lemony white bean salad (simple and easy!)

This lemony white bean salad is so fresh and simple. Creamy white beans are bathed in a lemon herb dressing, a pop of chile flakes, and salty feta.

This simple white bean salad is a go-to meal when you crave something fresh, satisfying, and quick. We whisk up a delicious lemon vinaigrette, with a bit of Dijon, garlic, and shallots. Then we toss in a big handful of fresh herbs, good cannellini beans, a pinch of chile flakes, and a crumble of salty feta.

I love chopping the all parsley stems to give the salad a subtle and delicate crunch-- it’s a great contrast to the creamy white beans. And if you can get your hands on some chive blossoms, this is a beautiful way to use them! 

You’ll notice I said good beans above, which I want to circle back to. High-quality dried beans are so underrated. Yes, you can use canned beans in a pinch and the salad will be great. But remember, this is a white BEAN salad. Use great beans and your white bean salad will be noticeably better. I’m obsessed with Rancho Gordo and can’t recommend their beans enough.

The process is simple. Simmer the dried beans in a pot for a few hours (no, I don’t soak mine), then drain, rinse, and toss in the salad. You can cook the beans a day ahead, or cook a bunch and freeze them in the cooking liquid.

Good cannellini beans are soft, flavorful, and indulgently creamy. They’re worth the extra step, and this simple white bean salad recipe truly lets them shine!

white bean salad ingredients:

how to make a white bean salad

1. Combine shallot, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, mustard, chili flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Whisk in olive oil.
3. Fold in herbs and beans.
4. Sprinkle with feta and serve.

make this white bean salad your own!

There are SO many ways you can customize this white bean salad. Here are a few extra ingredients you can mix in for more crunch, flavor, and color!

• celery, diced
• fennel, diced
• bell peppers, diced
• marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• zucchini, diced
• cucumber, diced
• radishes, sliced
• marinated red peppers, diced
• swap goat cheese or mozzarella balls for feta
• shaved parmesan
• sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• blanched asparagus, sliced into coins
• blanched broccolini, chopped
• avocado, diced
• sliced almonds or chopped walnuts
• baby arugula or sliced kale

how to make this white bean salad recipe for two:

This recipe can easily be halved and made with just 1 can of white beans.

But in this case, I recommend you make the full recipe and repurpose it throughout the week!

The white bean salad lasts up to 5 days in the fridge, and the leftovers are great on their own, in a wrap, in a pita pocket, or even tossed on top of a lettuce salad.

a few dried bean tips:

• Rinse and pick over the dried beans before cooking.
• I don't usually soak my beans. It works out fine. I also break all the dried bean rules and salt the cooking water. Who wants bland beans?
• Cook them at a very gentle simmer. This will keep the beans whole and minimize breakage. Also, watch and taste them as they cook to prevent overcooking and mushiness! Cook until just soft and tender. Times vary a lot based on the freshness of the dried beans, amount of water in your pot and cooking temperature. Just pop in the kitchen every so often and check them.
• Let the beans cool in the cooking liquid. They can be frozen in the cooking liquid for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then drain and rinse before using.
• To use them in this cannellini bean salad, rinse the cooked beans and toss in the dressing. Proceed with the recipe!

more salad recipes to try:

All of the salads below are great for making ahead for picnics, potlucks, traveling, etc!

warm potato salad

shredded carrot salad

edamame salad

grilled corn salad

southwest quinoa salad

green goddess burrata salad

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