Bean Salad
Updated May 23, 2025
This easy bean salad is full of plant-based protein: kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas, with crisp veggies and a vinegar-based dressing!
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A Protein-packed vegetarian bean salad
This bean salad is for everyone trying to eat more beans in all shapes and forms. This one is made with red kidney beans, along with chickpeas and lentils, all tossed with a mix of fresh chopped vegetables in a bright tangy vinaigrette.
My sister bought a similar bean salad from a deli, and I loved the variety of beans in flavor and texture and also how full I felt eating it from all the plant-based protein in there. So I looked at the ingredient label and thought I could probably recreate this. And that’s where this bean salad recipe came from. I now batch prep it on weekends because it holds up really well throughout the week and is great for easy lunches!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Bean Salad Ingredients
- Lentils: I use green lentils (also known as French lentils), but brown will work as well. I would avoid red lentils because they break down when you cook them and could make the salad mushy.
- Chickpeas & kidney beans: Canned chickpeas and kidney beans work well, and you can also try black, pinto, or white beans for different flavors, textures, and colors. There’s no need to cook them. But make sure drain and rinse them to get off that excess salt and starch.
- Vegetables: I use celery, carrots, and red bell pepper to brighten this salad. Try switching things up with seasonal vegetables that are crunchy and won’t get soggy like cucumbers or fennel, for example.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley is a personal fave with this bean salad. Other herb that would work well include mint, cilantro, basil, or dill!
- Vinaigrette: I make it with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey mustard, cumin, dried dill, and salt and pepper together. For a creamier version, I often add a little mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or diced avocado.
How to Make Bean Salad
Bean Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked green lentils
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 3 large carrots peeled and small diced
- 3 celery stalks small diced
- ½ red pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the lentils according to package instructions until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey mustard, cumin, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cooled cooked lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, carrots, celery and red pepper on top of the vinaigrette and toss well to combine.
- Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
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- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and beans to remove as much salt and liquid as possible.
- Whisk dressing in the bottom of the bowl to avoid dirtying more dishes. Then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook lentils up to 7 days in advance. Lentils must be completely cooled before adding them to salad. Check out all the details on how to cook lentils properly.
- Avoid adding delicate ingredients early. If you’re adding garnishes and topping like nuts, seeds, and fresh herbs – do so before serving to maintain texture and prevent wilting and sogginess.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
If you try this Red Kidney Bean Salad recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Drain and rinse the beans. The liquid that comes with canned beans is starchy and salty. So rinse them well before adding them to the bean salad.
- Whisk dressing in your salad bowl. No need to dirty extra dishes. Grab a large salad bowl and make the dressing right inside before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook lentils in advance. Make sure your lentils are completely cooled before adding them to the salad ingredients! I like to do this step few days before making the salad, and keep the beans in the fridge (for some extra help, check out my instructions for how to cook lentils properly).
- Avoid adding delicate ingredients early. I recommend waiting until serving to add garnishes and toppings (to prevent wilting and sogginess!).
Serving Ideas
- Serve it as a fuller meal: Serve it on top of some grains like cooked quinoa, brown rice, farro, or barley.
- Make it a dip: I like to serve this cold bean salad as a protein-dense dip with tortilla chips or even crudité! Think of it as a slight variation on my cowboy caviar recipe!
- Use it as a topping: You can add it on top of toasted bread, crostini or even tacos!
FAQs
Store this salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’ll last up to 5 days, but over time, the fresh veggies will start breaking down and become softer, so I try to eat the salad within a few days of making it.
You can technically freeze this bean salad, but be sure to drain it thoroughly before loading it into a freezer safe container to prevent wilting! I’ve never frozen it though and prefer to have my salads freshly chopped. If you do freeze it, add in vinegar or lemon juice once thawed to bring some of the tang back.
If you’re looking to make this salad more than 4 days ahead of time, keep the chopped vegetables separate from the rest of the ingredients. You can combine the chickpeas, lentils, and beans together with the dressing but reserve the veggies. Then add them to the salad before you eat, so they maintain their freshness and texture!
