This easy Greek-style Bean Salad is super simple and packed with both flavor and gorgeous color. Add some crispy lettuce and grilled chicken for a full meal, or serve it with warmed pita bread as an appetizer.
Greek Inspired Bean Salad
One of my favorite parts of going to a Greek restaurant is the salad! The garlicky dressing, kalamata olives and onions always seem to hit the spot. I had Greek salad on the brain when I created this bean salad, and it turned out even better than I had hoped. I’m super excited to share this recipe with you!
This really is the perfect dish to bring to a gathering and can be served as an appetizer, but is certainly hearty enough to serve as a side dish to the main course. It pairs especially well with these easy Grilled Pork Chops or these Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs.
And don’t be surprised if you find yourself sneaking bites of this from your refrigerator – it makes the perfect late-night snack, and is pretty much guilt-free!
Why You Need To Make This
- This couldn’t be simpler! There is no cooking involved making this a very easy dish to throw together quickly; and who doesn’t need more time back in their day?!
- It is a refreshing and healthy addition to any appetizer spread. Trust me, you will be asked for the dressing recipe – it is THAT good!
- You can easily customize this to suit a variety of tastes. Don’t like dill? Substitute with parsley or mint. Add feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, diced red pepper – the possibilities are endless here!
How To Make Greek Bean Salad
- To a large mixing bowl, add two kinds of beans. We are using chickpeas and cannellini beans. Make sure you drain and rinse the beans before adding to the bowl to remove the sodium solution.
- Chop some cucumber and red onion and add both to the beans. Cutting the cucumber lengthwise and removing the seeds with a spoon will yield less soggy cucumber pieces.
- Add roughly chopped kalamata olives to the bowl and gently mix the contents together. Set aside while you prepare your dressing.
- Add the dressing to the bean mixture and mix thoroughly. Serve and enjoy!
For The Dressing
- Chop up a clove of garlic, add a sprinkle of salt, and using the back of your knife, turn the garlic clove into a paste. The salt will help with this process. You can also use a garlic press if you have one.
- Add the garlic paste, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, dill, and oregano to a mixing bowl and give it a quick whisk to incorporate the ingredients. Dress your bean salad. Double or triple this recipe to use for your dinner salads later in the week.
Serving Suggestions
This Greek Bean Salad is really versatile and works well alongside a variety of other cold salads, especially for barbeques and other gatherings. It is also perfect to have in your house during the week as it can be used to enhance other dishes.
If serving as an appetizer, warm some pita or naan bread and slice into wedges. This bean salad is the perfect tangy complement to delicious warm fluffy bread. Other appetizers that would go well alongside this one are Baked Parmesan Zucchini Crisps, Greek Salad Pinwheels, and Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Caper Vinaigrette.
Adding this bean salad to a crisp iceberg or hearty romaine lettuce is a fantastic idea! Make it a full meal, add some extra protein, such as grilled chicken or steak.
More Great Salads
- Black Bean And Couscous Salad
- Grilled Fennel Salad With Shaved Parmesan
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Broccoli Salad
Greek Bean Salad
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 16 ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 16 ounce can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 1 medium cucumber deseeded and chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion chopped
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives chopped
- 1 stack pitas optional
For The Dressing
- 1 clove garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 5 tablespoons fresh dill minced
- 1 large lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans and chickpeas to a large bowl. Also, add the chopped red onion, cucumber, and kalamata olives to the bowl.
- In another bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, dill, and garlic paste to make the vinaigrette.
- Pour the vinaigrette onto the salad and mix well. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper if required. Enjoy the bean salad with warm pitas wedges.
Notes
- Rinse the beans well of the sodium solution.
- Removing the seeds from the cucumber is optional, but helps prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
- The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Leave a Comment