Creamy Kidney Bean Salad Recipe
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Jump to Recipe Watch VideoThis creamy kidney bean salad recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables, hearty beans, and dressed in a sweet and tangy dressing! It’s a bright and crunchy salad that is a perfect side salad for serving at your next barbecue, gathering, or holiday meal.
We always make this for company – it’s simple, easy to make, and has a handful of ingredients. I love serving this with a Vinegar and Oil Coleslaw and Quick Pickled Beets too.
This creamy kidney bean salad is inspired by White Fence Farm’s recipe, which is incredibly delicious. It’s a simple bean salad with fresh veggies. I also attempted a White Fence Farm Copycat Coleslaw Recipe and their amazing White Fence Farm Pickled Beets too!
If you are a lover of kidney bean salad, this will be your new go-to recipe. It’s adapted from one of my family’s favorite restaurants: White Fence Farm in Romeoville, IL. I have so many memories of going there as a child. And every time I go back to Chicago now I make sure to save some room for a big meal there (which is especially easy since my husband is a WFF fan as well).
Note: This isn’t White Fence Farm’s official recipe, its just my adaptation!
This salad comes together in about 10 minutes if you use canned beans. It’s a great make-ahead dish, or even nice as a light lunch. It’s one of our favorite bean recipes that we enjoy all year long.
This Creamy Kidney Bean Salad Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Fresh
- Satisfying
- Crunchy
- A Crowd Pleaser
- Vegetarian and High Protein
Classic Kidney Bean Recipes
White Fence Farm is known for their fried chicken, but a major draw is their unlimited “relishes” which come out before the meal. They made delicious fried corn fritters, coleslaw, pickled beets, cottage cheese, and kidney bean salad.
I would 100% recommend a trip to White Fence Farm if you are in the Chicago area! It’s a real gem. Even though I live 1000 miles away, I always make a stop there when I am in Chicago.
This recipe is perfect copy to make when I have a craving for their kidney beans. This tasty salad is creamy but also surprisingly light with all the fresh chopped vegetables and simple dressing. A great salad any time of year!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Dark Red Kidney Beans: You can use canned, or cook your own red beans from scratch. If you use canned I’d recommend a no salt added variety, so the salad isn’t too salty.
- Yellow Onion – for a nice flavor, adding the onion makes a big difference!
- Diced Celery
- Bell Peppers: If you don’t have fresh peppers, sweet roasted red peppers are a great substitute! I love adding them to breakfast bakes, sandwiches or wraps, and soups.
- Mayonnaise: you can use regular mayo in this creamy dressing, or even half mayo half sour cream.
- Sweet Relish: which gives this dish a little extra flavor boost and a nice added sweetness. You can use chopped sweet pickles instead.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Onion Powder: adds a delicious and savory flavor to this dish as well, and the onion powder pairs nicely with the flavors in the salad.
Additions and Variations
- Kidney beans – I like to use dark red kidney beans, but you could use light or a combination of both. It’s a good salad or side dish recipe that is a great source of protein from the beans. Browse all our bean recipes here to find your next favorite!
- Bell Pepper – you can use any color you have on hand for this recipe.
- Onion – I usually use yellow onions, but you can use white or red onion for a spicier version.
Canned Beans Versus Homemade
While I love the convenience of canned beans, I usually cook dry beans from scratch in my pressure cooker – the texture is better and it’s more affordable. I use a large 7.5-Quart Instant Pot which is bigger than the standard model so I can batch cook more at a time.
If you don’t already have one, the Instant Pot works wonders for cooking dried beans quickly, with no soaking required! While canned beans are convenient, they are often loaded with sodium. If you buy canned beans, I always recommend using a no-salt-added variety so you can control the amount of salt in your dish.
Next time you reach for canned beans, consider investing in a pressure cooker instead! Homemade beans are incredibly cost efficient, and you can add seasonings and spices to the beans while they cook for extra flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Drain and rinse kidney beans under cold water. Put them in a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and stir well to combine.
Step 2: To the bowl, add the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, relish, apple cider vinegar, onion powder,
Step 3: Add the salt and pepper, and stir well to combine. Taste, and adjust seasoning (adding more salt, pepper, or mayo) if needed.
Step 4: Stir all ingredients together, and taste. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
I also attempted a White Fence Farm copycat Coleslaw Recipe and their amazing White Fence Farm Pickled Beets – and we think they turned out pretty darn great, like the original!
Recipe FAQs and Tips
My recipe has all the classic components of White Fence Farm’s recipe: kidney beans, mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, relish, and spices. While my recipe is on;y a adaptation of the original’s – I find it’s very close in taste and just as good!
Store leftovers in an airtight container. Leftover bean salad will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
I like using both in my dressing! The mayonnaise makes the dressing super flavorful, and the sour cream makes it rich and creamy.
Absolutely, this salad is great to make ahead and serve later at a party, BBQ, or gathering. Just be sure to remove the salad for 30 mintues before serving, and stir well before adding it to the table.
Pro Tips
- When chopping the celery and onion, dice them fine and them roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent.
- While dark red kidney beans are traditional in this salad, you can use light red kidney beans in a pinch!
- If making this recipe ahead of time, be sure to stir well before serving.
More Tasty Side Dish Ideas
- White Fence Farm Coleslaw Copycat Recipe
- Copycat White Fence Farm Pickled Beets
- Sweet and Sour Green Cabbage Recipe
- California Spaghetti Salad
- Old Fashioned 4 Bean Salad Recipe
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Creamy Kidney Bean Salad (White Fence Farm Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5 ounce) Cans dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 sweet onion finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 stalks celery finely diced
- 1/2 bell pepper finely diced
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise or sub veganaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse kidney beans under cold water. Put them in a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and stir well to combine.
- To the bowl, add the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, relish, apple cider vinegar, onion powder,
- Add the salt and pepper, and stir well to combine. Taste, and adjust seasoning (adding more salt, pepper, or mayo) if needed.
- Stir all ingredients together, and taste. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Additions and Variations
-
- Kidney beans – I like to use dark red kidney beans, but you could use light or a combination of both. It’s a good salad or side dish recipe that is a great source of protein from the beans. Browse all our bean recipes here to find your next favorite!
-
- Bell Pepper – you can use any color you have on hand for this recipe.
-
- Onion – I usually use yellow onions, but you can use white or red onion for a spicier version.
Pro Tips
- When chopping the celery and onion, dice them fine and them roughly the same size. You want the pieces small enough to be bite-sized and consistent.
- While dark red kidney beans are traditional in this salad, you can use light red kidney beans in a pinch!
- If making this recipe ahead of time, be sure to stir well before serving.
Nutrition
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I can’t wait to try this. We no longer live in Indiana, and the White Fence Restaurant in Colorado closed, so I am happy to find this recipe! I will be making it today for our meal tomorrow.
A great side
Love it. It’s wonderful and very close to the original!!
Healthy and delicious! I’ll make this again.
Great recipe ..tastes just like the original perfect Summer side or lunch
Husband loved it-that’s who I wanted to please. He grew up near White Fence Farm. Thank you!
Hi Cindy, I am so happy to hear that! It’s a family favorite for us as well 🙂
Delish, saving this for sure
yum!