This Summer Citrus Three Bean Salad uses sliced mandarin oranges for a fun summer time twist on this classic side dish.
Three bean salad was a dish we ate regularly at my house growing up and I’m always amazed at how easy it is to make beans turn into something so refreshing, healthy, and delicious! I took this classic recipe and added sweet and juicy mandarin orange slices and tossed it in a tangy orange and ginger vinaigrette making this a perfect summer side dish for bringing to parties or on a picnic.
Three bean salad is a great side for a sandwich, or can even make a meal on it own. The protein from the beans make this a satisfying, low calorie lunch for people on the go!
HOW TO MAKE SUMMER CITRUS THREE BEAN SALAD
Key Ingredients
Beans: I used garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and green beans for this recipe. You could really swap out any of the beans in this recipe. For example, edamame or northern white beans could work great in this recipe! The green beans will need to be blanched before adding them to the salad.
Red onions: Dice red onions give this salad a lot of flavor, but to prevent the onion flavor from taking over in this recipe, I soak the diced red onions in some water for a couple minutes to mellow out the flavor before adding it to the salad.
Celery: A summer citrus three bean salad wouldn’t be the same with out the crunch of celery in the mix!
Mandarin oranges: These oranges work best for this recipe because they are easy to peel and are very sweet and juicy.
Herbs: Basil, parsley, and rosemary give this three bean salad a refreshing, bright flavor.
Orange and ginger vinaigrette: This simple yet irresistible vinaigrette is where the magic happens. Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, grated ginger, salt, and pepper combine to create a tangy and sweet dressing that ties all the flavors together. Let the salad marinate in this deliciousness, and prepare to be amazed!
How to Make Summer Citrus Three Bean Salad
This dish is very simple to prepare, you just need to prep some of the ingredients and then mix everything together. Its very important to give this dish time to marinate. The flavors absorb into the beans becoming stronger and more complex.
First, blanch the green beans: Add the green beans to lightly salted boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Then drain and transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. You should then have perfectly crunchy, ready to eat green beans!
Next, peel and slice the mandarin oranges. I used about 6 oranges to get 2 cups of slices and I cut eat individual slice in half to get the right size for this salad.
Drain and rinse the other beans: Rinsing the beans is an important step in this process, especially if you plan on sharing this dish with friends! Rinsing the beans will removes some of the complex carbs and sugars that are known to cause gas! 💨
Next, soak the diced red onions in water for a couple of minutes to mellow out their flavor a little bit.
You can chop your celery and then drain your onions and add them to the bowl of beans and oranges.
Now add the chopped herbs and make the vinaigrette and give everything a good toss. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Marinate the three bean salad in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but preferably overnight to let all the flavors from the vinaigrette absorb into the beans.
Why You'll Love Summer Citrus Three Bean Salad
Its a unique crowd pleaser: Adding mandarin orange slices to this classic side dish not only makes it perfect for summer, but it makes it stand out from the crowd by having unique ingredients.
Healthy and Nutritious: This salad is packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, making it a satisfying and guilt-free option for a side dish or light lunch. It’s also low in calories and fat, making it a great choice for health-conscious individuals.
Easy to make: It doesn’t take long to mix all the ingredients together, and other than blanching the green beans there isn’t much cooking to do. All you have to do is sit back and relax while the three bean salad marinates to perfection!
Budget-Friendly: Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, making this a cost-effective and accessible recipe for everyone.
Summer Citrus Three Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz green beans
- 1/2 red onion finely chopped and soaked in water
- 2 cups mandarin orange slices
- 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1/2 cup basil loosely packed, chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley loosely packed, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
- 1 tsp mandarin orange zest
- 1/4 cup mandarin orange juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Bring a lightly salted pot of water to a boil. Remove the stems from the green beans and prepare a medium bowl with an ice bath.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the green beans and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain them and transfer the green beans to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and add them to a large bowl.
- Add your diced red onions to a small bowl of water for a couple of minutes to mellow out the flavor of the onion.
- Peel and take apart the slices from 5 - 7 mandarin oranges (about two cups) and cut each slice in half. Add them to the bowl with the green beans.
- Drain the red onions and add them to the bowl.
- Drain and rinse the garbanzo and kidney beans and add them to the bowl.
- Add the celery, basil, parsley, and rosemary to the bowl and mix well.
Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
- Zest 1 tsp of mandarin oranges, and then juice 1/4 cups of mandarin orange juice.
- Add the rest of the ingredients together with the orange juice and zest and mix in with the salad.
- Marinate the salad for at least one hour in the refrigerator before serving. Marinate overnight for the best flavor!
Did you try this recipe?
If you made this Summer Citrus Three Bean Salad, I would really appreciate it if you could comment and leave a rating below. You can also share a photo and tag me on Instagram @thesunshinevegankitchen. I would love to hear all about your experience. Thank you so much!
I love the sweet side that mandarines bring to this salad and the flavorful mix of herbs! A winner!
Thank you!
This is a perfect, refreshing and nutritional summer salad. The fresh green beans and sweet mandarin oranges are a great variation on a traditional 3 bean salad. We had it for lunch, then had seconds! Will definitely make again!
Thank you I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂