Italian Bean Salad

This delicious Italian bean salad is quick & easy to make, and no cooking is required, making it the perfect summer salad or side dish. 

I made this tasty Italian bean salad recipe, which I found on Two Peas and Their Pod, to pair with some lemon butter chicken, roasted asparagus, and crusty bread loaded with roasted garlic I was making for dinner. This protein-packed bean salad was easy to make and tasted fantastic with the rest of the meal. Flavorful, healthy, and delicious.

Italian Bean Salad

Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar, to taste
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Salad:

• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, remove as many skins as possible
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Persian cucumber, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup orange bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup pepperoncini, chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, diced   ***Soak the diced onion in ice-water for 10 minutes if the flavor is too strong
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, hand torn
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

How to Make an Italian Bean Salad:

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parmesan, Dijon, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with an airtight lid and shake very well. Set aside to let flavors mingle.

Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional.

Prepare the salad by combining the rinsed chickpeas, cannellini beans, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, pepperoncini, red onion, parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley.

Dress the salad by pouring the well-shaken vinaigrette over it and tossing until everything is evenly coated.

Serve, or for the best flavor, chill for 30–60 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

Italian Bean Salad

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Allow flavors time to mingle:: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Salad, Sides

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Glass Jar with Lid
• Sharp Knife

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar to taste
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic finely grated
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Salad:

• 1 (15-oz) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, remove as many skins as possible
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Persian cucumber diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
• 1 cup orange bell pepper diced
• ½ cup pepperoncini chopped
• ¼ cup red onion diced ***Soak the diced onion in ice-water for 10 minutes if the flavor is too strong
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese finely grated
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves hand torn
• 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parmesan, Dijon, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with an airtight lid and shake very well. Set aside to let flavors mingle.
• Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface.  Side Note: This step is optional.
• Prepare the salad by combining the rinsed chickpeas, cannellini beans, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, pepperoncini, red onion, parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley.
• Dress the salad by pouring the well-shaken vinaigrette over it and tossing until everything is evenly coated.
• Serve, or chill for 30–60 minutes to let the flavors mingle for the best flavor.

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