The Best Bean Salad

This really is the best bean salad ever! Easy, simple ingredients and fresh vegetables combine to make the tastiest, creamiest bean salad. Perfect side dish for a gathering, potluck, or BBQ. This bean salad uses convenient honey mustard salad dressing that gives it a creamy sweet flavor.

post republished & updated June 2018

I know a bean salad probably is not the most impressive dish or sought after dish. But who doesn’t need the perfect potluck type salad to take to family gatherings, potlucks, picnics, or even as a side to dinner.

During the summer especially I am always on the hunt for the best salads and side dishes to bring to a cookout, picnic, or bbq. This ranch pasta salad is one that I usually end up taking, or this Caesar pesto pasta salad as well. 

Surprisingly, this bean salad is usually one of the first to go. It’s the perfect combination of beans, fresh vegetables and then the easy honey mustard salad dressing it gets covered in. 

Not only is this bean salad delicious but it could not be easier to make. Drain and rinse some canned beans, chop up a cucumber, sweet onion, and red pepper. Mix it all together in the bowl and pour the dressing over it. 

It comes together in just minutes and then hangs out in the fridge until ready to serve. You can serve this bean salad right away but it much better if you let it refrigerate for a few hours before serving. 

It’s also on the healthier side when it comes to salads at BBQ’s. When comparing it to the usual summer picnic dishes; potato salad and macaroni salad. It’s loaded with fresh cucumbers, sweet onion, and a red pepper. Add in 3 different kinds of beans and some frozen corn and you basically get several servings of fresh veggies 🙂 

Drizzle it all in some honey mustard dressing and that’s it. I love the addition of the honey mustard salad dressing. Not only is it so easy but it really gives this salad such a creamy, slightly tangy, and sweet flavor.

I have used regular full-fat honey mustard dressing and the lite version, and I actually prefer using the lite honey mustard dressing. It’s not as thick and sweet tasting as the full-fat version. 

Tips for making Bean Salad

• As it sits in the fridge some liquid will pool up in the bottom from the salad dressing and liquid from the veggies. Be sure to give it a nice stir before serving, and serve with a slotted spoon. 
• Leftovers keep well for a few days so it’s perfect for lunch.
• Be sure to cut your vegetables all the same size. I like to keep the veggies cut the same size as the beans and corn. That way you don’t have any large pieces of one ingredient. 
• You can use full-fat honey mustard dressing or lite honey mustard salad dressing. I actually prefer the lite version because it’s not as thick and it’s less sweet tasting. 
• You can use frozen yellow corn, white corn, or the bag of yellow & white corn. 

How to make Bean Salad

• You will need a can of black beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans. Rinse and drain them well. I use a colander to drain and rinse the beans. It works really well for beans in getting all that bean slime off. 
• Cut up your fresh veggies; a red pepper cucumber, and sweet onion. 
• Make sure you thaw the corn. I let mine sit out on the counter for an hour before using it, or place it in the microwave and thaw for a few minutes. You don’t want it hot, just not all the way frozen. 
• Mix everything together in a large bowl. Pour the honey mustard salad dressing over it and stir making sure that everything is coated well. 
• For best results let it refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving. 

Print

The Best Bean Salad

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

This really is the best bean salad ever! Easy, simple ingredients and fresh vegetables combine to make the tastiest, creamiest bean salad. Perfect side dish for a gathering, potluck, or BBQ. This bean salad uses convenient honey mustard salad dressing that gives it a creamy sweet flavor. 

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bean salad, side dish

Calories: 125 kcal

Author: Jessica - Together as Family

Ingredients

• 1 can light kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 1 bag (16 oz) frozen corn, thawed
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled & finely chopped
• 3/4-1 cup lite honey mustard salad dressing

Instructions

1. Combine all the beans, corn, red pepper, cucumber, and onion in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Pour honey mustard dressing over it and stir to combine together.

2. For best results, let sit in the fridge for 4-6 hours so it can get cold and the flavors can develop. Serve with a slotted spoon as liquid will pool up in the bottom from the veggies and salad dressing. 

Recipe Notes

I prefer using lite salad dressing in this salad but you can use the regular, full-fat if that's what you prefer. 

 

Try to cut all the veggies the same size as the beans.

 

 

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