Three Bean Salad (Modern Italian-style)

This three bean salad is a fresh, modern take on the classic. It combines creamy cannellini, borlotti, and gigante beans with shreds of crispy radicchio, celery, and hazelnuts. It’s all tossed in a sweet white balsamic dressing that you’ll basically want to drink.

I can’t actually get enough of this three bean salad. And aside from mixing 3 different types of beans, it’s nothing like the classic picnic version you’re probably picturing.

This one is brighter, beautiful, and a little fancy (even though it’s just as easy). It’s my modern Italian riff on the idea, and the magic is all in the dressing.

We’re talking honeyed white balsamic, punchy dijon, and a generous pour of peppery olive oil. It’s sweet and tangy, a little sharp, and soaks right into the creamy mix of beans.

Then there’s the radicchio— ribbons of bitter purple that offset the sweet dressing in a way that’s unexpectedly perfect.

I know bitterness can be polarizing (especially for us Americans), but hear me out, it’s the contrast that makes this salad so satisfying. Italians embrace bitter flavors for a reason: they balance sweetness and bring a whole other dimension to the meal.

To round it all out, we’ve got crisp celery for crunch and roasted hazelnuts for nutty depth. It’s a summery, modern three bean salad that gets even better after a day or two in the fridge. It’s a 3 bean salad you’ll actually crave, and you're going to feel so excited to share it.

P.S. If you’re as obsessed with white balsamic vinegar as I am, you have to try this peach burrata salad. It soaks juicy peaches in white balsamic and turns them into straight magic. 

Here’s how to make this three bean salad:

A few more tips for the recipe:

• Cook your own gigante beans for the best texture. I love Royal Corona beans from Rancho Gordo because they’re huge and creamy and amazing. In a pinch you can use canned butter beans, but I always find them weirdly starchy and kind of gross (especially in a salad).
  • Cook 1 lb dried gigantes and use the remaining half in this garlicky gigante bean salad recipe!
• You can also swap whatever type of beans you have!
  • Borlotti are meaty and creamy and nutty, but can be hard to find canned.
  • If you don't want to cook any beans, use a mix of cannellini, chickpea and kidney.
• This bean salad will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. The radicchio softens, but not in a bad way. If the olive oil from the dressing solidifies, just warm the whole salad up in the microwave for 15 second intervals.

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