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Jump to Recipe PrintThis old fashioned 4 bean salad recipe is a bright & fresh side, with chickpeas, kidney beans, green beans, and yellow beans in an easy vinaigrette dressing. Ready in about 20 minutes, this simple salad can be made with pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients.
A fantastic salad to entertain with, or bring to a potluck or cookout. This bean salad is loaded with crunch in each bite, and is easy to make, vegetarian, and high in plant-based protein.
I absolutely love classic old fashioned bean salad – it’s a super refreshing side dish or light lunch in the summers. While 3 bean salad is more common, I like adding yellow wax beans for extra color and flavor.
We’re growing 5 different varieties of beans in our garden this year (including yellow beans!), and we’re at the point in the summer where they are out of control. This bean salad is a great way to use up fresh summer beans for a tasty side dish.
This Old Fashioned 4 Bean Salad Recipe Is:
- Sweet
- Tangy
- Earthy
- Hearty
- Protein Packed
- Fiber Rich
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 larger 7.5-Quart Instant Pot which is larger 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 fast, no soaking required! While canned beans are super 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 the canned beans, think about 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.
What’s In This Classic Four Bean Salad Recipe?
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Bell Pepper
- Green Beans – I would recommend fresh or frozen over canned.
- Yellow Wax Beans – again, good fresh or frozen beans give a great texture.
- No Salt Added Chickpeas: one of my favorite pantry staple ingredients! You can use canned chickpeas (I’d highly recommend a low sodium or no salt version), or you can make your own chickpeas from scratch in the Instant Pot.
- Kidney Beans: Like chickpeas, I only use no salt or low sodium beans in my pantry – using low sodium beans lets you control the amount of salt in your dish for better flavor!
- Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice, fresh if possible!
- Whole Grain Mustard – for a really nice flavor and texture, I love this fancy Whole Grain Mustard. Using a really good mustard makes all the difference, so don’t use the basic yellow stuff for this recipe.
How do I Make Bean Salad with Fresh Green and Yellow Wax Beans?
- Prep the beans – if you are using fresh or frozen green or yellow beans. Place them in boiling water and cook for 7 minutes until beans are soft. Drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked chickpeas and kidney beans with the green and yellow beans. Chop the bell pepper into small bite sized pieces, and add to the bowl. Finely chop the parsley and add to the bowl as well.
- In a pint sized mason jar: juice the lemons, and combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Stir or shake (with a lid sealing the dressing) until the dressing is a smooth consistency and pour over the bean salad.
- Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cool or at room temperature.
Easy Chickpea Recipes Anytime
This recipe calls for chickpeas aka garbanzo beans. This are one of my favorite beans – packed with plant-based protein, and are high in fiber and nutrients! I’d recommend using a no-salt-added variety to keep the overall sodium content down, so you can control how much sodium is in the dish. Canned chickpeas taste great, so if you are using canned chickpeas, just watch the sodium or added salt content.
I make dried beans in my Instant Pot every week, it’s a great way to save on cost. If you’re a bean fan, then I’d recommend an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker as a way to take your recipes to the next level!
Browse all our chickpea recipes here!
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Old Fashioned 4 Bean Salad
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For the Bean Salad
- 2 cups green beans chopped
- 1 cup yellow wax beans
- 2 14-ounce cans No-Salt-Added Chickpeas drained
- 2 14-ounce cans dark red kidney beans drained
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 cup fresh parsley
For the Vinaigrette Dressing
- 3 lemons juiced (about a 1/3 cup)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Prep the beans – if you are using fresh or frozen green or yellow beans. Place them in boiling water and cook for 7 minutes until beans are soft. Drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked chickpeas and kidney beans with the green and yellow beans. Chop the bell pepper into small bite sized pieces, and add to the bowl. Finely chop the parsley and add to the bowl as well.
- In a pint sized mason jar: juice the lemons, and combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Stir or shake (with a lid sealing the dressing) until the dressing is a smooth consistency and pour over the bean salad.
- Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cool or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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A delicious combination