Three bean salad
Classic three bean salad with green beans, wax beans and kidney beans in a tangy sweet-and-sour vinaigrette. Make-ahead, no cooking.
4% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Resting
- 4 hr
- Serves
- 8
- Calories
- 150
- Protein
- 3 g
- Per serving
- $0.68
Why this recipe works
Three bean salad is the potluck and barbecue side that's been on American tables for generations: three kinds of beans, red onion and a sweet, tangy dressing. It's made from pantry cans, needs no cooking and keeps for days.
- Rinsing the canned beans washes off the starchy, tinny liquid so they taste clean and take on the dressing.
- Whisking the sugar into the vinegar until it fully dissolves before adding the oil gives a smooth, balanced dressing with no grainy bite.
- A few hours in the fridge lets the beans absorb the dressing; it tastes better on day two than the first hour.
Ingredients
For the dressing
You will need
- Large bowl
- Colander
- Small bowl or jar
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Rinse the beans
Drain all three cans of beans in a colander, rinse under cold water and shake dry. Tip them into a large bowl with the onion and parsley.
Make the dressing
Whisk the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and celery seed until the sugar dissolves completely, about 1 minute, then whisk in the oil.
Toss
Pour the dressing over the beans and toss well.
Marinate
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, stirring once or twice. Stir again and serve cold with a slotted spoon.
Cook's notes
- If the onion is very sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes and drain before adding.
- It keeps 5 days in the fridge and tastes best after a day, which makes it ideal to make ahead for a party.
- Like it less sweet? Cut the sugar to ¼ cup; the vinegar still needs some sugar to balance it.
Nutrition per serving
150 calories
$0.68 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 8% of calories | 3 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 49% of calories | 18 g |
| Fat | 43% of calories | 7 g |
| Fiber | 3 g | |
| Sodium | 370 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What are the three beans in three bean salad?
Traditionally green beans, wax (yellow) beans and kidney beans. Chickpeas are a common swap for wax beans.
How long does three bean salad last?
Up to 5 days covered in the fridge. The flavor improves for the first day or two.
Can I use fresh green beans?
Yes. Cut 2 cups of fresh green beans into 1-inch pieces, boil for 3 minutes, then cool them in ice water before mixing. They stay crunchier than canned.
