Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (2024)

Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (2) The traditional three-bean salad – or hey! a wonderful two-bean salad when yellow beans are nowhere to be found as in my recent photo update! The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, they did a "recipe makeover" with fresh green beans instead of canned green beans. Me? I took Cook's Illustrated's recipe and did an even bigger makeover, making it lighter with way-way less oil and way-way less sugar. The results? Fabulous. Low Carb. Weight Watchers Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real. Naturally Gluten Free. Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (3)


~recipe updated, first published way back in 2007~
~more recently updated recipes~

How is it that so many great potluck dishes rely on canned vegetables? Maybe it's because they're dashed together before church or an afternoon gathering? No matter.

Making a three-bean salad with fresh beans – when you can, with a mix of yellow and green beans, is especially pretty! – does take longer but the outcome is, well, praise-worthy. In fact, it wouldn't take much longer to double the recipe, which is what I'll do next time, this is so good! And don't hesitate to just make the salad with just green beans, that third bean is really for color, not taste.

The recipe inspiration came from a Cook's Illustrated e-mail. I've lightened it considerably, dropping the oil from 8 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons, the sugar from 12 tablespoons first to 4 tablespoons and then to 2 tablespoons. These changes really make the salad all about the beans – and isn't that the point? After all, the recipe name isn't "Oil and Sugar Salad." I questioned the introduction of parsley but in the end, was glad I kept it in. Parsley adds important new dimensions of flavor and freshness.

FRESH THREE-BEAN SALAD

Hands-on time: 30 minutes (over the course of about 50 minutes)
Time to table: 50 minutes or 24 hours
Makes 5 cups


For time efficiency, it helps to start the bean water first, then get the liquid onto the stove, then prep the beans.

BEANS
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon table salt
8 ounces green beans, ends snapped, snapped or cut into one-inch pieces
8 ounces yellow beans (or more green beans), ditto

LIQUID
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated on a microplane
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar (reduced from 3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil (reduced from 1/2 cup canola oil)
1 teaspoon table salt
Several turns freshly ground black pepper

SALAD
1 16-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Cooked & Drained Beans
1/2 a red onion, diced or slivered small
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

COOK, SHOCK & DRAIN BEANS Bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and the beans, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender-crisp. While the beans cook, fill a large bowl with ice water, using more ice than water. When the beans are done, drain them in a colander, then plunge the colander into the ice water, fully covering the beans by swishing them around if needed. When the beans are cool, remove the colander from the ice water. Give the colander a good shake to remove lots of the water. Let drain for at least 10 minutes and more if needed.

BOIL THE LIQUID In a medium saucepan that's large enough to hold the whole salad, bring the ingredients to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.

MIX THE SALAD Stir the cooked green beans, onion and parsley into the liquid in the saucepan and stir well to coat. Let rest for awhile, some of the liquid will be absorbed by the beans and the, um, beans. Otherwise transfer the salad to a storage dish and refrigerate for 24 hours for the beans and beans to absorb even more flavor, becoming just slightly "pickled".

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (5) IT'S SHOCKING Did you know? The process of dropping a hot food into ice water is called "shocking". It stops the cooking and usually helps retain the pretty bright color of the foods.
Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (6) KIDNEY BEANS INTO THE LIQUID? Next time, I'll try to drop the rinsed and drained kidney beans into the liquid as it heats up, I think this will help them absorb more flavor.
Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (7) RATIO OFF? To my taste, there's too many kidney beans:green & yellow beans. Next time, I'll either use half a can of kidney beans or double the green & yellow beans. There's plenty of liquid, you'll just need to stir a little more often to distribute the liquid.
Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (8) BEST TIME TO SERVE? The inspiring recipe specifies serving the salad the next day – and it's definitely more like a traditional (canned bean) three-bean salad that way, sort of pickly. I preferred it served right away though didn't object to it, in the least, the next day.
Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (9) WISH I'D THOUGHT OF THIS This recipe would be great with Splenda, which might satisfy those who like three-bean salad slightly sweeter.

NUTRITION INFORMATION – as I make it, above
Per Half Cup, assumes that 25% of the liquid is absorbed and consumed: 40 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 115mg Sodium; 7g Carb; 3g Fiber; 1g Sugar; 2g Protein. Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (10) WEIGHT WATCHERS WW Old Points 0, WW PointsPlus 1, WW SmartPoints 1, WW Freestyle 0 Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (11) CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = 1 1/4 cups (5g protein).

NUTRITION INFORMATION – as written by Cook's Illustrated
Per Half Cup, made with 1/2 cup oil, 3/4 cup sugar, assumes again that 25% of the liquid is absorbed and consumed: 75 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 115mg Sodium; 11g Carb; 3g Fiber; 6g Sugar; 2g Protein. Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (12) WEIGHT WATCHERS WW Old Points 1, WW PointsPlus 2, WW SmartPoints 3, WW Freestyle 2

Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (13)



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MORE FAVORITE GREEN BEAN RECIPES

~ Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing ~
~ Garlicky Romano Beans ~
~ ~
~ more green bean recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Eggplant & Bean Thai Curry ~
~ Green Bean Garden Salad ~
~ Tourlou Tourlou (Greek Baked Vegetables) ~
~ more green bean recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column


How to eat more vegetables? A Veggie Venture is the home of Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and the award-winning source of free vegetable recipes with 1200 quick and easy favorite vegetable recipes, the Alphabet of Vegetables, Weight Watchers low-point recipes and microwave vegetable recipes.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2007, 2015, 2017 & 2018 (repub)

Fresh Three-Bean Salad ♥ Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is three bean salad made of? ›

Combine green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, onion, and green pepper in a large bowl; pour cooled dressing over all and toss to coat. Best if marinated for at least an hour before serving.

How many carbs are in a 3 bean salad? ›

Three bean salad, canned (0.5 cup) contains 15.5g total carbs, 12.7g net carbs, 0.3g fat, 3g protein, and 73 calories.

How long does canned bean salad last in the fridge? ›

If refrigerated, bean salad can last between three and five days and should be discarded when left out more than two hours. The absence of meat or dairy products in most recipes also allows this dish to keep longer than other food items that require consistent refrigeration and sealed storage.

What is a good substitute for wax beans? ›

You can also substitute garbanzo beans in place of wax beans. If you do go with a garbanzo beans, I would use light red kidney beans instead of cannellini.

What is the healthiest beans to put in a salad? ›

The 7 Healthiest Beans to Eat, According to Dietitians
  1. Lentils. Lentils are rich in polyphenols, plant-based compounds that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. ...
  2. White Beans. ...
  3. Black Beans. ...
  4. Chickpeas. ...
  5. Pinto Beans. ...
  6. Red Kidney Beans. ...
  7. Lupini Beans.
Aug 14, 2023

Is it healthy to eat bean salad everyday? ›

Indeed, eating beans is associated with the prevention of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Also, beans can improve gut health. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends making foods like beans part of your usual daily diet.

Can you eat cooked beans after 7 days? ›

When cooked, leftover vegetables stored in an airtight container will usually keep up to 3–7 days in the refrigerator. Cooked canned vegetables like beans or other legumes generally last 7–10 days with proper storage (2).

Can you eat baked beans that have been in the fridge for a week? ›

Your cooked beans last about 3 to 5 days in the fridge. To store them, let the beans cool down after cooking, then pop them in the refrigerator within an hour. Getting them stored quickly and chilled in the fridge will help prevent the growth of bacteria.

How to tell if beans are bad? ›

Mold growth — Pinto beans are usually a beige/tan color. So if you see mottled skin, dark spots or any visible traces of mold, you should toss them. Unusual smells — dried beans should not have a strong odor.

Why can't I eat beans anymore? ›

WHY ARE BEANS HARD TO DIGEST? Beans are hard to digest due to two compounds - Lectins and oligosaccharides. Most beans contain plant compounds called lectins, a family of proteins known for targeting sugars in the body. High-lectin foods can cause gas, bloating, and cramping.

Do wax beans and green beans taste the same? ›

In both applications, tasters found very little difference in the flavors of the two beans, calling both sweet and “grassy.” But wax beans did have one advantage over green: Because they have little color to lose during prolonged braising, their appearance changes less than that of green beans, which tend to turn a ...

Why are they called wax beans? ›

“Wax” has become a common term and is used in referring to any yellow bean whether it is waxy or not. True wax bean types actually do have a waxy texture and feel. Growing in both tropical and temperate areas, wax beans prefer at least a fifty-day frost-free growing time.

What is the three sacred sisters salad? ›

Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds butternut squash.
  2. 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. 1 (15.5-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.
  4. 2 cups fresh corn kernels.
  5. ½ small red onion, sliced.
  6. ½ cup chopped fresh basil.
  7. Balsamic Vinaigrette.
  8. 3 cups loosely packed arugula.

Who are the members of the three bean salad? ›

Three Bean Salad Three Bean Salad

A podcast from comedians Mike Wozniak, Henry Paker and Benjamin Partridge.

Is canned bean salad good for you? ›

Additionally, remember to rinse any canned beans, as the liquids they're stored in are where most of the sodium content resides. Regardless of how they're prepared, beans are a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals like potassium, iron and magnesium. Simply put, they're a great addition to your diet.

What is mixed bean salad made of? ›

Key Ingredients

Beans: In our photos, we've used chickpeas, pinto beans, and black beans. For a more traditional 3 bean salad, use chickpeas, kidney beans, and canned or blanched green beans. Or make it a 5 bean salad and use chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, and canned or blanched green beans.

References

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