Kidney Bean Salad, seriously good!

This kidney bean salad is loaded with bright Mediterranean flavors, fluffy beans, crispy croutons and parmesan cheese. It’s so delicious, full of texture, satisfying and good for you.

And it screams FLAVOR!

Inexpensive, convenient, protein-rich beans are a staple in my diet and wonderful for quick last-minute dishes that are also nutritious. Bread & beans, white bean salad, smoky beans on toast are on the regular rotation.

And this bean salad recipe is a new family favorite.

Crispy croutons + beans + parmesan cheese? YES, we can’t get enough of it.

A concoction of few simple ingredients that pack a ton of crunch and flavor and make a fantastic carbs + protein side dish, or light meal for warm days. 

The recipe combines kidney beans with fresh and crunchy celery, herbs, salty parmesan cheese and crispy croutons which create a texture contrast.

Because I love taking some hearty ciabatta and toast it in a skillet with olive oil. It gets so golden, nutty, crunchy and makes the perfect complement for eating the fluffy beans.

And no fancy dressing for this kidney bean salad, lemon juice, garlic and extra virgin olive oil is all you need.

The end result is a powerful combo of kidney beans, croutons and parmesan that makes a scrumptious lunch that keeps me feeling full and happy!

List of the ingredients

• Kidney beans
• Ciabatta or rustic bread
• Celery
• Parmesan or pecorino cheese
• Italian herbs & fresh parsley
• Red salad onions
• Garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper

How to make kidney bean salad

(Note: this is a quick description, the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)

• Toast the cubed bread in a large skillet with olive oil and dried Italian herbs.
• Place the kidney beans, celery, herbs and sliced onion in a salad bowl.

• Make the dressing by shaking all the ingredients in a glass jar with lid.
• Pour the dressing and toss until well combined and juicy.

• Finally toss in the croutons and shaved parmesan cheese (and if you make the salad ahead, add the croutons and parmesan just before serving).
• Finish with more shaved parmesan and serve! YUM.

Recipe notes

Kidney bean salad ingredients

Kidney beans: I used two cans of red kidney beans for this salad, but whatever type of beans (pinto, white, cannellini or even garbanzo) would work as a substitution.

Celery: it adds freshness and texture. Use more celery if you wish.

Bread: I used diced ciabatta bread, some olive oil and dried herbs to make stovetop croutons that are crispy and flavourful. But you can turn any type of bread into delicious croutons, including baguette, wholegrain bread, panini bread and focaccia. More tips here about how to make croutons in a pan!

Onion: fresh red salad onion, green onions or regular red onion will work for this recipe. But I’m not big fan of using onion powder in salads.

Herbs: Fresh parsley and Italian herb seasoning are some of my go-to herbs. Italian herb blend is essentially a mix of oregano, basil, red bell pepper, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley. It’s a convenient pantry staple, but you’re welcome to use only fresh parsley for this recipe.

Parmesan cheese: for its salty umami flavor, but also pecorino works just fine instead of parmesan. But skip it if you prefer to keep it vegan or sub in vegan parm if you wish.

Dressing: simple, easy and full of fresh flavor, the dressing here is made with fruity extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a touch of garlic, salt, pepper and an extra pinch of herbs (optional).

Serving suggestions

With a combination of protein and carbs, this is the kind of filling bean salad that is great on its own but also delicious after a light soup. Try it with one of these broccoli soup, carrot soup or easy tomato soup to make a balance family meal.

Fancy some add-ins?

As usual I preferred to keep things simple by using minimal everyday ingredients, but some add-ins would be just perfect to customize your kidney bean salad. For example:

• Avocado: it’s rich, creamy, my favourite add-in for this salad.
• Fresh veggies: cherry tomatoes or/and cucumber.
• Bell pepper: grilled, jarred or fresh bell pepper works beautifully here.
• Cheese: pecorino cheese or crumbled instead of parmesan. Yum.

More bean recipes for you!

If you’ve been reading The Clever Meal for a while, then you know my love for beans. I’ve recently published this collection of bean recipes and recipes with cannellini beans that are full of ideas. Below a few of our favs…

• Mediterranean bean salad
• Pasta with black beans
• Cannellini bean salad
• Italian white bean soup
• Best white bean soup
• Lima bean soup
• White bean pasta

Lastly, if you make this kidney bean salad, let me know. Leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. I would love to hear from you guys and get your feedback!