Made with creamy white beans, roasted red peppers, and a variety of herbs and spices, this Marinated Bean Salad is so easy to make yet wonderfully flavorful. I love scooping this salad onto baguette slices with some arugula for delicious crostini, layering it onto vegan sandwiches for a hearty lunch, or just enjoying it as-is for the perfect simple side dish.

marinated Italian Bean salad

Makes about 4 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely minced (about 2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh minced thyme
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, minced (I use store-bought)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

To make:

To a large bowl, add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and the minced shallot. Mix well with a fork to completely combine. Let this mixture sit while preparing the other ingredients (the vinegar helps to mellow out the sharp taste of the shallot).
Then, add the salt, minced fresh thyme, minced roasted red pepper, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Mix well to completely combine.
Add the drained cannellini beans and mix again. This step is optional, but I like to use a fork or spoon to gently mash some of the cannellini beans. It gives the salad more texture variety, and breaking the beans helps them to soak up more of the delicious marinade.
Let the bean salad sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better) to marinade. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!