Mom’s Bean Salad
Incredibly easy to make, my Mom’s Bean Salad recipe is a classic that will bring you back! With simple, fresh ingredients, this sweet and tangy kidney bean salad recipe is for an easy make-ahead, gluten-free, vegan, side salad that my kids love!
It’s a classic in our family and an absolute favorite of our girls. They absolutely love my Mom’s Bean Salad recipe and if ever there is a way to get them to eat green beans, This. Is. It! Even better, it’s a kidney bean recipe that is so stinkin’ easy to make, and it’s actually better the next two days while all of the flavors meld, so it is the perfect make-ahead cold bean salad.
Ingredients Needed
Fresh and easy.
- Green Beans – We prefer fresh, especially the gorgeous ones at the Farmer’s Markets right now, but you can of course make this with frozen or canned.
- Kidney Beans – Dried or canned, whatever’s the easiest for you.
- Onions – White or yellow (the sweeter the better), again we used these gorgeous ones from our local farmer’s market. The only onion we wouldn’t suggest is red.
- Sugar – To add the sweetness that my girls absolutely love about this recipe.
- Vinegar – White is our preferred for it, but we also love this with apple cidar vinegar or even a rice wine vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard – Have you made your own, yet?
- Olive Oil – Vegetable or Canola Oil would also be great for this.
- Salt and Fresh Parsley
Easy to Make
Made in just 1, 2, 3.
- Trim, cut, and blanch/cook green beans. Add them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
Just like our Parsley Pesto Green Beans! I love when the green beans have a little extra crunch, but you could also boil until fully cooked or even steam the beans too if you want them a little softer.
2. Add sliced onions and kidneys to a bowl and whisk dressing.
We love to use a measuring cup with a pour spout when whisking dressings.
3. Add just a touch of fresh parsley and give it a good mix.
Done! Easy, right?
Let Sit
This is my favorite part of this easy, kidney bean salad, it’s better the next day. This means that it’s not only OK, but it’s actually ideal if you make it in advance! Leave it to Mom’s Bean Salad recipe to totally mom-it and know how to makes it the most convenient.
Next Day: While you can definitely eat this right away, it’s best to prepare it in advance and let it sit overnight. This will let all of the flavors in the dressing absorb into all of the beans and onions.
Second Day: Will have even more flavor! This is what makes this bean salad perfect for meal prep!
1 Week: Mom’s Bean Salad is great in the fridge all week!
Customizable
This bean salad is also great because you can use so many kinds of beans in it. Use fresh beans, frozen beans, or canned beans. All work!
Green Beans and Wax Beans – Add a little more color by mixing in some yellow wax beans, too!
Kidney Beans, Cannellini, Garbanzo, Great Northern Beans, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans… the list goes on and on! Use whatever you have.
Onions and Shallots – Add some shallots in for a gentle added sweetness.
Sugar Level – Adjust it to your taste! 1/3 of a cup is really the lowest level, we’ve tried it with less and it wasn’t enough. But you could also crank it up to up to 3/4 cup of sugar. See FAQs.
Mom’s Bean Salad, a classic bean salad recipe that’s perfect to meal prep, for hot summer days, gluten-free, vegan, side salad that may just get those kids to eat their green beans!
Other Bean Favorites
- Parsley Pesto Green Beans
- 15 Minute Mustard Green Beans
- Green Bean and Mushroom Braised Chicken
- Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
Other Summer Salads
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Simple Shaved Fennel Salad
- Classic Maraconi Salad
- Avocado Pasta Salad
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Asian Sesame Ginger Slaw
- Raw Broccoli Salad
- American Potato Salad
- Zucchini Greek Salad
FAQs
Of COURSE. This will make this an even faster salad to make! Just drain the beans and give a rinse and shake in a colander before adding to a bowl.
Use a total of 2 cans of green beans and/or wax beans and 1 to 1 1/2 can of kidney, garbanzo, pinto, etc. beans.
Sure can. Just cook in the bag per instructions and then add to an ice bath to stop cooking.
Adjust the sweetness to your liking. You can use up to 3/4 cup of sugar without it becoming too sweet. If using 3/4 cup of sugar, up the vinegar to 2/3 cup.
Any that you have/want!
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Mom’s Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans or mix with wax beans
- 1/2 cup dry kidney beans, soaked for at least 6 hrs or 1 15oz can, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups white onion sliced thin
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- If using dry kidney beans, add beans to a medium sized bowl with 2-3 cups of water. Let soak at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse. Canned beans: Drain in to a colander and rinse.
- If using fresh green beans (and/or) wax beans, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim ends off of beans and cut in half. Once the water has come to a boil, add beans and blnach for at least 5 minutes. This will produce a crunchy green bean, for a softer bean let cook for 10-15 minutes. See recipe notes for canned and frozen.
- Strain green beans and add to a large bowl with ice water to stop the cooking.
- Meanwhile, create dressing by adding oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a small bowl (we love to use a measuring cup with a pour spout). Whisk with a fork until sugar has dissolved.
- Drain green beans and add them to a large bowl with onions and kidney beans and mix well.
- Pour dressing on and mix well. Top wtih fresh parsley.
- Cool in fridge before serving. This salad is best served the next day!
I love the green bean, wax bean, and kidney bean mix in this salad. This is a great side dish! Goes great with barbecue!
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Ruth!
My mom’s recipe included canned mushrooms. She is no longer living to ask my question: Should the mushrooms be small button mushrooms or sliced mushrooms? Thoughts?
Oh hmmm probably sliced!
What a great summer salad, would go with so many dishes. Lovely.