Three-bean salads have long been the perfect accompaniment to summer dining. These salads travel well and hold up to heat, as they do not use any mayonnaise and are prepared in advance. They are inexpensive to prepare in large batches and can be mixed up in advance or immediately before dining. The only choice is whether the family prefers a sweet three-bean salad or a savory three-bean salad.
Sweet Three-Bean Salad Is a Simple Side Dish
This sweet three-bean salad is easy to prepare using a combination of fresh and canned ingredients. It tastes best when the flavors have some time to blend. This can mean mixing it up a couple hours before dinner or as much as the day before an event. It can be served chilled directly from the refrigerator or at room temperature. The sweet flavor of this side dish goes well with picnic fare, like hamburgers or barbecue. The side dish recipe serves 6-8.
Ingredients for Three-Bean Salad:
- 1 can each cut green beans, cut wax beans and kidney beans, with the liquid drained.
- 1 green pepper finely chopped.
- 1 onion finely sliced.
- 1 cucumber finely chopped.
Ingredients for sweet sauce:
- 1/4 cup light olive oil.
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar.
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar.
Directions:
- Place drained beans, green pepper, onion and cucumber in a large bowl.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together, stirring well to combine.
- Pour sauce over bean mixture and stir gently until all the beans are shiny.
- Refrigerate overnight or a few hours to blend flavors.
- Stir gently before serving with a slotted spoon.
For a large picnic, this sweet three-bean salad recipe is easily doubled. It is not necessary to double the sauce when doubling the recipe: Simply increase the olive oil to 1/3 cup, the sugar to 3/4 cup and the apple cider vinegar to 1/2 cup. Add 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Try a Savory Three-Bean Salad Recipe
Not everyone likes a sweet three-bean salad. For those who prefer the gentle bite of red onion accompanied by salty flavors, a savory three-bean salad fits the bill. This savory side dish is a great accompaniment to chicken dishes and serves 6-8.
Ingredients for Three-Bean Salad:
- 1 can each white kidney beans (cannellini), red kidney beans and chickpeas.
- 1/2 cup red onion.
- 1/2 cup celery.
- 1 cup fresh parsley.
Ingredients for savory sauce:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Directions:
- Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly in a colander. Allow a couple minutes for most of the water to drip.
- While waiting for the beans to drain, dice the red onion, celery and fresh parsley.
- Place beans, onion, celery and parsley in a large bowl.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over the bean mixture.
- Stir gently. Serve with a slotted spoon at room temperature or refrigerated.
If this recipe is refrigerated, it should be stirred gently before serving. In a very cold refrigerator, the olive oil can slightly solidify. Leaving the bowl at room temperature and stirring occasionally will return the oil to normal.
White kidney beans, or cannellini beans, can usually be found with the Italian products or with the Goya brand items. When cannellini beans aren’t available, this side dish can be made with dark and light red kidney beans or black eyed peas instead. This is a great side dish for parties because it is so easy to make, prepare or double. Use leftovers on chicken wraps for extra flair.
Three-bean salads are the perfect side dish for summer dining. Easy to prepare and easy to transport, three-been salads are ideal side dishes for picnics, birthday parties, family gatherings and other occasions. For a hot summer night with dinner at home, use these fast side dishes to avoid turning on the stove. For more summer dining recipes, try Two Fast Dinner Recipes Using Italian Sausage.
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
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