This four-bean salad with lemon-lime vinaigrette is so full of delicious flavor, even non-vegetarians will dig in! It’s an easy, colorful dish that’s packed with fiber.
Looking for an easy dish to bring to a summer picnic or backyard barbeque? This four-bean salad with lemon-lime vinaigrette is just the recipe you need!
It’s a great option for vegetarians or if you simply want to add some variety to the spread. Plus, because there’s no meat or dairy, you don’t have to worry about it spoiling on a hot day.
I just love all the colors in the bean salad. They say you eat with your eyes first, in which case, this dish is a feast!
And just wait until you try a bite. The deep flavors paired with the hearty texture of the beans is simply wonderful.
That’s why even non-vegetarians always come back for seconds.
How to make four-bean salad with lemon-lime vinaigrette
This refreshing bean salad comes together in just five simple steps.
Step 1: If using fresh corn, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add corn and simmer for about 3 minutes, then drain and cool to room temperature. If using frozen corn, place in strainer and run cool water over the corn until it thaws, then drain.
Step 2: Place all beans, tomatoes, scallions, peppers, onions, and corn in a large bowl and mix well.
Step 3: To make the lemon-lime vinaigrette, add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 4: Add the lemon-lime vinaigrette and two tablespoons of the parsley to the bean mixture and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
That’s it! Simply garnish with the remaining tablespoon of parsley before serving.
Variations
There are plenty of ways that you can customize this recipe based on your preferences. Feel free to get creative!
First, don’t hesitate to switch up the beans based on what you have in your pantry. Basically, you need the equivalent of five 15-ounce cans of beans. Mix and match as you please.
You can also experiment with the herbs and seasonings. If you have some fresh greens growing in your garden, why not throw them in?
Personally, I think fresh mint would be great in this recipe. I didn’t have any on hand when I made it, but if you have some, feel free to throw in a tablespoon or two!
Finally, I used sun-dried tomatoes that were packed in olive oil. I drained the tomatoes so that the oil went into a measuring cup, then filled the rest of the cup with plain olive oil to use in the lemon-lime vinaigrette.
If you want to save some fat calories, use dried tomatoes instead. Just rehydrate with hot water and drain before adding them to the bean salad.
Storage
This recipe is for 12 servings of bean salad. So unless you’re bringing it to a large gathering, you’ll probably have some leftover!
Simply store your bean salad covered in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Other vegetarian side dishes
Looking for more healthy and delicious sides that are totally meatless? These recipes are packed with flavor and some of my absolute favorites:
- Roasted Zucchini Fries with Parmesan
- Summer Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
- Sesame Broccoli Slaw (Vinegar-Based)
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Four-Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 28 ounces dark red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 ounces cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 ounces black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 ounces garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped – rehydrate first if using dried)
- 6 medium scallions (thinly sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (cored, seeded, and diced)
- 1 medium sweet onion (finely diced)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (divided)
- Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette (see below)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- If using fresh corn, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add corn and simmer for about 3 minutes, then drain and cool to room temperature. If using frozen corn, place in strainer and run cool water over the corn until it thaws, then drain.
- Place all beans, tomatoes, scallions, peppers, onions, and corn in a large bowl and mix well.
- Add the lemon-lime vinaigrette and two tablespoons of the parsley to the bean mixture and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Info Per Serving
Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil (extra-virgin)
- 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 clove garlic (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to a blender and blend until smooth.
Pls list nutritional values Ie carb counts etc…
Hi Judith – The nutritional information is listed below the recipe although the font is tiny. (I’ll be fixing this soon.) This recipe makes 12 servings and each serving has 37g carb and 9g fiber. If that’s too many carbs for your meal plan, reduce the serving size.