This Mediterranean 3 bean salad is the answer to “what’s for lunch?” on busy weekdays. 20 minutes of prep time yields four healthy dense bean salads you can grab-and-go! A mix of kidney beans, white beans, and chickpeas mingle with Mediterranean favorites – marinated artichokes, savory sun dried tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, and fresh herbs. Lightly dressed in red wine vinaigrette, each serving packs nearly 30 grams of protein and lots of filling fiber.

mediterranean three bean salad in a white speckled bowl with a silver fork

Featured Review

I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before but I had to with this one. It’s so delicious and easy to put together! The dressing is spot on. Yisarai

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As a Registered Dietitian, one food I think you should eat more of is BEANS. Beans are a staple ingredient for high protein high fiber meals!

Beans are the most well-rounded food on the planet because they have a bit of everything…they’ve got fiber, protein, a little bit of fat, and lots of vitamins and minerals.

If you’re ready to add more beans into your life, start with this Mediterranean three bean salad – or my cannellini white bean and tuna salad.

It features canned kidney, garbanzo, and white beans for ease and convenience. But, feel free to swap in other bean varieties based on your preferences.

This quick and easy recipe involves the most basic of cooking skills: opening cans, chopping, and mixing.

high protein three bean salad ingredients measured out

Ingredients to gather

  • Canned beans: You’ll need one can each of dark red kidney beans, chickpeas aka garbanzo beans, and white beans, such as cannellini beans. You can certainly swap out any of these options for a different bean based on what you have on hand.
  • Sun dried tomatoes: The kind packed in olive oil are preferred. Sun dried tomatoes have a potent savory tomato flavor and a lovely chewy texture that nicely contrasts with the smooth, mild beans.
  • Marinated artichoke hearts: You can usually find these in the pasta aisle or Italian section of your grocery store. They’re have a tangy, bright, and zippy flavor profile.
  • Mini cucumbers: Sliced up, mini cucumbers add a welcome crunch to this dense bean salad.
  • Grated parmesan cheese: It’s salty, nutty, and just downright delicious. Plus, it boosts the protein content even more! If you want to make this recipe totally vegan, simply leave out the parmesan cheese.
  • Fresh herbs: I used parsley and basil to keep with the Mediterranean themed flavor profile.
  • Lemon juice: a squeeze of lemon juice adds the perfect layer of brightness and acidity to finish off this high protein bean salad.

Step-by-step visual instructions

chopped vegetables for mediterranean 3 bean salad
1. Chop up all the veggies: cucumber, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs.
high protein bean salad vinaigrette in a jar
2. Combine all the vinaigrette dressing ingredients in a small jar. Close the jar and shake it like a polaroid picture!
three bean salad in a large mixing bowl before being mixed up
3. Combine the drained and rinsed beans, the chopped veggies, and the parmesan cheese in a big old mixing bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt.
three bean salad mixed up in a mixing bowl
4. Add about half a cup of dressing (or less, or more!) and give everything a good toss. Dig in!

While this recipe was designed as a large entree salad, you can TOTALLY serve it as a side salad with beans, too.

mediterranean three bean salad in a white speckled bowl with a silver fork

Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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mediterranean three bean salad in a white speckled bowl with a silver fork

Mediterranean Three Bean Salad (High Protein, High Fiber)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Alex Aldeborgh, RD
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: salads
  • Method: No cook
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This Mediterranean 3 bean salad is the answer to “what’s for lunch?” on busy weekdays. 20 minutes of prep time yields four healthy salads you can grab-and-go! A mix of kidney beans, white beans, and chickpeas mingle with Mediterranean favorites – marinated artichokes, savory sun dried tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, and fresh herbs. Lightly dressed in red wine vinaigrette, each serving packs nearly 30 grams of protein and lots of filling fiber.

Ingredients

Scale

Three bean salad

  • 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, sliced
  • 2 mini cucumbers, sliced into half moons
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley, chopped
  • Squeeze of lemon juice from half a lemon
  • Pinch of salt

Red wine vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard 
  • 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp fine salt)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • A few grinds of black pepper
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Instructions

  1. Combine the kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, cucumbers, parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Make the vinaigrette: In a small jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallot, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, oregano, and pepper. Close the jar and shake vigorously to mix the dressing up.
  3. Pour about half a cup of the dressing over the salad, and add the squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of salt. 
  4. Mix everything up with salad spoons until well combined. Serve right away or store for later and serve cold. 

Notes

If you’re making this salad as a meal prep lunch: pre-portion 4-5 servings into Tupperware containers, or my favorite glass storage jars.

This recipe will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Give it a good shake before you enjoy it once you take it out of the fridge!

NOTE: Sometimes, you may notice the salad dressing solidifies in the cold fridge because it is made with extra virgin olive oil. If this happens, just let the salad sit out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes so it returns to its liquid state 🙂

Nutrition Disclaimer

As a Registered Dietitian, I create nutritionally-balanced recipes using whole food ingredients to promote good health and well-being.  Additionally, I am a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. My nutrition philosophy encompasses an all-foods-fit approach, and I do not promote tracking calories, macronutrients, or other numbers. Nevertheless, I understand that this information can be educational and helpful for some people.

I cannot guarantee complete accuracy of the nutrition information provided here, as these numbers are estimates. Nutrition is individualized. If you have specific nutrition needs, please consult your physician or a Registered Dietitian. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: one-fourth of recipe
  • Calories: 544
  • Fat: 27.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 53.7 g
  • Fiber: 15.6 g
  • Protein: 27 g

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