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Dense Bean Mediterranean Salad

dense bean mediterranean salad with three types of beans, crisp cucumber, briny olives, and a lemony herb dressing. The beans are patted dry so they soak up flavor quickly, then the salad chills beautifully for meal prep.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 430
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the salad
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 English cucumber diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 0.5 red onion finely diced
  • 0.5 cup kalamata olives halved
  • 0.5 cup roasted red peppers chopped
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 0.33 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the dressing
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Method
 

Prep the beans and vegetables
  1. Drain and rinse all three cans of chickpeas, cannellini beans, and kidney beans thoroughly. Spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry so they absorb the dressing better.
  2. Add the chickpeas, cannellini beans, and kidney beans to a large bowl along with the English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and fresh parsley. Toss to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Make the lemony herb dressing
  1. Whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until combined. Taste and adjust lemon or salt as needed.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat everything evenly. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving so the beans soak up the flavor.
Finish and serve
  1. Top with crumbled feta cheese just before serving. This keeps the cheese fresh-tasting while the salad rests.
Storage
  1. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The salad gets even better on day two, but add fresh feta when possible for best texture.

Notes

Pro tip: patting the rinsed beans dry helps them cling to the lemony dressing instead of staying watery. Store in the fridge in an airtight container up to 4 days; for best results, keep feta separate and add it right before serving. Freezing is not recommended due to cucumber texture. For a dairy-free option, omit feta (and add an extra pinch of salt to balance).