Classic 5-Bean Salad
This classic 5-Bean Salad recipe is a colorful mix of black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, green beans and wax beans, tossed with crisp veggies and a tangy vinaigrette. Perfect for summer cookouts, picnics or make-ahead lunches!
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If you can use a can opener, you can make this Classic 5-Bean Salad. It’s vegan, vegetarian and Plant-Based Whole30 compatible. There’s something about this classic salad that reminds me of grandmas and church potlucks.
The nostalgia of it all comes through in a vinegary dressing that’s so simple, too. The key is to make the salad a day in advance, so it has time to marinate in the refrigerator.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is my family’s recipe, updated without the sugar that most classic versions use. The five-bean combination is really just a starting point. If you’re missing one of the canned varieties at the store, mix and match with what you have. A three-bean salad follows the same idea, just with less variety. The goal is a colorful, hearty mix, so use whatever beans you have on hand.
Wax beans can be hard to find in some stores. A second can of green beans works as a substitute without changing the flavor at all. Navy beans or cannellini beans are easy swaps for the kidney beans if needed.
You can take the sharpness from the red onion by soaking it in 10 minutes before adding it to the salad. It makes a noticeable difference.
If you’re looking for other bean salads, try my Cannellini Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad.
How to Serve a 5-Bean Salad
Think of this as an old-fashioned take on the dense bean salad trend, minus the sugar and with a lighter vinaigrette. It’s been a cookout and potluck staple for decades for good reason. It travels well, feeds a crowd, and holds up in the heat since there’s no mayo in the dressing.
Serve it alongside a bright green salad for contrast. The Greek Cucumber, Tomato & Feta Salad pairs especially well. It also works spooned over farro or quinoa for a more filling weekday lunch, or as part of a Plant-Based Whole30 spread next to the Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Salad.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Make this 5-bean salad a day in advance, if you can. The beans absorb the vinaigrette as it sits, and the flavor is noticeably better after a few hours in the refrigerator. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container for up to five days. Give it a stir before serving and add a small splash of red wine vinegar if it needs brightening up.
This recipe does not freeze well, so it’s best enjoyed throughout the week it’s made.
Classic 5-Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
- 1 15.5-ounce can black beans
- 1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
- 1 14.5 ounce can green beans
- 1 14.5 ounce can wax beans
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk together to make the vinaigrette.
- Drain and rinse all of the beans.
- Add drained and rinsed beans, chopped celery, onion and bell pepper into the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss to combine.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator for 4 hours, up to overnight. Stir before serving.
Notes
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