Italian White bean Salad
In a recent cooking class we featured this delicious Italian White Bean Salad with Grilled Salmon. We love a bean salad for it’s super quick prep time and versatility–they make for a quick lunch, the perfect pot-luck or a delicious side dish.
Originally inspired by a ‘vegan bruschetta’ we made a few years back (read more below), it was super easy to turn it into a summery side dish.
Meet our Italian White Bean Salad, your new go-to for no-cook lunches, summer picnics, and busy weeknights when turning on the oven feels criminal. This is a bowl full of big flavour that gets better the longer it sits.
This dish is creamy (thanks to tahini), zingy (fresh lemon), and packed with bold, Italian-inspired ingredients like sundried tomatoes, smoked paprika, and a hit of garlic.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1- 540 ml can white kidney beans, drained & rinsed well. We love Unico brand.
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, miniced
- 1 lemon Juice & zest
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 4-5 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 1/4 cup Chopped parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. If the tahini seizes up (it happens!), just whisk in a little warm water until smooth and creamy.
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Add the beans, chopped shallot, sundried tomatoes, and parsley. Stir gently to coat everything in the dressing without smashing the beans.
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Taste and adjust. More lemon for brightness? More salt? Go for it.
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Let it sit for at least 10–15 minutes so the flavours can mingle. Better yet, make it ahead and enjoy it all week.
Notes
Chef Tips & Variations for Italian White Bean Salad
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Don’t have white kidney beans? Cannellini or chickpeas are great stand-ins.
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Out of tahini? Try Greek yogurt or even a little mayo for a different creamy base.
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Add-ins we love: Arugula, capers, roasted red peppers, or crumbled feta.
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Want to make it a meal? Spoon it over toast, tuck it into pita, or serve alongside grilled chicken or fish.
- This also makes the perfect Bruschetta topping! Generously bath baguette slices in olive oil along with a sprinkle of sea salt. Grill both sides, then immediately top with the bean mixture while bread is still warm.
Storage & Meal Prep
Our Italian White Bean Salad will keep beautifully in the fridge for 3–4 days. In fact, it improves as it sits—those lemony, garlicky, paprika-y flavours only deepen. Just give it a stir before serving, and serve at ROOM TEMP!
If it thickens too much, add a splash of water or olive oil to loosen it up.
Final Thoughts from the Chefs
This is one of those recipes we come back to again and again. It’s simple, adaptable, and loaded with the kind of flavour that makes you pause mid-bite and say, “Yep. That’s good.”
Whether you’re prepping for a picnic, powering through a busy week, or just trying to eat more beans (solid goal, by the way), this Italian White Bean Salad has your back.