It’s unofficially summer, which means it’s time to give the soup bowls a little break and get excited about cold salads again! One summer picnic and potluck staple is the three-bean salad, which seems to have been forgotten by my generation.
Well it’s time to bring it back! Try this super easy three-bean salad recipe, and you’ll wonder why you don’t keep simple hearty salads like this one in your fridge at all times!
This three-bean salad is incredibly nutritious, very low in fat (oil free!), high in plant protein, fiber, and iron, and is super filling. I couldn’t stop “tasting” it during the photo shoot — it’s that good!
This three-bean salad would be perfect for taking to work for an easy and nutritious lunch! It keeps well, so I recommend making a large bowl of it, keeping it in the fridge all week, and spooning a serving into a container with a lid each morning before work. Add the bean salad to a pile of greens and top it with avocado slices for a complete and filling meal!
You’ll love the sweet and tangy flavor of the vinaigrette dressing combined with the soft texture of the beans and the crunch of the sunflower seeds. The parsley adds an element of freshness that is totally optional, but recommended. I also added asparagus spears to my bean salad because, you know, why not?
The nerdiest food photo I’ve ever taken. Morse code 🙂
I love all kinds of beans. I eat them daily and try to vary the type to get different nutrients. As you know, different colors represent different vitamins and phytonutrients.
Aren’t these beans beautiful?
- 1 bunch cooked asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ~1½ cups cut green beans (frozen & thawed, or you can blanch your own)
- 2-3 T. fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 T. minced shallot
- 1 T. agave or honey
- ¼ t. sea salt
- Few grinds black pepper
- In a large bowl, combine the beans, asparagus, seeds, and parsley.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, agave, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the bean mixture and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately, or place in the fridge in a covered container for up to one week.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend, everyone! 🙂
Just made this yummy meal for my lunch. I LOVE how light it is and how the sunflower beautifully compliments all the flavors!