Easy Vegan Three Bean Salad

Hello, my beautiful chickpeas! Today we are going to be making a recipe that is perfect for easy lunches, picnics, and potlucks - my Easy Vegan Three Bean Salad! This bean salad is simple to throw together, has some great nutrients packed in, and is even oil-free.

I absolutely love the bright and fresh flavors in this salad. Perfect for the warmer summer months, but honestly can be enjoyed year-round. Let's go!

Inspiration for Easy Vegan Three Bean Salad

We all have recipes that remind us of our childhood - bean salad is one of mine. My mom used to always make her signature bean salad recipe for any picnic or potluck event we attended in the summer, and this recipe is highly inspired by the one she always made!

My version uses a vegan mozzarella to keep things plant based, includes some extra veggies for freshness and flavor, and of course includes a flavorful oil-free dressing. This one is great for sharing at potlucks, or for prepping over the weekend and then enjoying for lunches throughout the week!

Ingredients

This Easy Vegan Three Bean Salad uses pretty straight-forward ingredients, and packs in a lot of great nutrients! Here's what we are working with today.

• Great northern beans, kidney beans, and black beans: our three beans of choice! These pack in lots of protein and nutrients.
• Corn, cucumber, tomatoes, and green onion: for some fresh veggies! I love the slight sweetness from the corn and the crunch from the cucumbers.
• Vegan mozzarella: this is technically optional, but I highly recommend including it. It adds some cheesy flavor and a slightly creamy texture!
• Rice vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, tahini, and seasonings: these come together to make a delicious oil-free dressing for our bean salad!

How to Make Easy Vegan Three Bean Salad

This one is super easy to make! It's mostly a matter of mixing up your dressing and then throwing everything together. But let's go over it.

1. Toss together all beans, corn, cucumber, and tomatoes.
2. Separately, combine all dressing ingredients.
3. Pour dressing onto your bean mixture and mix to combine.
4. Serve and top with green onion & vegan mozzarella.
5. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

I love this recipe as-is, but you can definitely make some swaps to make it your own! Here are some ideas on how to change things up, and on how to best enjoy this recipe.

• Feel free to swap out some of the beans if you'd like! I think chickpeas or pinto beans would be a great replacement for any of these, or you can use green beans if that's your thing.
• This is a great place to use up extra veggies! Don't be afraid to get adventurous and add in whatever makes you happy. I've added both red onion and carrots before and enjoyed it!
• As previously mentioned, this was originally a recipe from my childhood that we always brought to potlucks and picnics - so bring this to your next event! It's perfect for gatherings like this because it makes a good amount and is easy to share.
• This one is also perfect to prep on Sunday and then use as lunches throughout the week. I also love pairing it with tortilla chips for lunch and eating it kind of like a dip!
• Looking for more fun picnic-inspired salads? Check out my Cowboy Caviar or Lemon Basil Orzo Salad next!

Enjoy!