Easy Recipe for Three Bean Salad
September in Michigan always gives me crazy mixed emotions. 80% of my soul wants to put on a cozy sweater, cook a million pumpkin-filled things and guzzle apple cider like there’s no tomorrow.
The other 20% is like “wait, it’s 80 degrees today, the humidity is out of control, and I almost sweat to death trying to sleep with the windows open (and #oneflops pressed against me) last night.”
Whomp whomp whomp. Back to life . . . back to reality. Cold salads rather than hot soups are still the name of the game for at least another few weeks.
Mitten Crate delivered a bunch of Michigan goodness in August, including:
- Get Up and Go Caffeinated Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Woodward Ave. Chili No Beans Chili
- Benjamin Twiggs Michigan Dried Tart Cherries
- Safie Specialty Foods Dill Pickle Beans
- Good Life Granola Cranberry Cherry Granola
- Milford Spice Co. Up North Grilling Spice
While the dill pickle beans would make a perfect garnish to a bloody mary, I’ve used them here as a tangy component to a three bean salad. Kidney beans and chickpeas add a nice punch of protein, and grape tomatoes and onions keep things interesting.
Everything is tossed with a light yogurt-buttermilk dressing made with lots of herbs and spices. I made this, packed it into a storage container, and fully planned on eating it with my lunches for a week straight, thinking Jeff wouldn’t be into it at all.
Turns out, he LOVED it. So against all odds, this little salad is a husband pleaser. Go figure.
Easy Recipe for 3 Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the Yogurt-Buttermilk Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1-1/2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
For the Three Bean Salad:
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15.5 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pickled green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
Instructions
This post was written by me on behalf of Mitten Crate, who provided me with a free box for recipe development purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for writing this post, and all opinions are 100% my own.
I did love this salad . . . It was the perfect accompaniment to a homemade sandwich for lunch. I think this would be a good cold side dish for any fall themed picnic or tailgate. For sure.