Our Mediterranean white bean salad is a wholesome and refreshing dish.

It features tender and creamy cannellini, fresh herbs, and veggies tossed in a delicious Mediterranean olive oil and lemon dressing.

White bean salad is perfect for a light and fulfilling lunch or a healthy dinner with pita bread and yogurt tahini sauce. Or you can bring bring it to a potluck, picnic, or barbeque.

White bean salad with red onions and a silver fork

Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.

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What is white bean salad?

White bean salad with vine tomatoes on a white plate

Our white bean salad is inspired by ingredients and flavors used by the countries touched by the Mediterranean Sea.

You’ll love the combination of textures and flavors of this dish!

Like our Mediterranean salad and Shirazi salad, this white bean salad is packed with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, herbs, and cucumbers.

The dressing is inspired by Turkish and Levantine cuisine. It’s made with olive oil, lemon juice, and sumac, a beautiful red spice with a mild citrusy flavor.

Mediterranean white bean salad with yogurt tahini sauce

If you don’t have sumac, you can use ground cumin instead. It’s equally delicious.

Like tabbouleh salad, we rely on a good amount of chopped fresh parsley and scallions to add a fresh, tangy, and herby flavor that pairs beautifully with the white beans.

Inevitably, this Mediterranean white bean salad goes well with most of our other Mediterranean recipes.

For example, make it a meal by serving it with yogurt tahini sauce, sumac marinated onions, and warm pita bread.

White bean salad with sumac onions and a silver spoon

This combination reminds us of Turkish Fasulye Piyazi, a delicious, ultra-creamy white bean salad with tahini and onions.

But you can also serve it next to spreads and small dishes like hummus, falafel, muhammara, avocado spread, chickpea fritters, or zucchini fritters.

Ingredients and substitutions for cannellini bean salad

Ingredients for white bean salad on a table

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

White beans

We like cannellini beans because they are smaller than other white beans and are buttery-tender.

You can use canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.

Or you can use dry cannellini beans that you soaked in water for 8 hours and boiled until tender—about 1 to 2 hours.

Here’s our guide on how to cook white beans, should you need it.

Substitute navy beans, great northern beans, baby lima beans, butter beans, chickpeas, lentils, or black beans for cannellini.

Tomatoes

We use ripe vine tomatoes cut into wedges.

Substitute Roma, grape, date, and cherry tomatoes for vine tomatoes.

Cucumber

You can use Persian, English, or American cucumber.

Scallions

Scallions, also known as green onions or spring onions, are perfect in this white bean salad because they add a slightly pungent flavor without overpowering the salad.

Substitute a shallot or mild red onion for scallions.

Fresh parsley

Use fresh flat-leaf parsley, also known as Italian parsley.

You can combine the parsley with fresh basil, mint, or coriander.

You can also substitute fresh dill for parsley.

Sun-dried tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes in oil add an irresistible bold, savory flavor and a slightly chewy texture. We love them in white bean salad!

Substitute Kalamata olives or marinated artichokes for sun-dried tomatoes.

Dressing

  • Extra virgin olive oil.
  • Fresh lemon juice.
  • Red wine vinegar: substitute apple cider vinegar.
  • Sumac: substitute ground cumin.
  • Freshly grated garlic.
  • Sea salt or kosher salt and black pepper.

Optional ingredients

  • Jalapeños: Optionally, you can add pickled jalapeños or any other chili pepper for some spiciness.
  • Marinated onions: For extra tang, we like to toss in some quick pickled red onions or, even better, sumac-marinated onions.
  • Feta cheese or non-dairy feta: for more creaminess and flavor.
  • Other veggies: You can add diced red pepper, corn kernels, and a pinch of dried oregano, for example.
drained cannellini beans in a big bowl

How to make a white bean salad

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

To a large mixing bowl, add drained and rinsed white beans, tomatoes cut into wedges, diced cucumber, thinly sliced scallions (both white and green part), chopped parsley, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

hand cutting sun-dried tomatoes in a white bowl

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, vinegar, grated garlic, sumac, salt, and black pepper.

salad dressing for white bean salad

Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well, then serve the salad immediately, or even better, let the flavors meld for 15 minutes before serving.

White bean salad on a plate with a silver spoon

Serving suggestions

You can serve this white bean salad as a side, main, or part of a mezze dinner with other small dishes.

For example, make it a meal by serving it with:

Alternatively, mix it with quinoa, orzo, pasta, bulgur, buckwheat, or couscous.

White bean salad with hand holding a silver fork

Tips

Make ahead: Toss the salad 15 to 30 minutes before serving it so the flavors have time to meld.

Serve at room temperature: For the best flavor, remove the salad from the fridge 15 minutes before serving it.

Storage & Make Ahead

Make ahead: This Mediterranean white bean salad is good for meal prep, and you can make it up to 3 days in advance. It’s excellent as a packed lunch for work, picnics, potlucks, and barbeques.

Refrigerator: Keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

Freezer: This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

More cannellini bean recipes

More easy salads

Mediterranean white bean salad with pita bread

White Bean Salad

5 from 2 votes
Our Mediterranean white bean salad is a wholesome and refreshing dish.
It features tender and creamy cannellini, fresh herbs, and veggies tossed in a delicious Mediterranean olive oil and lemon dressing.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course, Side dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients 

  • 2 cans (15 ounces) cannellini beans or 3 cups cooked cannellini
  • 2 medium vine tomatoes about 10 ounces, cut into wedges
  • cups cucumber diced
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped

DRESSING

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar apple cider or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sumac substitute 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 small clove garlic grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon black pepper

Instructions 

  • To a large mixing bowl, add 2 cans (15 ounces) cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), 2 medium vine tomatoes (cut into wedges), 1½ cups cucumber (diced), 3 scallions (thinly sliced), 1 cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped), and ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (chopped).
    hand cutting sun-dried tomatoes in a white bowl
  • In a small bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon sumac, 1 small clove garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
    salad dressing for white bean salad
  • Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.
    White bean salad on a plate with a silver spoon

MAKE IT A MEAL

  • We recommend serving this white bean salad with yogurt tahini sauce, sumac marinated onions, pita bread, and olives.
    Find the recipes in the "Serving Suggestions" chapter linked in the notes below.
    White bean salad with pita bread and tahini yogurt sauce

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of white bean salad out of 4 servings.
STORAGE & MAKE AHEAD
Make ahead: This Mediterranean white bean salad is good for meal prep, and you can make it up to 3 days in advance. It’s excellent as a packed lunch for work, picnics, potlucks, and barbeques.
Refrigerator: Keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
Freezer: This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
ALSO ON THIS PAGE

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 549mg, Dietary Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1469IU, Vitamin B6: 0.2mg, Vitamin C: 40mg, Vitamin E: 3mg, Vitamin K: 139µg, Calcium: 108mg, Folate: 38µg, Iron: 4mg, Manganese: 0.2mg, Magnesium: 32mg, Zinc: 0.4mg
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If you liked this white bean salad, you might also enjoy:


Nico and Louise in front of the Consolazione church in Todi

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

Easy right?

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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5 Comments

  1. Is it just me, or is the picture completely different from the recipe. The picture includes pickles, olives, red onions etc. Is there a reason these weren’t included in the recipe?

    1. Hi Stef,

      Thanks for your message 🙂

      Pickles, olives, and red onions are serving suggestions and not part of the actual recipe. It’s to give you
      We list those ingredients in the “serving suggestions chapter” in the body of the blog post.

      I hope this helps, let us know if you have any other questions.
      Have a wonderful day.
      Nico

  2. Looks fabulous for my Mother’s Day “all salads” meal. When I make it in advance, do I dress it and store it? Or make salad and still dress 15 minutes before serving? Thank you for all the great recipes!

    1. Hi Dorothy,

      Yes, you can dress the salad and make it ahead of Mother’s Day; for up to 3 days in advance.
      Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, and remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

      I hope this helps. Have a wonderful weekend. Kindest,

      Louise