Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad (Printable Version)

Hearty beans, salty salami, olives, and fresh herbs combine in a flavorful Mediterranean salad.

# What You Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Meats & Proteins

04 - 4 oz dry-cured salami, diced

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
10 - 2 tbsp capers, drained
11 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
12 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced

→ Dressing

13 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
15 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
17 - 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
18 - 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
19 - 1 clove garlic, minced

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, mix together the cannellini beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans.
02 - Incorporate the diced salami, red onion, cucumber, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers into the bean mixture.
03 - Sprinkle chopped parsley and sliced basil over the mixture and gently combine.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and minced garlic until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing evenly over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat thoroughly.
06 - Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
07 - Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes if desired to let flavors meld before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It keeps for days in the fridge, somehow tasting even better as the flavors marry together overnight.
  • Three types of beans mean protein that actually fills you up, without any heaviness.
  • The salty salami and briny olives do all the flavor work so you barely need salt.
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing the canned beans, no matter how rushed you are; that starch will make the whole salad gummy within hours.
  • The dressing tastes best when the garlic sits in the oil and vinegar for a minute before mixing, which lets the flavors open up.
  • This salad actually improves overnight as the beans absorb the dressing, so make it the night before a picnic or event.
03 -
  • If your salami is too thick, slice it first and then dice it; thinner pieces distribute their saltiness more evenly.
  • The moment you pour the dressing is the moment everything becomes irreversible, so taste the components separately first and adjust seasoning while you still can.
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