White Bean Mediterranean Salad Recipe
A refreshing and hearty White Bean Mediterranean Salad featuring tender white beans, crisp cucumbers, juicy grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese, all tossed in a zesty oregano vinaigrette. Perfect for a light lunch or a delicious side dish, this salad is easy to prepare and packed with Mediterranean flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (for cooking dried beans)
- Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes (includes chilling time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried white beans (great northern), cooked according to package instructions and rinsed with cold water
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cup Persian cucumber, quartered and sliced into ½ inch rounds
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup feta cheese, cut into cubes
Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more for topping
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: Cook the white beans according to package instructions until tender, then rinse them thoroughly with cold water to cool. Quarter the grape tomatoes, quarter and slice the cucumbers into ½ inch rounds, thinly slice the Kalamata olives, finely dice the red onion, and cube the feta cheese.
- Combine salad base: In a large bowl, mix together the cooked and cooled white beans, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, Kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese. Set this mixture aside.
- Make vinaigrette dressing: In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified. Using a hand-held milk frother can help achieve a smooth dressing.
- Toss salad with dressing: Pour the vinaigrette over the bowl containing the beans and vegetables. Lightly toss everything until all ingredients are well-coated with the dressing.
- Chill and serve: Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, give the salad a gentle stir and garnish with additional dried oregano if desired.
Notes
- Cooking the beans from dried is preferred for better texture, but canned white beans can be used as a time saver—just rinse and drain them well.
- A hand-held milk frother is highly effective for emulsifying the dressing evenly, but a whisk or fork can be used as alternatives.
- This salad improves in flavor when chilled for a few hours, making it a great make-ahead dish.
- Feel free to add fresh herbs like parsley or basil for extra freshness.
- To keep it vegan, omit the feta cheese or substitute with a plant-based alternative.
Keywords: White Bean Salad, Mediterranean Salad, Healthy Salad, Vegetarian Salad, Bean Salad, Feta Cheese Salad, Summer Salad
Find it online: https://cookedbycleo.com/white-bean-mediterranean-salad-recipe/
