If you're a bean person, this Butter Bean Salad recipe is going to become your new go-to for a quick, healthy side dish or light lunch. Creamy butter beans, fresh vegetables, and a zippy herb dressing come together for a dish that's loaded with lots of flavor and plenty of healthy fats. It’s the perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, tangy, and refreshing—everything you want in a simple salad recipe!
Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or need a main salad for a family dinner, this dish takes little time to whip up and uses simple ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store. Bonus: it’s packed with fiber, protein, and natural sugars for sustainable energy.
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Ingredient Notes
This salad comes together with pantry staples and fresh vegetables, making it a breeze to prepare. Here’s what you need:
Butter Beans
These canned butter beans (or baby lima beans) are rich, creamy, and perfect for soaking up the salad dressing. If you can't find butter beans, you can use cannellini beans or black beans as a substitute.
Vegetables
- Bell pepper: Adds crunch and sweetness. Feel free to use red, yellow, or green.
- Cherry tomatoes: These juicy little gems bring brightness and a touch of acidity to the salad.
- Red onion: A little sharpness balances the flavors. You can also swap it for spring onion or even pickled red onions for a tangy twist.
Fresh Herbs
- Parsley and mint: These key ingredients add freshness and lots of flavor. Feel free to substitute fresh basil or cilantro if needed.
The Dressing
This herb-packed dressing is the star of the recipe. A mix of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard creates a tangy base, while garlic cloves and red pepper flakes bring depth and a hint of heat. Sweetened with a touch of honey (or maple syrup for a vegan option), it’s bright and versatile.
Instructions
Making this Butter Bean Salad is as easy as tossing ingredients together. Here’s how it’s done:
- Start by draining and rinsing two cans of butter beans (15 ounces each). This removes any excess salt or starch, leaving the beans ready to absorb the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter beans with 1 cup diced bell pepper, ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1 teaspoon chopped mint. Toss everything gently to avoid breaking the beans.
- For the dressing, whisk together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) in a small bowl or jar. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
How to Serve
- Serve it as a perfect side dish alongside roasted chicken, grilled fish, or crusty bread.
- Spoon it over a bed of salad greens or enjoy it as part of a Greek salad with feta cheese.
- Add it to grain bowls with pumpkin seeds or pair it with green beans for a heartier twist.
- One of my favorite ways to enjoy bean salads is piled on top of a toasted baguette. The crusty bread soaks up all the dressing and is a delicious vehicle for the beans.
Tips, Tricks, and Alterations
- Make it your own: Add kalamata olives, feta cheese, black olives, or crunchy cucumbers for more texture.
- Vegan-friendly swap: Use maple syrup instead of honey for the dressing.
- Advance prep: This salad stores beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it a great option for meal prep. Just let it come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
No butter beans? Swap them for cannellini beans, black beans, or great northern beans.
If you’ve tried this Butter Bean Salad recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.
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Recipe
Butter Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 15-ounce cans butter beans (850 g), drained and rinsed
- 1 bell pepper 150 g, diced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes 75 g, halved
- ¼ small red onion 30 g, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley 10 g, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint 3 g, chopped
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 60 ml
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley 10 g, chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey 15 ml, or 20 g
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 10 g
- 1 teaspoon sea salt 6 g
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 g
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 g, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine butter beans (2 cans, 15 ounces each), bell pepper (1 cup), cherry tomatoes (½ cup), red onion (2 tablespoons), parsley (2 tablespoons), and mint (1 teaspoon). Toss gently.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil (¼ cup), apple cider vinegar (¼ cup), garlic, parsley (2 tablespoons), honey (1 tablespoon), Dijon mustard (2 teaspoons), salt (1 teaspoon), black pepper (¼ teaspoon), and red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon, optional).
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!