This lemony white bean salad is so fresh and simple. Creamy white beans are bathed in a lemon herb dressing, a pop of chile flakes, and salty feta.
This simple white bean salad is a go-to meal when you crave something fresh, satisfying, and quick. We whisk up a delicious lemon vinaigrette, with a bit of Dijon, garlic, and shallots. Then we toss in a big handful of fresh herbs, good cannellini beans, a pinch of chile flakes, and a crumble of salty feta.
I love chopping the all parsley stems to give the salad a subtle and delicate crunch-- it’s a great contrast to the creamy white beans. And if you can get your hands on some chive blossoms, this is a beautiful way to use them!
You’ll notice I said good beans above, which I want to circle back to. High-quality dried beans are so underrated. Yes, you can use canned beans in a pinch and the salad will be great. But remember, this is a white BEAN salad.
Good cannellini beans are soft, flavorful, and indulgently creamy. They’re worth the extra step. I’m obsessed with Rancho Gordo and can’t recommend their beans enough.
The process is simple. Simmer the dried beans in a pot for a few hours (no, I don’t soak mine), then drain, rinse, and toss in the salad. You can cook the beans a day ahead, or cook a bunch and freeze them in the cooking liquid.
P.S. If you cook too many beans, make a batch of white bean hummus!
make this white bean salad:
- Combine shallot, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, mustard, chili flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. This pickles the shallot to soften its bite.
- Whisk in olive oil.
- Fold in herbs and beans.
- Sprinkle with feta and serve.
fun mix-ins:
There are SO many ways you can customize this white bean salad. Here are a few extra ingredients you can mix in for more crunch, flavor, and color!
- celery, diced
- fennel, diced
- bell peppers, diced
- marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- zucchini, diced
- cucumber, diced
- radishes, sliced
- marinated red peppers, diced
- swap goat cheese or mozzarella balls for feta
- shaved parmesan
- sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- blanched asparagus, sliced into coins
- blanched broccolini, chopped
- avocado, diced
- sliced almonds or chopped walnuts
- baby arugula or sliced kale
lemony white bean salad (simple and easy!)
This lemony white bean salad is so fresh and simple. Creamy white beans are bathed in a lemon herb dressing, a pop of chile flakes, and salty feta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4- 6
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp minced shallot
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp red chile flakes
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups cooked beans, from ½ lb dried (or 2-15.5 oz cans white beans, rinsed)
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- 2 tbsp minced chives (plus blossoms if you can find them)
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
Instructions
- Place shallot, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, mustard, salt, pepper, and red chile flakes in a large bowl. Let sit a few minutes to soften the shallot. Whisk in olive oil until combined.
- Add white beans, chives, and parsley and toss gently to combine.
- Sprinkle with feta and serve.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th
- Calories: 366
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 611mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 11g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 5.6mg
This post was originally posted on June 3, 2024. It was updated June 1, 2025.
Kristina Burger says
Quick and delicious! Will make this again.
Missy says
I love this recipe! I changed the parsley to dill, and added sundried tomatoes. Even my husband raves about it!