Tangy Marinated Three-Bean Salad

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So since I'm a BIG fan of simple yet tasty recipes, I'm excited to share this Tangy Marinated Three-Bean Salad with you. This protein-rich, plant-based dish is easy to make and makes a filling and satisfying meal. It can be enjoyed on its own as a meal or appetizer, or used as a dressing on salads and to give salads a nutrient boost. The key to this dish is to use well drained and rinsed canned or cooked beans that are not too soft and mushy, but just cooked till tender.

Once made, this Tangy Marinated Three-Bean Salad can be stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Here's the recipe below. Enjoy!

 
Tangy Marinated Three-Bean Salad 

Recipe by: Anna Tseng | PlantNourished
Serving: Makes ~ 5 ½ cups total
Prep Time: 20-25 min

Main Ingredients:

• 15-ounce can of unsalted chickpeas (1 ½ cups)  
• 15-ounce can of unsalted red kidney beans (or 1 ½ cups)
• 15-ounce can of unsalted black beans (or 1 ½ cups) 
• ½ teaspoon iodized salt (use a little more if desired)
• ½ cup diced fresh tomato (with seeds removed)
• ¼ packed cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (with minimal stems) 
• 2 - 4 tablespoons diced onions
  

Marinade

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• ¾ teaspoon dried dill
• 2 small garlic cloves, finely minced (approximately 2 teaspoons)

Instructions:

1. If using the canned versions, drain and rinse the canned kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas well then set aside to drain in a colander for a few minutes
2. Next, transfer these rinsed beans into a large mixing bowl and add the ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine well, then let sit to marinate for at least 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the marinade and stir it well to combine
4. Combine this marinade with the beans and then add the chopped cilantro leaves, diced onion and diced fresh tomato pieces. Stir to combine all the ingredients well together.
5. Then let this bean salad sit to marinate for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator, so that all the flavors can meld together more.
6. Finally, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. For example, feel free to add in a pinch more of salt, a little more diced onions, cilantro, vinegar, or ground black pepper if you would like more of a ‘kick’ to the salad!
   
   

Recipe Notes:

You might find this dish even more flavorful the next day or two, as the beans would have had a chance to marinate longer within the dressing.

If you are using regular cans of beans in this recipe (meaning, not the unsalted versions), then you can cut down the amount of salt used in this recipe to ¼ teaspoon or even omit it altogether as the canned beans will already contain salt.

Instead of black turtle beans, you can choose to use canned or cooked white cannellini beans or black-eyed peas instead.

If you are not a fan of cilantro, you can omit the cilantro leaves from this recipe.

Why I Love This Recipe

There are a few key reasons why I love this recipe. First, it's completely whole food plant-based and the light marinade doesn't make the dish feel heavy when eaten. It is oil-free, refined-sugar-free and gluten-free too. This recipe also makes a large amount, so it is a perfect meal-prep recipe. Make it quickly during the early part of the week, and you'll have enough to enjoy for 2-3 meals in the following days. Also, know that the longer this dish sits in the fridge, the more flavorful the beans become because they have been marinated longer in the dressing.

I also love that this dish is very versatile. Besides enjoying this on its own as an entree, you could also put some onto a leafy salad to give your salads a plant-based protein boost and more flavor from the marinated dressing. 

Enjoy Recipes Like This?

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