Italian Bean Salad (with Cannellini Beans and Salami)

A wooden spoon scooping a portion of bean salad with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.

Italian Bean Salad (with Cannellini Beans and Salami)

This flavor-packed Italian White Bean Salad is so easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes! Perfect for meal prep.

Course Main Dishes, Salad

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 25

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 537

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) Cannellini beans drained and rinsed (or a mix of cannellini and chickpeas*) (about 3 ½ cups cooked and cooled beans)
1 cup chopped artichokes marinated and drained
2 bell peppers minced (we recommend yellow and orange)
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved (about 1 pint)
⅓ cup chopped sundried tomatoes reserve the oil for the dressing
1 shallot minced (or 2 tablespoons minced red onion)
1 ½ cups bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) halved (or quartered)
12 ounces sliced salami chopped (about 340 grams), or a mix of salami and smoked chicken or turkey deli meat
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Flaky salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette (or store-bought Italian Vinaigrette**)

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup reserved sundried tomato oil from jarred sun dried tomatoes
⅓ cup red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon maple syrup or more honey
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard or 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
Flaky salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Assemble the salad. Add the rinsed and drained beans to a large glass bowl (or well-oiled wooden salad bowl). Then add in the artichokes, minced bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, minced shallots, mini mozzarella balls, sliced salami, fresh basil, salt, and black pepper (to taste).
Toss to combine. Use salad tongs to combine the beans and other ingredients together.
Prepare the dressing. Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a glass jar. Blend with a small milk frother to emulsify, OR add a lid to the jar and shake vigorously.
Add the dressing to the salad. Pour your homemade salad dressing on top of the salad, and use the salad tongs to toss everything together one last time.
Taste and adjust. Take a clean spoon and taste the salad. Add more salt and pepper (to your taste). If desired, add more of the other ingredients according to your preference.
Serve and enjoy. Spoon salad into bowls and garnish with additional fresh basil (if desired).

Notes

*Cannellini beans? I recommend using these popular Italian white beans, but there are lots of options. You may do 1 can of cannellini PLUS 1 can of chickpeas, or you can use white kidney beans if cannellini is not available at your grocery store.

**Using store-bought dressing. If you prefer not to make a homemade dressing, you can use a *very* good quality Italian vinaigrette instead. Do NOT use the cheap stuff! You will need about 1 cup of dressing to make the recipe.

Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The liquid will collect at the bottom of the container; shake or stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.

Meal prep: This bean salad makes for a great meal prep option! Sort portions into airtight meal prep containers and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Shake or stir well before serving.

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