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Vibrant Rainbow Bean Salad Recipe (Healthy & Easy)

Vibrant Rainbow Bean Salad Recipe

A colorful, hearty bean salad tossed with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a tangy red-wine vinaigrette. Prepare it in minutes and let it rest before serving so the flavors meld.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 1 15-ounce can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can Black beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Fresh corn or frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 pepper Red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 pepper Yellow or orange bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 small onion Small red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh cilantro, chopped, optional
Dressing
  • 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons Red-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Maple syrup or honey, optional
  • 1 clove Small garlic clove, finely minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Drain the chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans or cannellini beans in a colander. Rinse them thoroughly under cold water, then let them drain well before assembling the salad.
  2. Finely dice both bell peppers and the red onion into similarly sized pieces. Chop the parsley and optional cilantro so the herbs distribute evenly throughout the bowl.
  3. Whisk the olive oil, red-wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar. Continue whisking until the dressing looks combined.
  4. Add the drained beans, corn, diced peppers, red onion, parsley, and optional cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and fold gently until everything is coated.
  5. Refrigerate the salad for at least 20–30 minutes before serving. Taste it again after resting and adjust with more salt, vinegar, or lemon juice if needed.

Notes

Rinse and drain canned beans thoroughly to prevent watery dressing and muted flavor. For a more traditional three-bean salad texture, replace one canned bean with 8 ounces of green beans trimmed, cut into bite-size pieces, blanched for 3–4 minutes in boiling salted water, transferred to ice water, and drained thoroughly. Add avocado, tomatoes, or delicate herbs shortly before serving if making the salad in advance.