White Bean Salad
Irresistibly fresh and effortlessly delicious, this Cannellini Bean Salad delivers bold, vibrant flavor with zero fuss! Featuring creamy white beans, peppery arugula, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, crisp veggies, fresh herbs, and a zesty pesto vinaigrette, each forkful is wildly satisfying. Made with everyday ingredients in just 10 minutes, this cannellini beans recipe is perfect for meal prep, picnics, your next summer gathering, and more!
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
White Bean Salad
- 2 (15-ounce) Cans Cooked White Beans – drained, thoroughly rinsed, and drained again (I recommend using low-sodium if using canned)
- 3 medium ribs Celery – small dice (about ¾ cup)
- 1 large Shallot – peeled and finely diced
- 1/3 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil – drained and small diced
- 3 TBS Chopped Fresh Herbs – such as parsley, basil, and/or chives
- 4-5 Cups Baby Arugula
Basil Pesto Vinaigrette
- 1/3 to 1/2 Cup Basil Pesto - to taste
- 1 Clove Garlic – peeled and minced
- 2-4 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil – to taste
- 1 ½ TBS Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- ½ tsp Italian Seasoning
- As Needed Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Garnish Options: Grated Parmesan Cheese, Crushed Croutons, Balsamic Reduction, Lemon Wedges
Instructions
- Make the Pesto Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, add the 1/3 cup pesto sauce, garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon, and Italian seasoning. Season with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. Grab a whisk and vigorously stir the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Use a spoon and give the pesto dressing a taste, adding more pesto for herbaceous flavor, salt for overall flavor, and oil as needed to thin the dressing.
- Add Bean Salad Ingredients: To the bowl with the pesto, add the rinsed beans, celery, shallot, sun-dried tomatoes, and half the fresh herbs. Use a spoon and stir the ingredients until everything is evenly coated in the pesto dressing. Then, add half the arugula to the bowl and toss again to coat the greens in the dressing. (Note: If making this cannellini beans salad recipe in advance, don’t add the arugula.)
- Add White Beans to Arugula: Arrange the remaining arugula leaves on a serving platter and spoon the white bean salad over the top. Then dust the grated parmesan cheese, to taste, over the salad. Give the salad a taste and adjust the flavors to suit your tastes.
- Garnish and Serve Cannellini Bean Salad: Crush croutons over the top and sprinkle the remaining fresh herbs over the top. Drizzle with a little balsamic reduction, if using and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
- Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
Nutrition
Calories: 53kcal Carbohydrates: 4g Protein: 1g Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 0.004mg Sodium: 36mg Potassium: 175mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 494IU Vitamin C: 10mg Calcium: 31mg Iron: 1mg