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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Three-Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint and Parsley

    Vegan Three-Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint and Parsley

    Aug 10, 2021 by The Pesky Vegan | 10 Comments

    87 shares
    Jump to Recipe >

    Behold the beautiful simplicity of a vegan bean salad with three bean varieties, crunchy veg, fresh herbs, and a flavourful lemon dressing. Ready in under ten minutes, it's an easy summer side dish that's dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, and high in protein.

    Three-Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint and Parsley in Bowl

    This recipe features chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans, but you can of course use any bean variety you like. I use canned beans straight out of the cupboard and then make sure they're thoroughly drained and rinsed under running water.

    For similar vegan side dishes, see these recipes for Mediterranean-style couscous salad, vegan Waldorf salad, and vegan rainbow slaw.

    Vegan Bean Salad in Bowl Overhead with Ingredients

    I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

    Which beans are best?

    As long as they are canned or pre-cooked (if starting with dried), you can use any beans you like in a salad. The only thing I'd suggest is using a mix for a variety of textures.

    I'll often swap out different beans in recipes depending on what I have lying around. For example, you could substitute cannellini beans in this lemony butter bean dip, butter beans in this pinto bean soup, or black beans in this smoky jackfruit chilli.

    Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Black Beans in Bowls

    Can I use dried beans?

    The simplicity of this recipe is down to using canned beans (which are already pre-cooked), but you could also use dried beans provided these are thoroughly cooked beforehand.

    For more info, take a look at my Beginner's Guide to Pulses.

    Is bean salad healthy?

    Thanks to all the healthy legumes, this salad is packed full of nutrients including plant-based protein. One serving provides:

    • Calories: 259 kcal
    • Protein: 12 grams (24% of RDA)
    • Fibre: 12 grams (50% of RDA)
    • Vitamin C: 39 mg (47% of RDA)

    (Amounts based on a third-party nutrition calculator)

    What you'll need

    To make this vegan bean salad, you'll need:

    • Mixed beans for the bulk of it
    • Crunchy veg in the form of red pepper and cucumber
    • Fresh herbs of your choice – I like parsley and mint here
    • Extra-virgin olive oil to create a good-quality lemon dressing
    List of Ingredients to Make Three-Bean Salad

    How to make vegan three-bean salad

    To a small bowl, add the chopped onion and garlic. Mix in around three quarters of the lemon juice (i.e. 1½ lemons) and season with salt and pepper. The lemon juice will help to mellow the flavour of the onion and garlic (1).

    Once the chickpeas and beans have been drained and well rinsed (I use a colander for this), add these to a large bowl (2) along with the diced cucumber, red pepper, parsley, and mint. Mix well.

    Steps Showing How to Make Vegan Bean Salad

    To the smaller bowl, add the olive oil and give it a stir (3). Pour this dressing into the larger bowl and mix everything thoroughly.

    Adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding any extra lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, or herbs. Mix well, scooping some of the dressing to the top, and serve.

    Serving suggestions

    Close-Up of Vegan Bean Salad in Serving Bowl

    This salad is right at home as a side dish for summer meals or barbecue recipes such as grilled tofu steaks, grilled king oyster mushrooms, and teriyaki aubergine. It's also just a nice thing to have in the fridge as a snack.

    Recipe FAQ

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    Yep, 100%.

    Is it sugar-free?

    Yep, there's no refined sugar here.

    How long will it keep in the fridge?

    Cover and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, mixing well again each time before serving.

    Can three-bean salad be frozen?

    The short answer is yes, however I'd recommend eating it fresh and then from the fridge. If freezing, store in airtight containers for up to three months and defrost thoroughly in the fridge (rather than e.g. a microwave).

    Variations and tips

    Vegan Three-Bean Salad Overhead Shot with Lemon, Mint and Parsley
    • Bowl: Using a large bowl will make it easier to mix everything together.
    • Other ingredients: Feel free to throw in other ingredients such as celery, tomatoes, corn, or avocado. You could also swap any of the beans for another canned variety.
    • Fresh herbs: If you don't want the parsley flavour to be as strong, just use the leaves and not the stems. Other good herbs include fresh coriander, basil, or dill.
    • Olive oil: When making dressings, I'd always recommend using a good-quality, extra-virgin olive oil.

    Hey you – let me know what you think

    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

    You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan 🌿

    Keep in touch

    Subscribe below to receive a weekly newsletter with my latest recipes. Nice and simple. No pesky pestering. No spam (which wouldn’t be very vegan anyway).

    More vegan recipe ideas

    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

    • Vegan Cucumber Raita
    • Spinach Couscous with Lemon and Garlic
    • Cucumber Stir-Fry
    • Courgette Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad
    • Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin
    • Vegan Waldorf Salad
    • 4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan

    You can also check out my full list of vegan side dishes.

    Full recipe

    Close-Up of Vegan Bean Salad in Serving Bowl

    Vegan Three-Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint and Parsley

    The Pesky Vegan
    Ready in under ten minutes, this vegan bean salad is an easy summer side dish that's dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, and high in protein.
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 259 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 red onion, finely diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
    • 2 lemons, juiced
    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin black beans, drained and rinsed
    • ½ large cucumber, diced
    • 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
    • Small handful fresh parsley, chopped (leaves and stems)
    • Small handful fresh mint, chopped (remove the leaves first and discard the stems)
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • To a small bowl, add the chopped onion and garlic. Mix in around three quarters of the lemon juice (i.e. 1½ lemons) and season with salt and pepper. The lemon juice will help to mellow the flavour of the onion and garlic.
    • Once the chickpeas and beans have been drained and well rinsed (I use a colander for this), add these to a large bowl along with the diced cucumber, red pepper, parsley, and mint. Mix well.
    • To the smaller bowl, add the olive oil and give it a stir. Pour this dressing into the larger bowl and mix everything thoroughly.
    • Adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding any extra lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, or herbs. Mix well, scooping some of the dressing to the top, and serve.
    Rate this recipe 👇

    Notes

    Other beans: You can swap out any of the beans for another canned variety.
    Dried beans: Canned beans are best for convenience, but you could also use dried beans that have been thoroughly cooked beforehand. For more info, see my Beginner's Guide to Pulses.
    Other ingredients: Feel free to throw in other ingredients such as celery, tomatoes, corn, or avocado.
    Fresh herbs: If you don't want the parsley flavour to be as strong, just use the leaves and not the stems. Other good herbs include fresh coriander, basil, or dill.
    Olive oil: When making dressings, I'd always recommend using a good-quality, extra-virgin olive oil.
    Bowl: Using a large bowl will make it easier to mix everything together.
    Storage: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, mixing well again each time before serving. Freeze for up to three months and defrost thoroughly in the fridge (rather than e.g. a microwave).
    If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
    • Mediterranean-Style Couscous Salad
    • Moroccan Couscous with Chickpeas and Roasted Veg
    • Vegan Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
    • Courgette Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin
    • Chickpea Stir-Fry
    • Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
    • 4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan
     
    * The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of six servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 12gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 810mgPotassium: 622mgFiber: 12gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 970IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Three-Bean Salad with Lemon, Mint and Parsley
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 259 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Sodium 810mg35%
    Potassium 622mg18%
    Carbohydrates 35g12%
    Fiber 12g50%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 12g24%
    Vitamin A 970IU19%
    Vitamin C 39mg47%
    Calcium 87mg9%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword easy bean salad, summer salad, vegan salad recipe
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Susanna D

      May 20, 2023 at 10:53 pm

      4 stars
      Without the amount of servings the recipe makes, the nutritional information is essentially useless. I found this too bland and added 3 T apple cider vinegar. Otherwise, good.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        May 22, 2023 at 8:27 am

        Hi there, thanks for your comment. All my recipes state the number of servings in two places – 1) next to the prep time info in the recipe card and 2) in a sentence right above the nutrition info itself. In this case, 6 servings (which may prove to be quite large depending on what else you have with it). Hope this helps to make the nutrition information a bit less useless in future!

        Reply
    2. Janet

      October 25, 2022 at 4:03 am

      5 stars
      Amazing! Thank you for sharing. I love how you can add as much or as little if different veggies as you like.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        October 26, 2022 at 8:21 am

        Cheers Janet, glad you enjoyed this one!

        Reply
    3. John

      August 16, 2021 at 12:29 pm

      5 stars
      I'm usually not the biggest fan of bean salads but I really enjoyed this one!
      I'm likely gonna make it frequently from now on!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        August 16, 2021 at 6:04 pm

        Great to hear, thanks very much for leaving a review!

        Reply
      • Nora Grudis

        April 07, 2023 at 8:57 pm

        5 stars
        Hello Alistair,
        This was Yummolicious. I make a similar salad with 5 beans, salsa, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, balsamic vinegar and cilantro. Sometimes I put other veggies in like celery, corn, avocado and others.
        We eat it cold as is, heated as a soup. Layered in a tortilla with lettuce, vegan shredded cheese and vegan sour cream or vegan plain yogurt.
        On a bed of vegan chips and lettuce with
        vegan shredded cheese and sour cream for a taco salad. Heated on top of pasta. In a layered salad. It's a really versatile and easy dish. I've been making this for 20+ years, way before I became a vegan. It's my most requested pot luck/covered dish for family and friends. In Texas they add corn and different herbs or spices and call it Cowboy Caviar. Thanks for posting this variation.

        Reply
        • The Pesky Vegan

          April 13, 2023 at 7:48 am

          Thanks, lots of great suggestions here!

          Reply
    4. Erika

      August 11, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      5 stars
      Ooh definitely going to be trying this one!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        August 11, 2021 at 9:42 pm

        Good stuff, let me know how you get on!

        Reply

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    I'm Alistair and I'm The Pesky Vegan. I create new recipes every single week – always vegan, usually gluten-free.

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