5 Bean Salad

Make this simple, yet delicious 5 bean salad recipe in just 10 minutes. Perfect for potlucks and BBQs, this easy salad is sure to impress!

Do you love a hearty, flavorful side dish that is healthy and easy to make? Then check out this delicious five bean salad recipe!

This easy-to-prepare, 5 Bean Salad recipe is the perfect vegan side or main dish for all kinds of occasions–from potluck gatherings to summer BBQs.

Made with 1 can each of green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, chick peas, navy beans and lima beans (plus some tasty additions!), this salad is sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.

Best of all – it only takes about 10 minutes to prep before popping into the refrigerator overnight for serving at any occasion.

With its combination of savory vegetables in an olive oil-vinegar dressing combined with just the right amount of sugar and spices, you’ll be asking yourself why you didn’t make this dish sooner!

How to Store Marinated Bean Salad?

This bean salad should be good for up to a week it wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated, or stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

This salad is actually even better and more flavourful after it has sat overnight since the beans sit in the marinade. It’s the perfect salad to make ahead of time!

This recipe makes about 10 cups of bean salad. It’s a lot if you aren’t making it to serve a large crowd. Thankfully it does freeze well! Store any leftover salad in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

If there is a lot leftover, you may want to divide it into portions and freeze them that way.

Place your 5 bean salad in the fridge to thaw out the day before you plan to eat it. The salad needs to thaw slowly to prevent the texture from changing. Do not microwave or leave at room temperature – the flavour and texture can change, and not for the better.

About the Ingredients for 5 Bean Salad

Beans – I typically use canned green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, chick peas, navy beans, and lima beans. You can change things up here easily, Use fresh green beans and/or yellow wax beans. Swap the navy beans for cannellini beans. Read above for the full section on beans. Can sizes may vary from 15 oz to 19 oz, There is no need to be exact. Yes, I am aware that this is actually 6 beans, but we are counting the green beans and the wax beans as one, I guess. This is just how my mom always made this salad, so I never really questioned this math.

Onion – I used yellow onion this time, which does work fine, but red onion or sweet onion are ideal.

Green pepper – Adds a nice crisp texture, you can use red pepper, yellow peppers or any other colour of bell peppers instead if you don’t like green peppers.

Dressing – The dressing for five bean salad is very simple – just extra virgin olive oil, white vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. You can swap apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar for the white vinegar, but if you substitute with a sweeter vinegar like balsamic, I would reduce the sugar a bit. You can also reduce the sugar to taste. Start with 1/4 cup and add more until you achieve the flavour you desire. If you want to make 5 bean salad with no sugar, that is OK, but you may want to use a sweeter vinegar like balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.

In addition to switching up the beans, and reducing the sugar, you can also change things up by adding:

• Chopped Celery
• Chopped Carrots
• Celery Seed
• Green onion

Looking for Another Great Recipe for Salad?

Check out some of my favourite salad recipes!

Stay cool on hot days with this delicious, refreshing summer recipe for watermelon salad with feta and cucumber. It’s bursting with flavour!

This Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad, also known as Esquites, is fresh, lightly creamy, spicy, & incredibly delicious.

This Honeydew Cucumber Salad is the perfect summer side salad – cool and refreshing it pairs well with so many meals!

How to Make Five Bean Salad

Yields: 20 Servings | Prep time: 10 Minutes | Cook time: 0 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Can Green Beans
• 1 Can Wax Beans
• 1 Can Kidney Beans
• 1 Can Chick Peas
• 1 Can Navy Beans
• 1 Can Lima Beans
• 1 Cup Chopped Onion
• 1 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
• 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin olive Oil
• 3/4 Cup White Vinegar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 3/4 Cup Sugar

Directions:

Drain and rinse the beans. 

In a large bowl mix ingredients together until well combined, and sugar dissolved. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve.