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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Salad Recipes

    Mediterranean Cannellini Bean Salad

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Jun 27, 2019 · Last modified: Sep 15, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Collage of images showing bowl of cannellini bean salad and pita pocket sandwiches with spinach and the salad inside

    This quick and flavorful vegan Mediterranean Cannellini Bean Salad features sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives in a light dressing. Enjoy it as a side or stuffed in a pita pocket.

    Bowl of salad with white beans, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and parsley

    Delicious salads don't always have to contain lettuce. If you enjoy dishes like Middle Eastern Bean Salad and Cold Lentil Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, this is the recipe for you.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing
    • FAQ
    • More cannellini bean recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • You can make it under 15 minutes with only 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
    • It's loaded with Mediterranean flavors and can be enjoyed on its own or with a variety of dishes.
    • It's perfect for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues.

    Ingredients

    Labeled ingredients needed to make this recipe
    • Cannellini beans: Also known as white kidney beans, you can also use any white bean you like such as Great Northern Beans, navy beans, or butter beans (lima beans).
    • Sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil: Sold in jars, look for ones that are julienne cut, if available.
    • Kalamata olives: Look for pitted and sliced, if available, or you can slice them yourself.
    • Fresh parsley: I like to use Italian flat-leaf, but curly is fine, too.

    Time-saving tips

    If available, purchase sun-dried tomatoes in a jar which have already been julienned (sliced in strips). And look for olives with the pits removed and that have already been sliced.

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    To make this recipe, simply combine the ingredients in a salad bowl and toss to combine. Then cover and refrigerate the salad until you're ready to eat.

    Serving suggestions

    If you like to meal prep to have easy lunches and dinners ready throughout the week, this Mediterranean bean salad is a great one to add to your repertoire. I like to combine a few different salads together and enjoy them as a meal.

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      Hearts of Palm Salad
    • Bowl of quinoa tabbouleh salad garnished with sprig of parsley and slices or lemon
      Herbed Quinoa Salad

    Or add some Cannellini Bean Salad to a warm pita pocket with some fresh spinach or arugula for a satisfying lunch. It's also wonderful served with crusty bread like my favorite gluten-free vegan sourdough from Bread SRSLY in San Francisco. I like to mail order several loaves and bags of rolls at a time and keep them in my freezer.

    Pita bread sandwich stuffed with spinach and cannellini bean salad

    Storing

    Leftover white bean salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing it.

    FAQ

    Are cannellini beans and white kidney beans the same?

    Yes, they are.

    Are cannellini beans and butter beans the same?

    No, they are not. Cannellini beans are the same as white kidney beans. Butter beans are the same as lima beans.

    What can be used in place of cannellini beans?

    If you can't find cannellini beans (white kidney beans), feel free to use Great Northern beans or anything labeled "white beans." Navy beans, butter beans, and lima beans will all work well in this recipe.

    Can I use garbanzo beans instead of cannellini beans?

    While this recipe wasn't developed with garbanzo beans in mind, if you don't care for cannellini beans or want to use up those cans of chickpeas in your pantry, feel free to make the substitution. Chickpeas go wonderfully with sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives, just like white beans do.

    Can I use dried beans instead of canned beans?

    If you want to cook your beans from scratch before preparing this recipe, check out the article How to Cook Dry Beans from Scratch for tips and both stovetop and pressure cooker instructions.

    More cannellini bean recipes

    Looking for more ways to enjoy white beans? Try some of these vegan Mediterranean diet favorites:

    • Bowl of bean and tomato salad garnished with sprig of fresh basil
      Quick Italian White Bean Salad
    • Bowl of dip on a platter with grape tomatoes, carrot sticks, black olives, red pepper strips, and celery sticks.
      Vegan White Bean Dip
    • Bowl of Chunky Tomato Soup with Cannellini Beans.
      Chunky Tomato Soup with Cannellini Beans
    • Bowl of dip garnished with a sprig of fresh oregano
      Dairy-Free Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Bowl of white bean salad with olives and sun-dried tomatoes

    Mediterranean Cannellini Bean Salad

    This quick and flavorful vegan Mediterranean Cannellini Bean Salad features sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives in a light dressing. Enjoy it as a side or stuffed in a pita pocket.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Fusion, Mediterranean
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 149kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Equipment

    • Fine Mesh Strainer
    • 5-blade herb scissors
    • Salad Bowl

    Ingredients

    • 2 cans cannellini beans, (15 ounces each) rinsed and drained
    • â…“ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, julienne cut
    • â…“ cup Kalamata olives, pits removed, sliced
    • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
    • 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place the beans, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, parsley, vinegar, and olive oil in a salad bowl.
    • Toss well to combine.
    • Taste and add salt and pepper, as desired.
    • Toss again and serve or refrigerate until ready to eat.

    Notes

    White beans:
    If you can't find cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans, feel free to use Great Northern beans or anything labeled "white beans." Navy beans, butter beans, and lima beans will all work well in this recipe.
    Time saving tips:
    Look for sun-dried tomatoes in a jar which have already been julienned (sliced in strips). And look for olives with the pits removed and that have already been sliced.
    Storing:
    Leftover salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
     
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 441mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 529IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 4mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. Cathy

      July 02, 2022 at 11:18 am

      5 stars
      This is a fabulous recipe. Now a staple. Thank you so much for it!!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        July 02, 2022 at 12:04 pm

        I'm so glad you are enjoying it, Cathy!

        Reply
    2. Laura

      August 10, 2021 at 4:47 pm

      Do we use the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes, or drain it?

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        August 10, 2021 at 4:49 pm

        You can drain it off. I use a fork to remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the jar and shake off the excess oil back into the jar.

        Reply
    3. Kathleen Johnson

      June 26, 2021 at 5:58 am

      5 stars
      Delish! My non-vegan family gobbles this up! So easy, and so yummy!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        June 26, 2021 at 10:49 am

        I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it, Kathleen!

        Reply
    4. Barb

      June 27, 2019 at 8:02 am

      Can I use balsamic vinegar in place of red wine vinegar?

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        June 27, 2019 at 10:00 am

        Absolutely!

        Reply

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