Crisp, cold, sweet and sour, this easy five bean salad is a quick side dish that feeds a huge crowd and can mostly be assembled with pantry ingredients.
It’s vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free, which makes it a good choice for diners with varying or unknown dietary needs. The dressing is easy to alter to your preferences — go heavy on the vinegar for a sharper bite or use olive oil for a different flavor. Make it at least one day in advance and let chill overnight so the flavors can mingle and develop.
Ingredients
1 can each green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and cannellini beans
1 medium sweet onion, minced
1 cup celery, chopped small
1 green pepper, diced
For dressing:
About 2 cups apple cider vinegar
About 2 cups of neutral oil
1 tablespoon celery seed
2 teaspoons ground mustard seed
1 to 2 tablespoons white sugar, if desired
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Drain all canned beans. Discard liquid and pour beans into a large bowl. Add chopped vegetables and set aside. In another large bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients and adjust to your preferences.
Once the dressing is ready, stir again and mix with beans. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight to chill. Taste before serving and adjust again as desired.
Use a slotted spoon to serve — the salad will have a lot of dressing. Keeps in the refrigerator for about five days.
Nutrition
Beans can be fairly high in calories, but are also very high in fiber and protein.
One cup of kidney beans has 613 calories; 46 grams of fiber; 110 grams of carbs; 43 grams of protein.
One cup of garbanzo (chickpeas) beans has 269 calories; 44.9 grams of carbs; 12.5 grams of dietary fiber; 14.5 grams of protein.