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Zesty Bean Salad with Feta Recipe

4.8 from 90 reviews

A vibrant and refreshing Zesty Bean Salad with Feta featuring a tangy lemon and red wine vinegar dressing, crisp vegetables, a medley of beans, fresh herbs, and creamy feta cheese. This easy no-cook salad is perfect for a nutritious lunch, side dish, or light dinner with Mediterranean flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper, to taste

Salad

  • 19 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 19 oz kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 15 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 1/2 cup parsley, freshly chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Vinaigrette Base:

    In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard until emulsified. Add the minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, stirring well to combine. Set the dressing aside for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend and the garlic to mellow.

  2. Prepare the Vegetables:

    While the dressing rests, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion, and pit and halve the kalamata olives. Roughly chop the parsley and basil separately, keeping the basil aside to add last to preserve its freshness. Arrange all the prepared vegetables on a cutting board ready for mixing.

  3. Combine Beans and Vegetables:

    In a large bowl, combine the rinsed and drained cannellini beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Add the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, sliced red onion, halved olives, and chopped parsley. Toss everything gently to evenly distribute the ingredients.

  4. Dress and Finish the Salad:

    Pour the vinaigrette over the bean and vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Gently fold in the fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese just before serving to maintain their delicate flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Notes

  • Allowing the dressing to rest helps soften the raw garlic flavor and infuses the dressing with more depth.
  • Adding basil and feta at the end preserves their fresh flavor and prevents basil from darkening or becoming bitter.
  • This salad can be made a few hours in advance; just add basil and feta right before serving.
  • Use canned beans for convenience—rinse well to reduce sodium content.
  • Serve chilled or at room temperature for best flavor.

Keywords: bean salad, feta cheese salad, zesty salad, Mediterranean salad, no-cook salad, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, easy salad recipe