My 4 Bean Salad is the perfect way to incorporate a nutritional punch into a holiday meal, weeknight dinner, brunch or lunch for any day of the week. And if you need more salad ideas to make, try my Mediterranean Orzo Salad, Healthy Broccoli Salad, or my favorite Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. The combination of the 4 beans are complimented by the crunch from the cucumbers and bell peppers. and it’s all perfectly balanced out by the creaminess of the fresh avocado chunks. What really brings this salad all together is the delightfully bright, slightly tangy champagne vinaigrette dressing. Make sure scoop up a serving of the salad from the bottom of the bowl to make sure you get just a little bit extra dressing; it’s so good you will want to drink it!
Champagne vinegar: This delicate vinegar is mild and has floral notes that I love in this salad. If you’re needing a substitute, you can try red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar, although these will be less sweet in flavor compared to the Champagne vinegar. Dijon mustard: Adds a tangy, spicy flavor to the dressing. My go-to brands are Grey Poupon or Maille. Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds a fresh, clean flavor to the dressing and to the salad. Salt: Salt enhances the flavors in the salad, and cuts down on any bitterness. Freshly ground black pepper: I prefer the flavor of fresh pepper especially in salads and salad dressings. Sugar: sugar helps to make the dressing pop! Fresh Green beans: I prefer fresh over canned green beans because of their texture and vibrant color, but canned green beans also work in a pinch. You can add 1-2 cans. Kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans: I love the combination of these 3 beans but you can use any combination you love: cannellini beans, pinto beans, waxy beans, butter beans, great northern beans, etc. Avocados: The creamy texture of the avocado pairs wonderfully with the beans and crisp peppers and cucumbers. I tested this recipe with and without the avocado and loved it even more with the avocado added in! Yellow, red or orange bell pepper: These thin strips of pepper add a nice crunch and color to the fresh salad. Cucumber: The cucumber helps balance the bean texture of this salad and adds a bright crunch.
