Easy Canned Bean Medley Salad

Name: 📋 Easy Canned Bean Medley Salad recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 -14 oz cans cut green beans (drained and rinsed); 3 -19 oz -cans of beans (I use a mixed bean medley with red kidney beans, chick peas, romano beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas,and great northern white beans); 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 2 tsp white granulated sugar; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

This Easy Canned Bean Medley Salad is the quickest and easiest bean salad ever! Made with 6-bean mixture, only 6 ingredients, and ready in only 5 minutes, it's not only my fave go-to summer salad recipe, it's vegan, gluten-free, and Weight Watchers friendly!

Easy Bean Salad (Vegan) #bean salad #vegan | foodmeanderings.com

This mixed beans salad is packed with fibre, protein, and healthy fats (unsaturated) and has a delicious tangy dressing. I make this most often when we're throwing something on the BBQ and I need a quick and healthy barbecue side dish. If you're looking for easy vegan bean salad recipes for a BBQ, you'll love this recipe! Although it pairs perfectly with Maple BBQ Pork Loin Steaks and Cucumber Kimchi.

🍒Reader Review

"This made the best side dish with our barbecue dinner last night! Definitely adding this to the dinner lineup for next week!"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jump to:

🍒Reader Review
🥘 Ingredient Notes
📖Variations & Substitutions
🔪 How to Make Bean Medley Salad
Expert Recipe Tips
👪 Serving Size
🔢WW Points
🌡️Storage
🥗 What to Serve with Canned Bean Salad
❔ Recipe FAQ's
🥗More Easy Summer Salads
📋 Easy Canned Bean Medley Salad recipe

I love this easy side salad with beer can chicken too. Looking for more sides? Check out these sides with beer can chicken!

🥘 Ingredient Notes

This easy vegan bean salad is sooo easy (made with canned mixed beans) and so good that even your meat-loving friends will adore it! And you only need 6 ingredients:

Ingredients in Canned Bean Medley Salad in glass bowls, labelled.

Canned mixed bean medley. I use a canned 6-bean blend of red kidney beans, chick peas, romano beans, black-eyed peas, lima beans, and great northern white beans because it's simpler than buying all the beans separately.
Canned green beans. Canned green beans add color and a different flavor and contrast from the other beans.
Dijon mustard and Red Wine Vinegar. Add both a spicy and tangy flavor to this bean salad.
White granulated sugar. A little sugar balances the tanginess of the mustard and red wine vinegar.

*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.

Easy bean salad (vegan) #bean salad #BBQ side salad | foodmeanderings.com

📖Variations & Substitutions

Sugar- you can use agave instead of sugar if you prefer (it's vegan and gluten-free) or maple syrup
Red wine vinegar - you can use balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar as a substitute, but I don't recommend white wine vinegar (I tried it and the flavor is not strong enough)
Oil- you can use vegetable oil or canola instead of olive (although extra virgin olive oil is best)
Beans - you can use different kinds of beans. *The canned bean mixture I use has red kidney beans, chick peas (aka garbanzo beans), romano beans, and great northern beans. You could also use black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans or any mixture with a different combination.
Add-ins -red onion, red peppers, fresh herbs

🔪 How to Make Bean Medley Salad

Making this easy recipe is as simple as draining the beans and mixing everything together - that's it!

All ingredients in bean medley salad in a large glass bowl.

Step 1: Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl.

All ingredients in canned bean medley salad mixed together in a large glass bowl, with a spoon.

Step 2: Mix (gently) until combined.

Expert Recipe Tips

Rinse beans thoroughly. Rinse the canned beans well under cold water until the foam disappears—this removes excess salt, improves texture, and prevents the salad from tasting "tinny."
Let it marinate. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving so the beans can absorb the tangy-sweet dressing and develop more flavor.
Use high-quality olive oil. Since this is a no-cook salad, the quality of the oil makes a big difference—extra virgin olive oil adds richness and smoothness to the dressing.
Balance the acidity. If the dressing tastes too tangy, stir in an extra teaspoon of sugar or a touch of maple syrup to mellow it out.
Adjust for salt. Because beans and mustard can vary in saltiness, taste the salad before adding any additional salt—chances are, you won’t need much or any at all.
Don’t overmix. Stir gently to avoid mashing the beans. Use a large spoon or silicone spatula and fold rather than stir to maintain a pretty presentation and texture.
Add crunch last-minute. If including fresh vegetables like bell peppers or red onions, add them just before serving to keep them crisp.
Use a variety of textures. Mixing in a few different bean types beyond the medley—like black beans or cannellini beans—can enhance both flavor and visual appeal.
Serve at room temperature for potlucks. This salad is safe at room temperature for a few hours, making it ideal for picnics or BBQs. Just keep it out of direct sunlight and chill any leftovers promptly.
Brighten with herbs. A handful of fresh parsley, cilantro, or dill can add a fresh, vibrant finish just before serving.

👪 Serving Size

This canned bean salad recipe serves 10 people (½ cup serving) but can be cut in half or doubled or even tripled for a very large crowd! Simply click on the serving number in the recipe card and the amounts will adjust accordingly.

🔢WW Points

This easy bean salad recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 2 WW pts per ½ cup serving.

🌡️Storage

Store this mixed bean salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can make this recipe a couple of days in advance, as well.

These ingredients do not freeze well.

🥗 What to Serve with Canned Bean Salad

Although this is a vegan salad, even your meat-eating guests will love it! It pairs well with anything barbecued, such as Grilled Greek Ribs or this Turkey Dog Recipe.

Easy Bean Salad (vegan) - in 5 minutes #bean salad #vegan | foodmeanderings.com

And this Fruit Pizza with glaze is the perfect dessert to accompany this canned bean salad!

fruit pizza with a slice being lifted out

And if you are vegan, then just skip the meat, of course! It goes well with veggie burgers and fresh Grilled Mexican Street corn or Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad.

❔ Recipe FAQ's

Can I use frozen or fresh green beans instead of canned?

Yes, you can substitute frozen or blanched fresh beans. Just make sure they’re cooked to a tender-crisp texture and fully cooled before adding to the salad.

Can I make this oil-free?

Absolutely. If you're avoiding oil, you can skip it entirely or replace it with a splash of water or extra vinegar for moisture, though the flavor and texture will be slightly different.

Can I prep this salad the night before?

Yes, it actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. Just give it a quick stir before serving.

How long should I let the salad sit before serving?

You can serve it immediately, but if you let it chill for at least 30 minutes, the flavor deepens and improves.

This canned bean medley salad is the fastest and easiest salad around to take along to BBQs, potlucks, or summer picnics.

🥗More Easy Summer Salads

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