Marinated White Bean Salad

Marinated white beans with lots of veggies and savory sautéed garlic and cherry tomato are a versatile staple to have in the fridge. There are so many delicious ways to serve them. I have listed 5 of my favorite ways! (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, budget-friendly)

I always have some marinated white beans in the fridge because they are just so versatile and they are a great source of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Beans are just a fantastic nutrition boost in every bite, and they’re budget-friendly, too!

This simple salad is also easy to make. First, we take some white beans, such as cannellini beans, and amp them up with plenty of veggies and a delicious dressing. Then, we boost the flavor even more by adding in this quick blistered cherry tomato and crispy garlic topping. 

These marinated beans just have so much flavor! You can serve them as is with some sourdough or garlic bread, or add them to salads with some arugula or spinach. If you’re using a lot of greens, you may want to make a little bit of extra dressing.

You can also serve these on top of roasted sweet potatoes or roasted veggies, add them to wraps, or serve them as a side with any meal. If none of those are your jam, make a marinated white beans bruschetta! Or, spread some hummus or yogurt on a plate and top with these marinated white beans and some sprouts or crispy breadcrumbs. 

The textures and flavors of these marinated white beans are just mind-blowing, no matter how you serve them.

Why You’ll Love Marinated White Bean Salad

• flavor-packed, budget-friendly meal
• perfect for meal prep! Make a batch on the weekend and serve it many ways all week long.
• super flavorful with lots of fresh herbs and rich flavors
• blistered tomato and garlic topping amps up the flavor even more
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Ingredients

• white beans – You can use any white beans of choice or use chickpeas. Homemade or canned are both fine.
• veggies and herbs – For the salad, you will need red onion, mint, cilantro, and sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. For the topping, you need cherry tomatoes and some garlic cloves.
• extra virgin olive oil – For the dressing and to blister the cherry tomatoes.
• lemon – We are going to zest and juice 1 lemon for the dressing.
• spices – Ras el hanout, baharat, or shawarma spice blend add so much flavor! You can also add some smoked paprika for a smoky flavor, if you like. For the cherry tomato topping, you also need some Aleppo pepper flakes.
• Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar – Add flavor and tang to the dressing.

How to Make Marinated White Bean Salad

Chop the vegetables and herbs if you haven’t already, and add them to a bowl along with the white beans. Set aside.

Zest the lemon for the dressing, then slice and juice it. Make the dressing by adding that plus all of the other dressing ingredients to a bowl. Mix well and taste, adjusting salt, tang with lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and heat with pepper flakes or black pepper, if needed.

Add the dressing to the bean mixture and toss well.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, reduce the heat to low, and cook until it starts to turn golden. Add the cherry tomatoes and mix in, then increase the heat to medium-low and cook until the tomatoes soften slightly. When the tomatoes are almost ready, mix in the pepper flakes. I like to cook the tomatoes and garlic, because they get a little bit sweeter, which pairs really well with the marinated white beans, but if you don’t want to cook them, you can add them fresh, as well.

Pour this mixture over the beans and mix lightly. You can also keep the topping separate and add it when serving for a punchier garlic flavor.

What to Serve with Marinated White Bean Salad

Serve with toasted sourdough or garlic bread, either on top or on the side for scooping. 

To serve with sweet potatoes, brush halved sweet potatoes with oil and roast them cut-side-down at 400° F (205° C) for about 35 minutes, or until tender. Flip, top with the marinated white beans, drizzle with non-dairy yogurt or tahini dressing, and add the breadcrumb mixture if desired.

Pair them with hummus or non-dairy yogurt by spreading the base on a plate, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper, then topping with the marinated beans, sesame seeds, or microgreens and serving with pita or sourdough. For added texture, toast breadcrumbs by heating 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, adding 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, and cooking until golden. Add sesame seeds and cook a few seconds more, then remove from heat. You can add in other flavors at this point, like garlic or Aleppo pepper flakes here, if you like. Sprinkle over the beans before serving.

To make a salad, add chopped greens, such as spinach or arugula, to a bowl with the marinated beans and toss well. Whip up some more dressing to add, if needed, and top with croutons for crunch.

You can also pair this with quinoa or cooked grains. It’s incredibly versatile!