Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad (Printable)

Hearty beans, salty salami, olives, and fresh herbs create a rich Mediterranean salad full of flavor.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the cannellini beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans.
02 - Add the diced salami, red onion, cucumber, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers to the bowl.
03 - Sprinkle in the chopped parsley and basil.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, sea salt, cracked black pepper, and minced garlic until emulsified.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Chill for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that actually fills you up, not just rabbit food with delusions of substance.
  • Everything comes straight from the pantry or a quick produce run, no obscure ingredients or hours of prep.
  • It tastes better the next day, which means meal prep becomes genuinely effortless.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step on the canned beans; that cloudy liquid is starch and it makes the salad taste tinny and dull.
  • Red onion can be harsh if it's raw—I learned this by making people wince—so dice it small and let the vinegar in the dressing soften it a bit.
  • The salami gets oily as it sits; this is normal and actually good, but if there's too much oil pooling on top, drain some off before serving.
03 -
  • Make extra dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge; it's perfect on any salad or roasted vegetables for the next week.
  • If your onion tastes too sharp, soak the diced pieces in a splash of vinegar for five minutes before adding them to the salad—it softens the bite.
Go Back