Three Bean Salad – an absolute classic dish. It’s super easy to make, is absolutely delicious, can be used as a main or a side and is very adaptable.
What do I need to make this three bean salad recipe?
- Salad
- a tin of red kidney beans
- a tin of butter beans
- a pack of green beans
- Dressing
- olive oil
- Dijon mustard
- sugar – optional
- cider vinegar
- parsley – optional
- salt and pepper
How do I make a 3 bean salad?
- Open and drain the two cans of beans
- Give them a bit of a rinse and drain well
- Top and tail the green beans, cut into pieces and simmer in a little water until cooked through. Drain well
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together
- Mix the canned beans and green beans together
- Stir through the dressing and allow to marinate
- Store in the fridge until needed
How to store an easy three bean salad
In the fridge in an airtight container, this mix will sit quite happily for 3-4 days.
The undressed salad will freeze, but the dressing won’t be as good, so dress the salad after defrosting.
What other ingredients could be used in this recipe
- the easiest way to ring the changes in this recipe is to vary the dressing – here are just a few to give you ideas
- a standard vinaigrette. Whisk together a tsp of Dijon mustard (mustard emulsifies a salad dressing, making it thicker) with 2 tblsps of vinegar (cheap white vinegar is fine here), 6 tbsps of oil and salt & pepper. Whisk until thickened
- or how about a mustard and honey dressing. Whisk together 2 tsp wholegrain mustard, 2 tsp honey, the juice of 1 lemon and 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- For an Asian twist, try 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp neutral oil, juice of 1 lime, ¼ tsp chilli flakes and 1 tsp honey, all whisked together
- For a fruity dressing – Whisk together the zest and juice of 1 orange, 4 tbsp sherry vinegar and 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste then stir in 2 tbsp sultanas.
- A delicious light dressing can be made with 2 tbsp tahini, the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper and 6 tbsp water, whisked.
- Or how about a lovely anchovy dressing? Crush 1 clove garlic with a pinch of salt and 2 anchovy fillets in oil in a pestle and mortar. Whisk in 2 tbsp red wine vinegar followed by 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp capers.
- A super simple dressing is made with 2 tbsp sweet chilli dressing whisked with the zest of 2 limes and 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- This Middle Eastern style dressing is fabulous! Whisk together 2 tbsp tahini with the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper and 6 tbsp water in a small bowl.
- change the beans to whatever you have or like – chickpeas and butter beans; red kidney beans and haricot beans; cannellini and green lentils.
- add a tin of drained tuna or salmon
- add a little crumbled feta, chopped mozzarella or mozzarella balls
- add fine chopped cooked chicken or turkey
- change the green beans to runner beans if you grow them; broad beans or edamame
- add a dollop of Dijon mustard
- if you like them, some raw red onion crescents would be good. Slice them really fine and soak in a little milk or water for a few minutes to take the strength down a notch
- add finely sliced spring onions
- You could add finely chopped vegetables
- very finely sliced celery
- grated carrot
- fine chopped black olives
- some sliced gherkins
- finely sliced red chilli
How much does this salad cost?
priced at Tesco.com in July 2025
- tin red kidney beans, drained 33p
- tin butter beans, drained 50p
- 225g pack of French beans 85p
- Dressing
- tsp Dijon 2p
- 2 tblsp white wine vinegar 6p
- 90ml extra virgin olive oil 31p
- salt and pepper – negligible
- Total cost £2.01
What else can I use this bean mix for
You might not want this three bean mix as a salad any more before it’s used up, so how else can it be used
- stir it through cooked pasta and enjoy hot or cold, maybe with some added grated cheese, crumbled feta or drained tinned tuna
- top a jacket potato with it
- enjoy with a platter of crudités
- add other things to it to stretch it further or make it taste different – a bit of chicken or fish, a tin of drained tuna, some black olives and chilli etc
Other salads you might like
Nut Free
,
Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Cost per portion ??p per serving
Calories: 274kcal
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What else can I use this bean mix for
You might not want this three bean mix as a salad any more before it’s used up, so how else can it be used
- stir it through cooked pasta and enjoy hot or cold, maybe with some added grated cheese, crumbled feta or drained tinned tuna
- top a jacket potato with it
- enjoy with a platter of crudités
- add other things to it to stretch it further or make it taste different – a bit of chicken or fish, a tin of drained tuna, some black olives and chilli etc
What other ingredients could be used in this recipe
- the easiest way to ring the changes in this recipe is to vary the dressing – here are just a few to give you ideas
- a standard vinaigrette. Whisk together a tsp of Dijon mustard (mustard emulsifies a salad dressing, making it thicker) with 2 tblsps of vinegar (cheap white vinegar is fine here), 6 tbsps of oil and salt & pepper. Whisk until thickened
- or how about a mustard and honey dressing. Whisk together 2 tsp wholegrain mustard, 2 tsp honey, the juice of 1 lemon and 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- For an Asian twist, try 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp neutral oil, juice of 1 lime, ¼ tsp chilli flakes and 1 tsp honey, all whisked together
- For a fruity dressing – Whisk together the zest and juice of 1 orange, 4 tbsp sherry vinegar and 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste then stir in 2 tbsp sultanas.
- A delicious light dressing can be made with 2 tbsp tahini, the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper and 6 tbsp water, whisked.
- Or how about a lovely anchovy dressing? Crush 1 clove garlic with a pinch of salt and 2 anchovy fillets in oil in a pestle and mortar. Whisk in 2 tbsp red wine vinegar followed by 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp capers.
- A super simple dressing is made with 2 tbsp sweet chilli dressing whisked with the zest of 2 limes and 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- This Middle Eastern style dressing is fabulous! Whisk together 2 tbsp tahini with the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper and 6 tbsp water in a small bowl.
- change the beans to whatever you have or like – chickpeas and butter beans; red kidney beans and haricot beans; cannellini and green lentils.
- add a tin of drained tuna or salmon
- add a little crumbled feta, chopped mozzarella or mozzarella balls
- add fine chopped cooked chicken or turkey
- change the green beans to runner beans if you grow them; broad beans or edamame
- add a dollop of Dijon mustard
- if you like them, some raw red onion crescents would be good. Slice them really fine and soak in a little milk or water for a few minutes to take the strength down a notch
- add finely sliced spring onions
- You could add finely chopped vegetables
- very finely sliced celery
- grated carrot
- fine chopped black olives
- some sliced gherkins
- finely sliced red chilli
Nutrition Facts
Three Bean Salad
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
