Cannellini Bean Salad with Maple Lime Dressing
This Cannellini Bean Salad is an easy no cook meal dressed in a deliciously simple maple lime dressing using sweet and savory cherry tomatoes. Serve over your favorite grain for a filling and nourishing bowl.
I appreciate all the beans salads. Like, if you make this Southwest Chickpea Black Bean Salad for me, I’m the happiest camper and will eat plenty of it. But I don’t often see bean salads using white beans, and it’s a true shame considering their great texture and how nutritious they are.
Cannellini beans are one type of white bean I love. They have this beautifully creamy texture, which compliments all the crunchy elements of the veggies in this salad. Not only that, but these white beans provide an abundance of fiber, protein, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and folate. All the good for you things.
Why You’ll Love This Cannellini Bean Salad
- Easy to Make. You just need some basic bowls and a knife to toss all the ingredients together and make the flavorful dressing that pairs with it.
- Wholesome and Nourishing. Loaded with fiber and protein from the cannellini beans to help support digestion and satiety. You’ll also find a number of antioxidants like lycopene and beta-carotene mixed in for an added nutrition boost.
- Budget Friendly. The base of the salad is beans and budget-friendly veggies, which makes this approachable and affordable.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cherry Tomatoes: Any ripe tomato will work, but I like cherry tomatoes because they have an extra level of sweetness to them.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Good quality oil works so well in this and will add just another bit of richness to the salad for the perfect mouthfeel.
- Soy Sauce: Gives a hint of umami flavor in the dish. To make gluten-free just use coconut aminos.
- Maple Syrup: Helps add a subtle sweetness that plays well with the sourness of the lime. You can opt for agave syrup or brown rice syrup as an alternative.
- White Wine Vinegar: Can be made with apple cider vinegar as well.
- Seasonings: I went with red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and ground coriander. Opt for other herbs or spices based on your preference.
- Fresh Herbs: I used cilantro and parsley. Fresh basil and mint would be a great alternative if you are not a fan of cilantro.
- Scallions: These tend to taste milder to me then regular onions, but feel free to use red onion or shallots. To cut the sharpness of the onion taste, feel free to place any of these options in cold water for 10 minutes to make them mild in flavor.
- Lime: Both the juice and zest, so do make sure to get it fresh. Swap for lemon if you prefer that flavor better.
- Avocado: Adds extra creaminess to the salad. You can omit if you do not like it.
How to Make Cannellini Bean Salad with Maple Lime Dressing
Start by creating the dressing. Add your halved cherry tomatoes to a bowl, salt them to draw out some extra juice and flavor for the dressing. Add the garlic, oil, soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar and seasonings to the cherry tomatoes and allow to sit and marinade as you prepare the base of the salad.
To a larger mixing bowl combine the beans and cut vegetables along with a lot of minced herbs, fresh lime juice and zest along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a toss then top with the marinated tomatoes and toss together to coat. Stir in the avocado when ready to serve and enjoy over your favorite grains.
Expert Tips
- To keep the avocado from browning, add and stir in the avocado just before serving.
- For optimal flavor, allow the whole mixed salad to sit in the fridge for up to 1 hour so the beans can marinade in the dressing. More flavor in every bite is a good thing.
- Use couscous if you want to make this a no cook meal. Take Moroccan-style couscous and add hot water to it. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes, then fluff and it’s ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just note that the mouth feel of the salad will change slightly. It might be a good idea to add more avocado to help make up for that change in texture.
You can use regular granulated sugar and mix it with the tomatoes. Mix well to ensure that the sugar does dissolve in the marinade. You may also find that alternative sweeteners like agave or brown rice syrup may be cheaper based on where you live.
Yes. Great alternatives to cannellini beans are Great Northern beans and navy beans. There are only slight differences in the size and texture of the beans, but they provide very similar nutrition profiles.
If making in advance, just store the mixed bean salad without the avocado in an airtight container and place in the fridge. If serving for a gathering, I would serve within 2 days so the ingredients look their best. Leftovers can be stored for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, just stir in the fresh diced avocado.
How to Serve
This bean salad can be served with a number of grains to truly complete it and make it a meal. Some favorites include:
- Couscous
- Rice (brown, white or forbidden rice work great)
- Millet (a great gluten-free alternative)
- Quinoa (gluten-free and higher in protein)
- Farro (high fiber and protein)
More No Cook Vegan Recipes to Try
- 15 Minute Gochujang Noodles (Bibim Guksu)
- Garlic Sesame Noodles
- Greek-Inspired Chickpea Tofu Wraps
- Citrus Infused Couscous Chickpea Salad
- Vegan Burrito Bowl with Spiced Lentil Walnut Meat
Cannellini Bean Salad with Maple Lime Dressing
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Cannellini Bean Salad is an easy no cook meal dressed in a deliciously simple maple lime dressing using sweet and savory cherry tomatoes. Serve over your favorite grain for a filling and nourishing bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or more to taste
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 tsp each fennel seeds and ground coriander
- 1, 15 oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup parsley, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Juice and zest of one lime
- 1 avocado, cubed
- Salt and pepper
For Serving
- Cooked couscous or quinoa
Instructions
- Prepare couscous by combining equal parts couscous and boiling water (I used 1 cup each and mixed in some bouillon paste for more flavor) in a bowl, cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
- To a small bowl combine the cherry tomatoes and 1/4 tsp kosher salt and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Add in the garlic, oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar and seasoning. Mix to combine then set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl add beans, parsley, cilantro, scallions, lime zest and juice along with another pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix to combine then top with the tomato mixture and cubed avocado. Mix everything until well incorporated. For best flavor, allow to marinate for at least an hour, but can be enjoyed immediately if desired. Serve over couscous and enjoy.
Notes
To keep the avocado from browning, add and stir in the avocado just before serving.
For optimal flavor, allow the whole mixed salad to sit in the fridge for up to 1 hour so the beans can marinade in the dressing. More flavor in every bite is a good thing.
Use couscous if you want to make this a no cook meal. Take Moroccan-style couscous and add hot water to it. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes, then fluff and it’s ready to serve.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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This is seriously giving me cravings for more it’s so good!