what he thinks!
Immaculate says
What a riot of Colors !!!! Love the fact that you included black eyed peas in the mix. Going on my to make summer salads list. Thanks for sharing.