Beans, whether canned or dried, are a pantry essential—and both work beautifully for this easy summer white bean salad. Canned beans make it fast, while cooked dried beans offer even more flavor and texture if you have the time. Tossed with fresh lemon, herbs, garlic, and shallot, this bright, simple salad is perfect on its own, piled over fresh greens, or served alongside your favorite grilled mains.
While canned beans are great for convenience, nothing beats the flavor and texture of dried beans cooked from scratch. A slow simmer brings out their creamy interior and delicate taste—perfect for simple, healthy dishes like this summer white bean salad. Just add plenty of fresh herbs, good olive oil, lemon, and seasoning for a side that pairs effortlessly with grilled chicken, shrimp, pork, or beef.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick, easy, and made with simple, healthy ingredients.
- Versatile—serve it as a side, over greens, or with grilled meats.
- Great for meal prep—keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Ingredients
Use dried cooked beans or canned beans for speed and convenience, just rinse and drain well.
- White beans – Cooked beans, either start with dried and cook or use canned. Cannellini beans are my first choice.
- Shallot – Finely chopped for mild, aromatic flavor.
- Garlic – Freshly minced, optional for extra punch.
- Herbs – Fresh chopped parsley, basil, dill, or mint add flavor (use a combo).
- Lemon – Use juice and zest for citrusy bright flavor and aroma.
- Olive oil – Good quality extra virgin olive oil for the vinaigrette.
- Vinegar – Choose white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a little tang and depth to the vinaigrette and emulsifies it.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and pepper.
Chef's tip on buying dried beans: Buy from a store with good turnover to make sure they’re fresh—older beans can take much longer to cook and sometimes never soften properly. Ideally, use dried beans within two years of harvest for the best texture and flavor. Discovering Napa Valley-based Rancho Gordo heirloom beans got me cooking with dried beans versus always reaching for canned.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add cheese: Crumbled Greek feta cheese or goat cheese adds lovely flavor, but skip it for dairy-free or vegan diners.
- Use finely chopped chives or white onion.
- Use Great Northern beans, navy beans, or small white beans, canned or dried (cooked).
- For extra color and a touch of sweetness, add a small finely chopped carrot. If you simmer dried beans with a carrot, you can also finely chop some of the cooked carrot and fold it in.
Recipe Instructions
If using dried beans, rinse and soak beans before going to bed. The next day, drain and cook them in the morning, then finish the salad when ready to serve. You can also cook the beans a day or two ahead of time and keep refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to complete the salad and serve.
- Make the vinaigrette.
- Chop the shallot and herbs, zest the lemon.
- Add the white beans to a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette, herbs, and zest. Season with salt and pepper.
Chef's tip: Let the flavors meld. For the best flavor, let the white bean salad stand at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving. This gives the beans time to absorb the vinaigrette and the flavors to meld beautifully. Serve at room temperature for maximum flavor, or chill slightly if you’re serving it on a hot day.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled or at room temperature with lots of fresh herbs and a little olive oil. This simple white bean salad is a terrific side dish for grilled chicken and meat, or burgers and seafood.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. This white bean salad holds up well and actually tastes better after a few hours as the flavors meld. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes! Feel free to add extras like halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, crumbled feta cheese, or a handful of arugula for variety. For some kick, add chopped jalapeno pepper.
More Salad Recipes
Looking for more salad inspiration? Here are a few more ideas—none of them green! Salad can be so much more than leafy greens. Be sure to check out the full Salads Recipe Index for even more fresh, creative options.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this white bean salad, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Easy White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked cannellini beans
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped or zested fine
- ¼ cup fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, basil, or mint
- 1 lemon for zest
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar ACV, champagne, red wine, or white wine
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove finely zested
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Instructions
For dried beans start here
- If using canned beans, drain and rinse well. If starting with dried beans, soak overnight, then cook until tender, drain, and cool.
For canned beans start here
- Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, a finely zested small garlic clove, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the beans, chopped shallot, garlic (if using), lemon zest, and herbs. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat.Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.Serve immediately or chill slightly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated 8-12-19
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Sarah says
Delicious salad, a summer favorite. It’s slightly better with homemade beans but still good with canned. I always use slightly different fresh herbs depending on what’s in the garden and it still always tastes good
Sally Cameron says
Thanks Sarah! Agreed on the herbs, fun to vary, I grow my own too.
Peter Piper says
If you have not made dips and sauces with cannellini beans, you are missing out on a world of delicious flavor! Hummus made form cannellini beans instead of garbanzo beans is magnificent! All sorts of "cream" sauces can be made with cannellinis as well. Research the internet for fabulous recipes using white beans of any kind.
Sally Cameron says
Hi Linda, yes I've done that, love cannellini beans in dips, soups, salads and many dishes.
linda says
I cannot find cannellini beans at that rancho Gordo. How do you order them from there if they are not listed? Please put beans in the subject line. This sounds delicious. I love cannellini and all white beans..
Sally says
Hi Linda. They run out from time to time. I think they have recently brought in a new harvest. They may not be available yet. Email or call them for the new availability. And I'd stock up. They are wonderful!
Fran says
Ah! I checked in too late! I pulled out a container of cranberry beans last night and soaked them, no knowing what I was going to do with them.
I boiled them up this morning and thew in a jalapeño and diced onion. Just a little while ago I pulled out a bag of leftover San Marzano tomatoes and some chicken sausage and made some kind of bean dish. I figured it would be a good dinner before my weekly weigh-in, but now that I see your recipe I'd much rather have this light and bright salad!
Well, I've got more beans in the pantry. 😉
Sarah says
This was DELICIOUS!! I had to make a few alterations based what I had on hand (no celery so just celery seed, and allergic to regular onions so I used green onions including part of the tops). I LOVED it, my husband did too. We are thinking of also using the dressing as just a regular salad dressing too. I also did cut down on the olive oil b/c I like my dressings closer to half and half or they are too oily to me.
Thanks for the recipe, it is officially a new favorite!
Debbie Spangler says
I love summer (and winter) bean salads and will add your version to my client menus. I love the idea of topping with shrimp 🙂
Dr. Patrick Mahaney says
This looks like an enhanced (i.e. much better) version of what I have made in the past as an "easy" summer salad. I can't wait to try it and will let you know how it turns out for me (and Phil).
PM