Is it me or do salads like this seem to multiply in the fridge?
It’s probably me, I know. But I’m telling you, I’ve been eating this stuff for the past 3 days and it doesn’t even look like I made a dent! Every time I open the fridge it’s like, oh you’re still here… and I consider myself to be a good eater. I shouldn’t complain though, because this dish is fit to feed the masses; that’s why I made it in the first place.
I offered to bring my 3 bean salad to my cousin’s BBQ last weekend. I was playing around with different recipes during the week (hence the leftovers) and settled on this one. We have a big family and this type of dish goes a long way. It’s great because you can make it in advance and it travels well. The longer it sits, the better it tastes. The 3 bean combo includes chickpeas, black beans, and haricots verts (French style green beans). I tend to use haricots verts over the regular ones as they are thinner and have a nicer flavor. The salad is tossed together with plenty of fresh herbs and a lip smacking honey balsamic vinaigrette.
For me, it’s hard to imagine any BBQ or picnic without some sort of bean salad on the table. I’ve made this several different ways and it screams for personal interpretation (make it your own!) It’s the quintessential summer dish.
Tips:
- When using canned beans, make sure that they are drained thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel if necessary. You don’t want any extra water in your salad!
- To keep your haricots verts bright green, shock them in an ice bath or rinse in a colander under cold water after cooking (if you skip this step, they will turn a dullish yellow/green color). Pat dry to remove any extra moisture. Your green beans can be blanched 1 day ahead of time.
honey balsamic 3 bean salad
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 c. olive oil
Salad
- 2x 14 oz. cans of chickpeas, rinsed & drained*
- 1x 14 oz. can of black beans, rinsed & drained*
- 3/4 lb. haricots verts (French style green beans)
- 1 c. roasted red peppers
- 1/4–1/3 c. thinly sliced red onions
- 1 heaping tbsp. fresh chives
- 1/4 c. fresh basil
- salt & pepper
*When using canned beans, make sure that they are drained thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel if necessary. You don’t want any extra water in your salad!
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, add the balsamic vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard to a bowl. Whisk well to combine. Slowly add the olive oil, and continue whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- For the salad, begin by preparing the haricots verts. Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the green beans and blanch until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath or run under cold water in a colander to retain their bright green color.*See note below. Pat dry with to remove excess moisture. Trim away the ends and dice into 1/2 inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, add the green beans, chickpeas, and black beans.
- Remove red peppers from the jar and pat dry. Roughly chop into pieces.
- Using a mandolin, shave the red onion into paper thin slices. You want to use between 1/4-1/3 cup depending on taste.
- Finely chop the chives.
- Roughly chop the basil.
- Add the roasted red peppers, red onion, chives and basil to the bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
*To keep your haricots verts bright green, shock them in an ice bath or rinse in a colander under cold water after cooking (if you skip this step, they will turn a dullish yellow/green color). Pat dry to remove any extra moisture. Your green beans can be blanched 1 day ahead of time.
Comments
andi says
Just made this and I echo the others praise; great easy summer salad that I’m enjoying with some grilled chicken. The list of ingredients is missing the amount of balsamic, but I assume it’s 1/4 cup. Only mentioning it in case you want to correct it for future lovers of your site (of which there are no doubt many)!
Linda says
Since it is summer in Australia now, it is the perfect time to try this recipe! Looks yummy!
Emilie says
Welcome Linda! This dish is perfect for summer weather. The flavors are light and it travels well (a good BBQ dish!). And you can certainly add things to make it your own. Enjoy!
Ella says
This salad is so GOOD! I’ve had it pinned to make forever and finally got around to it tonight- my whole family loved as well! Thanks so much for the recipe, it will definitely become a part of our regular dinner lineup :)
★★★★★
melissa @ my whole food life says
This is a bowl of yum! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Would you mind if I blogged about it? I would link back to you, take my own photos and write out my own method. I loved this!
Carol | a cup of mascarpone says
Oh Emilie…this looks fabulous! I love colorful foods! Can’t wait to try it!
Emilie says
Thanks Carol! I hope you enjoy… the fresh herbs in this dish take it to the top! :)
silvia says
This will be great as a side to a Aussie BBQ. Again, can’t wait to try it! Big fan of pulses
Emilie says
Cheers Silvia!!! It’s great for mid- week lunches too. It just sits in the fridge waiting for you! :) xx
Tales From A Middle Class Kitchen says
Three bean salads have always been some of my favorite summer treats. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks!
★★★★★
Emilie says
Me too! I feel like a BBQ is not complete without one! This recipe is great to pack up for lunch too~ healthy & satisfying. Thanks for stopping by :)
Alessandra (DinnerinVenice) says
Looks beautiful. I can’t wait to serve this at our next BBQ!
Emilie says
Thanks Ale! I think you’re going to like it~ it’s very easy to make :)
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Too funny, though this looks like a salad I’d happily eat again and again!
Emilie says
Thanks Laura! It was definitely yummy… I would’ve loved to balance it out with some of your delicious baked goodies! ;)
Sandra @ Kitchen Apparel says
I love how you used chives and basil…ummm..yum!!! And definitely perfect for summer time…I’m going to mark this one down for the next BBQ!!! Hope you have a great weekend too Emilie :) xx
★★★★★
Emilie says
Thanks Sandra! My herb garden is actually growing out of control so I’m trying to utilize what I’ve got! It’s crazy how fast this stuff grows (especially the mint, oh my…) I think you’re going to like this recipe. It’s super easy to make. Enjoy! xx
Adri says
Oh, but I do hear you about the multiplying salad phenomenon. I made a lentil salad not too long ago, and, as you said, I never seemed to make a dent. That was alright, though it was so tasty. I always enjoy legume salads; with their taste and texture variation, they are endlessly (so to speak) satisfying. This one looks great, and I love a good honey balsamic dressing! Brava!
Emilie says
Oooo I love lentil salads… I haven’t made one in ages and now that you mentioned it, I can’t stop thinking about it! Like you, I too am a fan of legume salads~ they’re creative and satisfying at the same time (and healthy!) Thanks for stopping by Adri! :)
Laney @ Ortensiablu says
What a beautiful salad! And gotta love anything that makes quantity…especially in the summer.
Emilie says
Absolutely! Especially when you have a big family and you never think that you have enough food… must be the Italian in me ;)
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says
Haha, there are many things that seem to multiply in our fridge – LOL.
This is quite simply one of the prettiest bean salads I have ever seen! Full of life and nutrients and I love the ease of preparation as well – perfect for summer :0)
Emilie says
OK good, so I’m not the only who has multiplying food! Thank you so much for your kind words Kelly! :)