Three Bean Salad

Alberta Barrows

Updated on May 11, 2024

Looking for a simple side that's sure to impress at your next picnic, potluck, or barbecue? We've got you covered with this three bean salad. The perfect make-ahead side dish, it's easy to make with convenient ingredients.

Three Bean Salad Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this easy three bean salad recipe:

Beans
The three beans in this salad are green beans, wax beans, and kidney beans. Some reviewers suggest adding a can of chickpeas. It's easiest to use canned beans, but you can use freshly cooked beans if you like.

Onion
Slice one white or yellow onion into thin rings.

Sugar
This three bean salad recipe calls for ¾ cup white sugar, but you can use less if you'd like it a little less sweet.

Oil and Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar and vegetable oil come together to make a simple salad dressing.

Seasonings
This recipe is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and celery seed.

How to Make Three Bean Salad

close up view of Three Bean Salad in a bowl — KAM

It truly couldn't be simpler to throw this three bean salad together. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect:

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

How to Serve Three Bean Salad

This three bean salad recipe serves 16, so it's the perfect potluck recipe to feed a crowd. It's delicious served alongside crowd-pleasing entrees such as or . For more delicious inspiration, explore our entire collection of .

How to Store Three Bean Salad

Store three bean salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to five days. There's no need to reheat, as this dish is served cold.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I needed a quick and easy salad to take to a potluck and decided to make this salad," says . "Fast preparation the night before and a delicious salad for the table."

"Just what I was looking for — simple and foolproof," raves . "I substituted bell peppers for the onion, since I'm not a fan of onion, and the flavor and colors were a good complement."

"The beauty of this salad is that nearly all ingredients can be kept on the shelf until you need them, so you can whip this up whenever you need it," according to .

Editorial contributions by

Three Bean Salad

4.6

(308)

high angle view of a bowl of three bean salad with onions

Prep Time:

15 mins

Additional Time:

12 hrs

Total Time:

12 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can green beans
1 pound wax beans
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
¾ cup white sugar, or to taste
⅔ cup distilled white vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon celery seed

Directions

Gather all ingredients.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Mix together green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, onion, sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Chill in refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Enjoy!

DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

112	Calories
5g	Fat
16g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 16
Calories 112
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g	6%
Saturated Fat 1g	3%
Sodium 299mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 2g	9%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 2g	4%
Vitamin C 2mg	2%
Calcium 20mg	2%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 12mg	0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.