This is a no-cook bean salad built from a can of mixed beans, fresh trimmed beans, beetroot, red onion, and a sesame-spiked dressing. It takes 25 minutes start to finish, and most of that is hands-off infusing time. It works as a weekday lunch, a side dish at a cookout, or a meal-prep staple that holds up well in the fridge.
Before you start
Two things make this salad work. First, rinse the canned beans really well โ the starchy liquid that clings to them will dull the dressing and make the whole bowl taste flat. Run them under cold water in a sieve until the water runs clear, then shake off the excess. Second, donโt skip the 15-minute infusing step. The apple cider vinegar needs time to soften the raw bite of the red onion and let the dressing soak into the beans. Cut that short and the onion will be sharp and the beans will taste underdressed.
About the ingredients
- Mixed beans (canned): Any standard can works โ kidney beans, black-eyed peas, and chickpeas are common. Drain weight is usually around 240โ250g, which is what this recipe is built for.
- Trimmed beans: These are fresh green beans with the stem ends snapped off. Look for them near the other fresh vegetables. Frozen green beans can substitute in a pinch โ blanch from frozen for the same 5 minutes.
- Beetroot: The recipe calls for boiled beetroot. Vacuum-packed pre-cooked beetroot (not pickled) is a perfectly good shortcut and saves 30โ40 minutes of boiling time.
- Sesame oil: This is a finishing oil with a strong, nutty flavor โ a little goes a long way. Donโt swap it for regular sesame oil used in cooking; look for toasted sesame oil in the Asian foods aisle.
Common problems and fixes
- The dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl: Beans have a smooth surface and dressing slides right off if you just pour it on. Add the olive oil and sesame oil last, toss thoroughly, then toss again after 5 minutes. The vinegar helps the oil cling.
- The beetroot turns everything purple: Beetroot bleeds color onto everything it touches. Dice it last and add it right before serving if you want the other ingredients to keep their color. If you donโt mind the pink tint, add it whenever.
- The salad tastes flat: This dressing has no salt in the recipe. Taste before serving and add a pinch of salt โ it will sharpen all the other flavors noticeably.
- The trimmed beans are soggy: Five minutes of blanching in boiling water is the maximum. If your beans are thin, check them at 3 minutes. You want them bright green and just tender, not soft.
- The red onion is too harsh: If raw onion is strong in your batch, soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding it. Drain well. It takes the edge off without losing the flavor entirely. Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast.
Keeping it fresh
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The beans and beetroot actually improve overnight as they absorb the dressing. The trimmed beans will soften slightly by day two โ still edible, just less crisp. If youโre making this ahead for meal prep, keep the sesame seeds separate and sprinkle them on just before eating so they stay crunchy. Donโt freeze this salad; the texture of both the beans and beetroot breaks down badly after thawing.
Summer Bean Salad with Sesame Dressing
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Fine-mesh sieve or colander
- Small heatproof bowl (for blanching green beans)
- Sharp Chefโs Knife
- Cutting board
- Kettle or saucepan (for boiling water)
Ingredients
- 1 can mixed beans 400g / 14oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch green beans about 200g / 7oz, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5cm) pieces
- 1 medium red onion finely diced
- 1 medium beetroot about 150g / 5oz, boiled, peeled, and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take your can of mixed beans, open and drain. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs completely clear โ the starchy liquid will dull your dressing and make the salad taste flat.1 can mixed beans
- Tip the rinsed and drained mixed beans (typically kidney beans, black-eyed peas, butter beans, and chickpeas) into a large mixing bowl.1 can mixed beans
- Place the trimmed green beans in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave for 5 minutes โ this softens the raw edge while keeping them bright green and crisp. Drain and set aside (no ice bath needed for this recipe).1 bunch green beans
- Into a large mixing bowl, add your canned mixed beans and blanched green beans and toss to combine.1 can mixed beans, 1 bunch green beans
- Finely dice the red onion and beetroot and add them to the mixing bowl with the beans. Toss to combine.1 medium red onion, 1 medium beetroot
- Drizzle over the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss until everything is evenly coated.1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 pinch salt
- Leave the salad to infuse at room temperature for 15 minutes so the dressing soaks into the beans and the vinegar softens the raw bite of the onion. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make this salad the night before?
Yes, and the flavor actually improves after a few hours in the fridge. Just hold back the sesame seeds and add them right before serving so they donโt go soft.
What does โblanchingโ mean and do I really need to do it?
Blanching means briefly cooking the trimmed beans in boiling water, then stopping the cooking โ in this recipe you just leave them in the hot water for 5 minutes without an ice bath. It softens the raw edge of the beans while keeping them firm and bright green; skipping it leaves them tough and grassy-tasting.
Can I use a different vinegar if I donโt have apple cider vinegar?
White wine vinegar is the closest swap โ same sharpness, similar lightness. Avoid balsamic here; itโs too sweet and heavy and will compete with the sesame oil.