Easy Mediterranean White Bean Salad

This 7-ingredient Tuscan white bean salad is bursting with Mediterranean flavors like tomatoes, white beans, and basil, takes just 10 minutes to prepare, and can be enjoyed as a Summery appetizer, side, or light main!

Fresh and Simple Tomato, Basil, and White Bean Salad

Beans are a staple in any vegan kitchen. They are inexpensive, super versatile, pantry-friendly, and packed with plant-based protein, antioxidants, and several nutrients such as iron, folate, potassium, vitamin B, and more. Making this simple Tuscan white bean salad as nutritious as it is delicious!

With classic Mediterranean flavors like tomato, cucumber, red onion, and white beans, this salad falls somewhere between a Tuscan and Greek white bean salad, tossed with a simple balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil dressing. All you need is a handful of simple ingredients and one bowl (yay for minimal cleanup) for this flavor explosion.

The resulting salad is a delicious combination of flavors, textures, and colors, and makes for a hearty and satisfying addition to any table. It’s also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, making it great as a diet-friendly addition to potlucks and gatherings.

As a bonus, this white bean tomato salad is also highly customizable with endless adaptions and variations to choose from based on what you have in your kitchen and what you are your family/guests like. And since it tastes even better on day two, I always make a big batch of this meal-prep-friendly summer salad!

Want more inspiration on how to add beans to your diet? You might enjoy this mixed bean and vegetable stew, butternut squash bean burrito, Instant Pot navy bean soup, or Southwest stuffed sweet potatoes (with corn and beans).

The Ingredients

Just 7 simple ingredients (plus salt & pepper) make up the base for this delicious tomato cucumber bean salad.

• Tomatoes: During summer, I highly recommend using large heirloom tomatoes for superior flavor, texture, and aesthetics. Out of season, use cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or baby plum tomatoes.
• Cucumber: It’s best to use smaller low-seed and seedless cucumbers like Persian cucumber or English cucumber. There’s no need to peel the cucumber unless you use one with a thick skin (like garden cucumber).
• Beans: Any canned white beans will work for this easy white bean salad recipe. i.e., cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, white kidney beans, butter beans, chickpeas, etc. Use reduced sodium if preferred.
• Red onion: If you aren’t a fan of the harsh raw onion flavor, either soak the diced onion in ice water or the lemon juice/vinegar for 10 minutes OR use green onion, which is far milder.
• Basil: Plenty of fresh basil leaves taste fantastic in this Tuscan white bean salad. However, other fresh herbs like fresh mint leaves or fresh parsley (or a mix of the two) also work.

Increase the amount of herbs (parsley and mint) used to make a delicious play on a white bean tabbouleh salad.

The Dressing:

• Oil: I recommend using high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
• Balsamic vinegar: Alternatively, you could experiment with red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even lemon juice (optionally with some lemon zest for a flavor boost).
• Salt & black pepper: Season to taste.

Add a few drops of maple syrup if you prefer some sweetness in the salad dressing.

What Else Could I add to The White Bean Salad?

This Mediterranean white bean salad recipe is very adaptable and hard to mess up. Here are just a few ways to build upon this vegan salad further.

• Pasta or grains: Add one to two cups of cooked pasta or about ½-1 cup of grains like quinoa or farro for a heartier white bean pasta salad.
• Garlic: Depending on the acid you use in the dressing, adding some minced garlic to the dressing for this bean salad will taste delicious.
• Vegan cheese: Dairy-free mozzarella cheese will work particularly well to make a white bean Caprese salad. Vegan feta cheese could also work.
• Olives: Halved or sliced kalamata olives or black olives would work.
• Leafy greens: Serve the cucumber basil bean salad over a bed of leafy greens (a spring mix, lettuce, baby spinach/ kale, etc.) for a more traditional green salad.
• Seasonings: Swapping out the spices and seasoning blends used in this white bean salad recipe is an effortless way to adapt the flavor:
  • Sumac and/or Za’atar (give it a Middle Eastern flavor)
  • Oregano (is a popular option for Greek white bean salad)
  • Herbs de Provence
  • Italian seasoning
  • Cumin
  • Thyme
  • Aleppo pepper (for spice - works well with a lemon and sumac dressing)
  • Red pepper flakes (for spice)
• Red pepper flakes: To garnish the basil tomato pasta and add heat.
• Pine nuts: Lightly toast the pine nuts in a pan to garnish the bean salad when serving. Pistachios would also work.
• Capers: Add a briny, tangy flavor. Add a few tablespoon to you liking.
• Other vegetables: This bean salad is simple enough that plenty of veggies will pair with the ingredients used, including:
  • Roasted red pepper (diced)
  • Marinated artichoke
  • Roasted veggies (like zucchini, bell pepper, & eggplant combined)
  • Avocado (to add a creamy element with heart-healthy fats)

How to Make White Bean Salad?

Preparing this Mediterranean white bean salad recipe requires just TWO steps and a few minutes. Perfect for a last-minute addition to any meal or event.

• 1) First, dice the onion, wash and chop the tomatoes, dice the cucumber, and drain and rinse the canned beans.
• 2) Then, in a large bowl, combine all the prepared ingredients above with the remaining ingredients and toss to evenly coat all the ingredients. Voila, the white bean salad is ready to enjoy!

You can eat the salad immediately or allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld first.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Adjust the texture: How large or small you chop your veggies will determine the texture and mouthfeel of this white bean salad.
• Tweak the ingredient ratio: You can add more or less of any ingredient to tweak the flavor to your liking.
• Experiment with flavors: I’ve provided plenty of opportunities to adapt this recipe with optional add-ins and substitutions, so have fun experimenting.

Storage Instructions

Make ahead: This Mediterranean white bean salad tastes even better with some time for all the ingredients to marinate and meld, so feel free to make it a day in advance.

Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Give it a stir each time before enjoying it.

I don’t recommend freezing the salad as the fresh elements (like cucumber and tomato) will become mushy upon thawing.

Serving Recommendations

This Mediterranean white bean salad does it all. It’s an appetizer, side dish, light lunch, or main, ready to enjoy alone or alongside:

• Crusty bread or flatbread
• Garlic focaccia or garlic bread
• Soup - like this corn chowder
• Simple pasta dishes and lasagna
• Vegan burgers
• Vegan shawarma and gyros
• Add the cannellini bean salad to wraps

You can also serve it as part of a mezze platter with dips and mezze dishes like hummus, falafel, etc.

More Easy Vegan Meals

• Quick teriyaki tofu stir fry
• Vegan corn chowder
• Vegetable fajita tacos
• Chickpea and walnut meat tacos
• Vegetable barley soup
• Smashed chickpea salad
• Easy vegan hummus wraps

If you try this Mediterranean white bean salad recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla