Name: Mixed Bean Salad | No-Oil
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing (or 3-2-1 dressing); 1-1/2 cups kidney beans (15 oz can, drained and rinsed, or fresh cooked); 1-1/2 cups pinto beans (15 oz can, drained and rinsed, or fresh cooked); 1-1/2 cups black eyed peas (15 oz can, drained and rinsed, or fresh cooked); 1 10 oz pkg frozen lima beans (thawed); 1 cup frozen corn (thawed); 1 large red bell pepper (diced); 1/2 medium purple onion (diced); 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste); 1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste); 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (or other mustard preferred); 2 tablespoons maple syrup

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This classic Mixed Bean Salad is a perfect side dish for picnics and social gatherings. It’s so versatile, it can be made with just about any type of beans you have on hand.

mixed bean salad topped with cilantro in white bowl

This 4-Bean Salad can be prepared in about 20 minutes or less. The simplicity and widespread enjoyment of this salad have made it a Food for Life classic for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

We love this mixed bean salad because it’s…

Simple to make
Requires no cooking
Packed with healing nutrients
Loaded with flavor
Delicious

Because it is such a beautiful dish, this is perfect for taking to social gatherings because it’s so easy to make and can even be made ahead.

This colorful dish–packed with beans, colorful bell peppers, corn, and red onions and is marinated in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients in 4-bean salad

In addition to the four kinds of beans used in this mix bean salad, we also add corn niblets, red onion, and red bell pepper.

overhead photo of 3 bean salad in 2 blue bowls

You really can use any type of beans that you like, so the recipe can be adjusted to your preference. These are the beans we normally use.

pintos
baby limas
red kidney beans
black-eyed peas

How to make mixed bean salad

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

This recipe is so simple anyone can make it, and it doesn’t even require any cooking at all.

Begin by dicing up the red bell pepper and onions. I like to make pretty small chunks, but you can slice them any size you prefer.

diced red bell pepper and red onion on wood cutting board

I am often asked which knives I use personally, and I have to say that it is Victor i nox. They are the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives and the quality is excellent.

As I mentioned before, any type of beans can be used in this recipe, and they can be fresh, frozen, or from a can.

I usually buy canned pintos and red beans and then use frozen baby limas and blackeyed peas. But, make them all fresh if preferred.

For the canned pintos and red beans, I drain them in a colander and rinse them by running warm water over the top.

Frozen baby lima beans and blackeyed peas make this dish not only delicious but also beautifully colorful. Place them in the colander under warm water to defrost.

lima beans and black eyed peas in white colander

I also highly recommend using frozen corn in this recipe. Canned corn just doesn’t have the fresh taste needed. Simply run warm water over the frozen corn to defrost it.

Combine all of the veggies–beans, corn, diced onion, and diced red bell pepper–in a large mixing bowl. You’ll need it to be pretty big to have enough room for stirring.

Dressing options for this bean salad

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s original recipe calls for any bottled fat-free Italian dressing.

Recently, the fat-free bottled Italian dressing I used for this began to add a tiny bit of oil. Bummer! So, I decided to try using my Oil-Free, 3-Ingredient Salad Dressing with this recipe. I tried it out with a classroom full of Food for Life participants and they loved it!

It’s so easy to make with only 3 ingredients–balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup.

Just combine the three ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together well. This stuff is excellent on garden salads, pasta salads, and bean salads.

Pour the balsamic dressing over the top of the large bowl of veggies and stir well. It can be served immediately or refrigerated to marinate for a few hours or even overnight.

overhead of mixed bean salad in 3 white bowls

*Originally published January 2016

Your Questions Answered:

Q: How long does bean salad last? My experience has been that it keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Q: How do you make bean salad from scratch? Simply combine the cooked beans, corn, and diced veggies with a vinegar-based dressing and serve.
Q: Can this recipe be frozen? I’ve never tried freezing it but see no reason why it wouldn’t do just fine.
Q: Can I use black beans instead? Absolutely! Any beans you like can be substituted in this recipe.

Other great bean recipes

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…

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