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Classic 3-Bean Salad
Howdy,
The 3 bean salad recipe is a favorite in summer – and packed with health!
During the hot summer days, many people enjoy the classic 3 bean salad as a side dish or even as a light lunch. The 3 bean salad recipe we give here is modified from a generic, authentic Italian recipe. Italian cooks usually use dried beans – it's less expensive – but we give amounts of beans to use for both dried and canned beans, if you find canned beans more convenient. Both versions are easy to prepare and a good do-ahead recipe. This 3 bean salad recipe keeps well for a week in the frig. Making it ahead also allows the herbs to marry thoroughly with the salad.
Before we get to the recipe, let's take a look at the many health benefits of this delicious and refreshing summer side dish. You'll then want to make it often!
It's rich in fiber, protein and complex carbs (which break down more slowly than say, white bread – a good choice for everyone, but particularly diabetics). A one cup serving of the Italian style 3 bean recipe below provides about a third of the RDA for vitamin B-6 in a well assimilated form, as well as about half the RDA of C, folic acid and manganese. This one cup wonder is also packed with flavanoids derived from the vitamin C content. Adding the sweet red bell pepper and Spanish onion sweetens the taste of the salad so that you needn't use added sugar, as most 3 bean salad recipes do. The garlic helps reduce the 'bad' cholesterol. While it's not common knowledge, oregano is the king of plant world antioxidants, containing over 40 times the antioxidant activity when compared to the apple, of 'one a day keeps the doctor away' fame. To give you a better idea of how powerful an antioxidant is, consider this. In fruits, blueberries have been declared the number one hands-down winner in antioxidants among fruits. Oregano beats out blueberries in a 4:1 ratio! All of the beans in this recipe are also antioxidants, which help prevent many forms of cancer.
If you need to restrict your salt intake, it's best to make this 3 bean salad recipe using dried beans and cooking them yourself, which contain no salt.
Now it's easy to see why you'll want to have this 3 bean salad on hand often.
Italian style 3 bean salad recipe ingredients:
Using dried beans: ½ pound each of chickpeas, white kidney beans and red kidney beans, cooked according to package directions.
Using canned beans: one each 15 ounces cans of garbanzo beans, white kidney beans and red kidney beans (low sodium brands are available).
For both versions directions:
1 small or medium Spanish onion, diced small
1 large sweet red bell pepper, diced small
1-2 celery stalks, diced finely (optional)
Whether using canned or home cooked beans, drain them well. Combine all in a large mixing bowl. Add the Spanish onion, sweet red bell pepper and celery, if included. Mix well.
For the vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together 3-4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (fresh or bottled) and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Begin with the lesser amounts of vinegar and olive oil. It's a matter of taste. If you want more, you can always add it later. Add your vinaigrette to your beans and mix thoroughly. Give it a taste, adding additional vinegar and oil as needed. If you wish, add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to chill at least overnight for the best flavor.
So there you have the Italian style 3 bean salad recipe. This one's a keeper!
The 3 bean salad recipe is a favorite in summer – and packed with health!
During the hot summer days, many people enjoy the classic 3 bean salad as a side dish or even as a light lunch. The 3 bean salad recipe we give here is modified from a generic, authentic Italian recipe. Italian cooks usually use dried beans – it's less expensive – but we give amounts of beans to use for both dried and canned beans, if you find canned beans more convenient. Both versions are easy to prepare and a good do-ahead recipe. This 3 bean salad recipe keeps well for a week in the frig. Making it ahead also allows the herbs to marry thoroughly with the salad.
Before we get to the recipe, let's take a look at the many health benefits of this delicious and refreshing summer side dish. You'll then want to make it often!
It's rich in fiber, protein and complex carbs (which break down more slowly than say, white bread – a good choice for everyone, but particularly diabetics). A one cup serving of the Italian style 3 bean recipe below provides about a third of the RDA for vitamin B-6 in a well assimilated form, as well as about half the RDA of C, folic acid and manganese. This one cup wonder is also packed with flavanoids derived from the vitamin C content. Adding the sweet red bell pepper and Spanish onion sweetens the taste of the salad so that you needn't use added sugar, as most 3 bean salad recipes do. The garlic helps reduce the 'bad' cholesterol. While it's not common knowledge, oregano is the king of plant world antioxidants, containing over 40 times the antioxidant activity when compared to the apple, of 'one a day keeps the doctor away' fame. To give you a better idea of how powerful an antioxidant is, consider this. In fruits, blueberries have been declared the number one hands-down winner in antioxidants among fruits. Oregano beats out blueberries in a 4:1 ratio! All of the beans in this recipe are also antioxidants, which help prevent many forms of cancer.
If you need to restrict your salt intake, it's best to make this 3 bean salad recipe using dried beans and cooking them yourself, which contain no salt.
Now it's easy to see why you'll want to have this 3 bean salad on hand often.
Italian style 3 bean salad recipe ingredients:
Using dried beans: ½ pound each of chickpeas, white kidney beans and red kidney beans, cooked according to package directions.
Using canned beans: one each 15 ounces cans of garbanzo beans, white kidney beans and red kidney beans (low sodium brands are available).
For both versions directions:
1 small or medium Spanish onion, diced small
1 large sweet red bell pepper, diced small
1-2 celery stalks, diced finely (optional)
Whether using canned or home cooked beans, drain them well. Combine all in a large mixing bowl. Add the Spanish onion, sweet red bell pepper and celery, if included. Mix well.
For the vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together 3-4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (fresh or bottled) and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Begin with the lesser amounts of vinegar and olive oil. It's a matter of taste. If you want more, you can always add it later. Add your vinaigrette to your beans and mix thoroughly. Give it a taste, adding additional vinegar and oil as needed. If you wish, add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to chill at least overnight for the best flavor.
So there you have the Italian style 3 bean salad recipe. This one's a keeper!
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