Easy Italian White Bean Salad

If you ask me, a good bean salad is one of the most underrated side dishes out there.

This Italian-inspired white bean salad brings together creamy cannellini beans with fresh herbs and a punchy anchovy dressing. Cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes add sweetness, while red onion gives it a little bite.

The dressing is where the magic happens—garlic, anchovies, and Dijon mustard whisk together with red wine vinegar and olive oil for a tangy, savory coating. Fresh parsley and mint keep things light and summery.

It’s the kind of salad that actually fills you up and tastes even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to mingle.

What Kind of White Beans Should I Use?

For this Italian salad, you have a few great options when it comes to white beans. Cannellini beans are probably the most traditional choice and have a creamy texture that works perfectly, but Great Northern beans or navy beans will also do the job nicely. If you’re short on time, canned beans are totally fine to use – just make sure to drain and rinse them well to get rid of that starchy liquid. When using dried beans like the recipe calls for, remember to soak them overnight if you can, as this helps them cook more evenly and reduces the cooking time. The beauty of white beans is that they’re pretty forgiving and have a mild flavor that soaks up all those tasty Italian ingredients.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Dried white beans: You can use canned white beans to save time – just drain and rinse two 400g cans. Cannellini, great northern, or navy beans all work great here.
• Cherry tomatoes: Regular tomatoes work fine – just dice them up. Grape tomatoes are also a good swap if that’s what you have.
• Red onion: If red onion is too sharp for you, try shallots for a milder flavor, or soak the red onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow them out.
• Anchovy fillets: Not a fan of anchovies? You can leave them out entirely or add a splash of fish sauce for that savory depth. For a vegetarian version, just skip them and add a pinch of salt.
• Fresh herbs: While fresh parsley and mint really brighten this salad, you can use basil instead of mint, or go with all parsley if that’s what you have on hand.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or lemon juice work just as well for that tangy kick.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with dried white beans is skipping the salt until after cooking – many people think adding salt early makes beans tough, but that’s actually a myth, and seasoning the cooking water gives you much better flavor throughout.

Another common error is not tasting your beans as they cook, since cooking times can vary wildly depending on how old your dried beans are – beans that have been sitting in your pantry for over a year might take twice as long to become tender.

To avoid a watery salad, make sure your beans are completely drained and cooled before mixing with the dressing, and if you’re not a fan of raw onion’s sharp bite, soak your sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow out the flavor.

Finally, dress the salad at least 30 minutes before serving so the beans have time to soak up all those flavors from the garlic, anchovies, and herbs.

What to Serve With White Bean Salad?

This white bean salad is hearty enough to be a main dish on its own, but it also works great as a side for grilled chicken, fish, or lamb. I love serving it alongside some crusty bread to scoop up all the flavorful dressing at the bottom of the bowl. It’s also perfect for bringing to potlucks or picnics since it tastes even better after sitting for a bit and letting all those flavors meld together. If you want to make it a complete meal, add some crumbled feta cheese on top and serve with pita chips or flatbread on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad actually gets better after sitting for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The beans will soak up all those delicious flavors, making it perfect for meal prep or taking to work for lunch.

Make Ahead: You can definitely prep this salad a day or two in advance. Just hold off on adding the fresh herbs until right before serving to keep them bright and fresh. The rest of the salad will be even tastier after marinating overnight in the dressing.

Serve: This salad is great served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve stored it in the fridge, just pull it out about 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Give it a good stir and taste for seasoning, as you might want to add a splash more vinegar or a drizzle of olive oil before serving.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 950-1100
• Protein: 30-36 g
• Fat: 50-56 g
• Carbohydrates: 90-105 g

Ingredients

For the base:

• 10 oz dried white beans (I use Goya Cannellini beans for the creamiest texture)
• 10.5 oz cherry tomatoes (cut into 1/2-inch halves)
• 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the dressing:

• 2 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best aroma)
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (I prefer Maille for its sharp tang)
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Step 1: Prepare the Beans

• 10 oz dried white beans

Rinse the dried white beans thoroughly under cold water, then place them in a large pot and cover with about 2 inches of fresh water.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 60-90 minutes until the beans are completely tender but still hold their shape.

The cooking time depends on the age and dryness of your beans—start checking at 60 minutes.

Drain the cooked beans in a colander and spread them on a sheet pan to cool completely.

I like to rinse the hot beans with cold water to stop them from cooking further, which helps them maintain their creamy texture.

Step 2: Prepare All Vegetables and Herbs

• 10.5 oz cherry tomatoes
• 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 2 garlic cloves

While the beans cook, prepare your mise en place by halving the cherry tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, finely dicing the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, and chopping the sun-dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.

Roughly chop the parsley and tear the mint leaves by hand—I prefer tearing mint rather than cutting it, as it bruises less and releases more aroma.

Mince the garlic cloves freshly just before you make the dressing to capture their best flavor.

Set all prepped ingredients aside until ready to assemble.

Step 3: Build the Vinaigrette Dressing

• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

In a small bowl, mash the anchovy fillets with a fork into a paste, which helps distribute their umami flavor evenly throughout the dressing rather than having chewy pieces.

Add the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine.

While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create an emulsified dressing that will coat the beans evenly.

Season with a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper, the red pepper flakes, and lemon zest.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the dressing should be bold since it’s the only source of seasoning for the entire salad.

Step 4: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• cooled beans from Step 1
• prepared vegetables and herbs from Step 2
• vinaigrette dressing from Step 3

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled beans from Step 1 with the prepared cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and mint from Step 2.

Pour the vinaigrette from Step 3 over the salad and gently toss everything together until the beans and vegetables are well coated.

Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the beans to absorb the dressing.

Easy Italian White Bean Salad

Delicious Easy Italian White Bean Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1025 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the base::

• 10 oz dried white beans (I use Goya Cannellini beans for the creamiest texture)
• 10.5 oz cherry tomatoes (cut into 1/2-inch halves)
• 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the dressing::

• 2 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best aroma)
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (I prefer Maille for its sharp tang)
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

 

• Rinse the dried white beans thoroughly under cold water, then place them in a large pot and cover with about 2 inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 60-90 minutes until the beans are completely tender but still hold their shape. The cooking time depends on the age and dryness of your beans—start checking at 60 minutes. Drain the cooked beans in a colander and spread them on a sheet pan to cool completely. I like to rinse the hot beans with cold water to stop them from cooking further, which helps them maintain their creamy texture.
• While the beans cook, prepare your mise en place by halving the cherry tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, finely dicing the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, and chopping the sun-dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the parsley and tear the mint leaves by hand—I prefer tearing mint rather than cutting it, as it bruises less and releases more aroma. Mince the garlic cloves freshly just before you make the dressing to capture their best flavor. Set all prepped ingredients aside until ready to assemble.
• In a small bowl, mash the anchovy fillets with a fork into a paste, which helps distribute their umami flavor evenly throughout the dressing rather than having chewy pieces. Add the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create an emulsified dressing that will coat the beans evenly. Season with a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper, the red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the dressing should be bold since it's the only source of seasoning for the entire salad.
• In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled beans from Step 1 with the prepared cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and mint from Step 2. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 3 over the salad and gently toss everything together until the beans and vegetables are well coated. Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the beans to absorb the dressing.