This easy Vegan Bean Salad features great northern beans (white beans,) tomato, cucumber, fresh herbs and a simple zesty Italian salad dressing. Served cold, my White Bean Salad recipe is the perfect vegan and hearty vegetarian salads for cookouts and more!
Hello! Hello!
Today’s recipe is compliments of my rock-star brother, Tommy. It’s his Vegan Bean Salad recipe. This really is the BEST White Bean Salad!
It’s actually kind of funny that both Tommy and I ended up working in the food world (he’s a manager at Morton’s in Charlotte and loves to cook.) Our Mom cooked growing up, but she basically was just doing it to feed us, not because she enjoyed it. We both fondly remember her making meatloaf in the microwave. That might actually be why I’m a vegetarian/pescatarian… but that’s a story for another day. 🙂
So neither of us were really taught to cook… it’s just something we both picked up and grew to love on our own. I think it comes from the fact that we both just love to EAT good food like this simple salad.
His zesty Vegan Bean Salad is filled with goodness like Great Northern Beans (white beans,) tomato, cucumber and fresh herbs. It’s topped with the best simple White Bean Salad Dressing recipe we could find. The humble combination of flavors makes this a hearty vegetarian salad that everyone loves.
Vegan Bean Salad recipe
I was at Tommy’s house the other day and he made the most delicious swordfish with a horseradish topping. On the side, he served this crazy simple Vegan Bean Salad. He called it a White Bean Salad. No matter what you call it, I could not get enough of it. The soft white beans paired perfectly with the fresh veggies, light red wine based salad dressing and piles of fresh herbs. This Italian White Bean Salad was legit.
In perfect food blogger style, I came back home and recreated it just like my bro. I think he will be proud.
Hearty Vegetarian Salads?
If you are looking for hearty vegetarian salads… this is it! It’s colorful, protein-packed and crazy easy to make. My Brother made it as a side dish but as I was eating it I realized how versatile it really is. The Great Northern Beans definitely make it more of a vegan meal. This dish is the perfect side, vegetarian/ vegan main course or even wonderful piled on a bed of greens for more pizzaze. If you aren’t vegan you could add some shrimp on top.
This Vegan Bean Salad is one I will make again and again.
What’s in this Vegan White Bean Salad recipe?
This Vegan White Bean Salad recipe is only 8 ingredients, many of which you might already have in your pantry or fridge.
- Canned Great Northern Beans: Also known as white beans, Great Northern Beans are a perfect protein filled base for this bean salad recipe.
- Tomato: Fresh tomato is the ideal colorful addition to this white bean salad.
- Cucumber: Crunchy cucumber gives this salad color and bit of a bite.
- Red Onion: The savory red onion adds loads of flavor and more color to this simple bean salad.
- Bell Pepper: I also love the color and zest of a fresh bell pepper! Use any color you’d like.
- Fresh Herbs: This salad could be made with dried herbs, but fresh give it a zesty punch and liven up the canned beans.
- Red Wine Vinegar: A good red wine vinegar provides the perfect base for this white bean salad dressing recipe.
- Good Olive Oil: Go for a quality olive oil here! I linked to one of my favorites.
This cold bean salad works great as a dish for a cookout or something you can make and enjoy for lunch all week.
How to Make Vegan Bean Salad…
This healthy Vegan Bean Salad recipe is only a few steps!
- Rinse and drain the beans.
- Cut your veggies
- Toss everything together.
- Serve cold as is or on top of a bed of greens.
Variations & Pro Tips
- Skip the homemade white bean salad dressing and use your favorite bottled Italian dressing.
- Mix up the fresh herbs using basil or oregano.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs use a couple teaspoons of a dried Italian seasoning blend.
- This salad would also be great with chickpeas!
- Add some lemon to brighten it up.
I love serving my Brother’s White Beans Salad with my lightened up Three Cheese Portobello Caps. They are a perfect pair for an outdoor spring or summer meal.
I think I’m going to have to start getting more recipe ideas from Tommy because this one is a winner! Enjoy.
Want more hearty & healthy vegan salads like this?
- Rainbow Chickpea Salad
- Rainbow Vegan Salad
- Tomato Cucumber and Avocado Salad with fresh Dill
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Dressing

Vegan Bean Salad recipe with White Beans
Ingredients
- 2 can white beans (Great Northern Beans), rinsed and drained
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl and fold together until mixed well! Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
[…] Fresh White Bean Salad […]
[…] much more time indoors.  I love creating dishes that require only mixing and chopping like my Fresh White Bean Salad, Strawberry Watermelon Cucumber Salad or even Rainbow Chickpea Salad. It’s actually […]
My mum never cooked and still doesn’t! I learnt from my dad because I love to eat too! I use white beans a lot but not yet in salads, although I have made hummus with them, This sounds like a great idea to get some filling protein in with lots of taste.
What great flavours and colours, I bet this tastes fantastic. Gotta give this a try.
I absolutely love a fresh bean salad, especially this time of year! It’s light and healthy and so good! Thanks for your recipe!
Looks so refreshing and delicious!
I love bean salads and your version looks so colorful, fresh and healthy! I can’t wait to give this a try this summer!
Yum, such fresh flavors! What a healthy looking side!
Looks amazing! And I had to laugh at your story about your mom’s cooking–I can relate; I’m the non-cook in our household, LOL…..also the reason we have fire insurance! 😛
[…] and easy to make. Bonus points for it not having any dairy to spoil outside. Also try my White Bean Salad for a slightly different […]
[…] White Bean Salad […]
I love the combination of flavors for your White Bean Salad, it looks delicious. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you are having a great day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you Miz Helen! I’m so glad you like it.
Also wanted to add that we love having you link up with us for #HealthyVeganFridays! I’m Pinning and sharing!
That story about your mom with the meatloaf in the microwave made me laugh! My mom only cooked 2 things when my sister and I were growing up: pasta with tomato sauce in a jar and hot dogs with cheese (no vegetables with either lol) – again maybe why I’m veg now. 🙂
This salad looks great for a hot summer’s day!
Pinned this for later! Thanks for linkin’ up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Hi Karly! I’m so glad. I hope you enjoy it.
this looks awesome! I’ve been looking for new ways to eat beans and this sounds right up my alley 🙂
Thanks Giselle!
This is a delicious recipe! thanks for sharing it!
Thanks Nicole! So glad you like it.
This looks so delicious! Perfect for Summer, Pinned 🙂
Thanks Angela! I hope you enjoy it.
Looks like a great summer dish! Definitely going to put it in my summer rotation.
Thanks Allyson! I hope you enjoy it.
If I would have seen this before July 4th, I so would have made it for our picnic!
Oh cool!!! It’s such an easy covered dish to bring.
Love salads like this! Perfect for a meal and for bringing to any summer BBQ 🙂
This looks so incredible! I don’t make white beans enough.
They are so good and versatile!
What a fun salad!
Thanks Carmy! Great to see you here today.
Pinning for the future! You have the best recipes.
That means so much to me Wendy. Thank you so much.
Yum! This would be a perfect salad for a potluck – you’re right I totally have all the ingredients on hand right now! Yay for summer!
I know! My garden is producing cucumbers and tomatoes like it’s going out of style!
This looks amazing! I’m looking for new ways to incorporate beans and this seems like a perfect option. Plus we have an abundance of cucumbers right now so I’ll kill two birds with one stone 🙂
I know! I need to go picking this morning… the veggies are coming!!!
I don’t think I’ve ever made a salad with white beans in it and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. This looks delicious! <3
So cheap and good!!!
what a gorgeous salad! perfect to take to a picnic or BBQ!
Hi Glenneth! I’m so glad you like it. So nice to see you here today.
I’ve made something like this in the past too. I love fresh, colorful, and yummy salads like this!
Me too! Thanks Mikki!
looks amazing! very light and satisfying from teh white beans!!
Thanks Abbey! I hope you get a chance to make it.
you know I love this salad! I have been eating lots of white beans lately. Thanks for linking up with us
Me too! They are protein packed but don’t feel has heavy has other beans in the summer.
I am always on the lookout for delicious salads. I can’t wait to eat this! Thank you. 🙂
I hope you enjoy it!
Wow, this looks fantastic, kudos to your brother for coming up with this awesome recipe! I pinned it so hopefully I’ll give it a try soon!
Thanks Janelle! I’ll tell him you said so. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it.
Sounds tasty. I light refreshing dish for a picnic.
Yes! And so easy to throw together.
This looks delicious for a hot summer day! I’m pinning it!
I’m so glad you liked it Jenifer! Have a great day.
Beans. I really like them actually. I sadly, cannot eat them because they wage war in my stomach… But I do like them and this dish looks delish!
Thanks Gigi! I hope you are having a great start to your weekend.
That’s nice that you are incorporating some family
dishes in your blog ( Way to go Tommy / smile ).
Welcome Home Julie.
I hope all went well with your family trip to The Outer Banks.
Did you see any wild horses ?
I diiiidddd!!!! Check my instagram! I’ll post more photos of it tomorrow.