This Italian Tuscan White Bean Salad is perfect for any season, but I especially love it in the summer. The creamy and bold flavors of the Tuscan cannellini beans, garlic, and red onions are perfect for a hot summer day.
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This Tuscan White Bean Salad is a delicious and healthy salad to bring to your next summer event. It’s made with cannellini beans, tomatoes, red onion, and fresh herbs and bursting with flavor.
Our salad is perfect for any occasion, whether you’re looking for something to take to a potluck or just want something tasty to eat at home.
White Bean Salad for Any Season
This Tuscan Bean Salad is the perfect Italian salad for any season, thanks to the bold flavors. But, since it’s a bean salad, it’s perfect for summer events because you don’t have to worry about wilting lettuce or mayonnaise-based salads spoiling in the heat.
Cannellini beans are a type of white kidney bean that is common in Tuscan cuisine. This white bean is larger than other types of white beans and has a creamy texture.
Tuscan cannellini beans are often used in soups and salads, like this Tuscan Bean Salad.
If you can’t find Tuscan cannellini beans, you can use any type of white bean in this salad. Great Northern beans or navy beans would be good substitutes.
This Cannellini Bean Salad is a great way to use fresh herbs in your garden.
I like to use a mix of basil, oregano, and thyme in this salad. But, you can use any herbs you have on hand. Rosemary or sage would also be delicious in this salad.
This plant based salad is a healthy and easy salad that is perfect for any summer event. So, the next time you’re looking for a potluck dish or an easy lunch, give this Tuscan White Bean Salad a try. You won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients for Tuscan Bean Salad
- Lemon juice – adds brightness and acidity to the dressing. You will need about 1 lemon to get ¼ cup of lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice is highly recommended for this recipe.
- Dijon mustard – helps emulsify the dressing and adds a slight tang.
- Garlic – adds an earthy bite to the dressing and pairs perfectly with Tuscan vegetables
- Dried Italian seasoning – adds a subtle herbal flavor to the dressing. You can also use fresh herbs if you have them on hand.
- Thyme – adds a bright herby flavor and pairs well with lemon. If you don’t have fresh thyme, feel free to swap it for parsley.
- Extra virgin olive oil – adds substance and richness to the dressing. I recommend high-quality, flavorful olive oil.
- Beans – In this Italian white bean salad recipe, I’m using canned cannellini beans. They’re a quick shortcut, and they’re delicious. You can use any other small white bean in this recipe if you want. Just make sure to drain and rinse them very well.
- Vegetables – I used Persian cucumbers and cherry tomatoes as they add freshness and crunch to the salad. You can also use English, regular cucumbers, diced heirlooms, or Roma tomatoes too.
- Feta – adds a creamy, salty flavor to the salad. If you want a vegan version, you can leave this out.
- Chopped parsley and flakey sea salt – for garnish, but totally optional.
Equipment used for Cannellini Bean Salad
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How to make Tuscan White Bean Salad
Add the lemon juice, dijon mustard, grated garlic, Italian seasoning, and thyme to a large bowl. Then whisk to combine.
Add the olive oil slowly while whisking. Keep whisking until the dressing is fully mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cannellini beans, sliced cucumbers, and halved tomatoes to the dressing. Stir to coat the vegetables with the dressing.
Top the salad with crumbled feta cheese. You can also add chopped parsley and flakey sea salt if desired. Enjoy!
Perfect salad Recipe Options
Salads are perfect for those busy weeknights or hot summer days. This Italian white bean salad is an example of a perfect no cook salad. But if you are looking for something else, we have plenty of other recipes for delicious salads.
If you are looking for a gluten-free and dairy-free salad, the Green Goddess Cobb salad is a great option. Another good option is the Kale Salad for a nutritious superfood salad. If you are looking for a tasty pasta salad, the Tortellini Caprese, Pea Pesto Pasta, and Zesty Italian Pasta salad are perfect options!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you don’t have to cook them. Just make sure to rinse them well first.
Yes, cannellini beans are a variety of white beans. They are both a type of Phaseolus vulgaris bean. The difference is that cannellini beans are grown in Tuscany, Italy, while white beans can be grown anywhere.
If you can’t find cannellini beans, you can swap with great northern beans or navy beans. Just drain and rinse them well before adding them to the salad. Chickpeas will also work but change the salad’s flavor slightly.
To cook dried white beans, start by soaking them in water for at least eight hours. After they have soaked, boil the beans in fresh, salted water for at least an hour until they are tender. Once they are cooked, drain the beans and add them to your salad. Or see how to make dried beans in the Instant Pot.
Get the Full Tuscan Bean Salad Recipe here
Tuscan Bean Salad
Equipment
- large bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic, grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon fresh minced thyme
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cans (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (can substitute any white beans)
- 1 Persian cucumbers sliced into half moons
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 ounces crumbled feta
- Chopped parsley and flakey sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Add the lemon juice, dijon mustard, grated garlic, italian seasoning, and thyme to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the olive oil slowly, whisking as you pour. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified and slightly opaque. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cannellini beans, sliced cucumbers, and halved tomatoes to the bowl. Stir to coat the vegetables with the dressing.
- Top the salad with crumbled feta and enjoy. Garnish with chopped parsley and flakey sea salt, if desired.
Notes
- Lemon adds brightness and acidity to the dressing. Fresh lemon juice is highly recommended– 1 lemon should yield about ¼ cup of lemon juice.
- Dijon helps emulsify the vinaigrette and adds a slight tang.
Garlic adds an earthy bite to the vinaigrette and pairs perfectly with Tuscan vegetables. - Italian seasoning adds a subtle herbal flavor to the vinaigrette.
- Fresh thyme adds a bright herby flavor and pairs well with lemon. If you don’t have fresh thyme, feel free to swap it for parsley.
- Olive oil adds substance and richness to the vinaigrette. I recommend a good quality, flavorful olive oil.
- Cannellini beans are great in this recipe– I’m using canned beans because it’s a quick shortcut, and they’re delicious. You can use any small white bean in this recipe. Just make sure to drain and rinse them very well.
- Cucumbers add freshness and crunch to the salad. I like the size and texture of Persian cucumbers but English or regular cucumbers would work too.
- Tomatoes add a fresh pop to the salad– I like cherry tomatoes but diced heirloom or Roma would work too.
- Feta adds a creamy, salty flavor to the salad. For a vegan salad, feel free to omit it!
Nutrition