10-Minute Marinated Butter Bean Salad
This easy and delicious butter bean salad makes for a great side dish to any meal! The creamy mix of butter beans, colorful veggies, and flavorful dressing will surely delight everyone at the dinner table. It’s sure to hit the spot every time!
I am a huge fan of butter beans. They are tender, buttery, and packed with nutrition. One of the most popular recipes on my site is my zesty butter beans recipe. I’m also a fan of quick and easy recipes! Enter this butter bean salad recipe. I wanted to maintain the integrity of the butter beans themselves in this salad without overpowering them with too many ingredients or flavors. These simple ingredients enhance the butter beans and make for one tasty and filling salad. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Be Making This Salad On Repeat
- It comes together in just 10 minutes!
- The flavors meld well together, so it tastes fantastic!
- Nutrition-wise, butter beans are a great source of protein and iron, which are very good for your health.
- This is a delicious, low-calorie food.
- It helps keep you full longer thanks to the beans’ high fiber content.
- You can tweak this salad recipe to suit your tastes.
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian
Ingredient Notes
Butter Bean Salad:
Butter beans: The main ingredient! They have a smooth and creamy texture and a mildly nutty flavor, making them perfect for various salad recipes. You can use canned or boxed butter beans for this recipe. However, you can also swap cannellini beans if that’s what you have. Also, make sure to rinse and drain the beans before using them.
Orange or yellow bell peppers: Gives this butter bean salad a slightly sweet and refreshing taste and a pop of color!
Red onion: Imparts a bit of sharpness and sweetness to the salad. Sliced green onion makes a great alternative.
Fresh cilantro: Provides the salad with a burst of lemony and peppery flavors. Swap fresh parsley or fresh basil if you’re not a fan of cilantro’s taste.
Butter Bean Salad Dressing:
Extra virgin olive oil: Helps bind the beans and the seasonings together.
Lemon juice: Provides a bright, citrusy touch to the salad. If you do not have lemon juice, apple cider vinegar will work in a pinch.
Honey: Gives a bit of sweetness to balance the acidity of the lemon juice. You can use agave syrup or sugar as vegan substitutes.
Salt: Enhances the flavors of the ingredients.
Garlic powder: Adds a bit of umami to the dressing. You can use a diced garlic cloves instead if you prefer.
Ground Black Pepper: Gives a bit of heat to the salad dressing.
(Optional) Red Chili Flakes: Great to add if you’re a fan of spicy food.
(Optional) Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Works really well as a topping to this salad (if you’re not vegan).
How to Make a Butter Bean Salad
- Combine the butter beans, bell pepper, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- Combine the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk well.
- Pour the dressing over the butter bean salad, then toss to coat well.
- Serve immediately or allow to marinate in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Enjoy!
How to Serve Butter Bean Salad
- With crispy tofu or chopped boiled eggs on top.
- As a side dish to tofu mains like Teriyaki Tofu, Maple Ginger Tofu, or Spicy Baked Tofu Noodles.
- Sprinkled with hemp seeds or sunflower seeds for a bit of crunch.
- As a side dish to veggie mains like Cabbage Steaks or BBQ Walnut Chickpea Burgers.
- With other salad recipes like Grapefruit Salad, Mango Salad, or other vegetarian salad recipes.
Proper Storage
Any leftover butter bean salad should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
It’s best not to freeze this salad, as it might become mushy and watery once it thaws.
More Delicious Bean Recipes You May Love
Marinated Butter Bean Salad
Ingredients
Butter Bean Salad
- 13.4 ounces butter beans boxed or canned, rinsed and drained
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper finely chopped
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
Butter Bean Salad Dressing
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh or bottled
- ½ teaspoon honey If vegan, use agave syrup or sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the butter beans, bell pepper, onion, and cilantro.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Whisk well.
- Pour the dressing over the butter bean salad, then toss to coat well.
- Serve right away or allow to marinate in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not a cilantro fan, use fresh parsley or basil instead.
- If you are a fan of spice, add a pinch of red chili flakes to the dressing.
- If you are not vegan, a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese is delicious on this salad.
This was such an easy and tasty use for butter beans. The whole family loved it!