Greek Lemon Marinated Bean Salad (Printable)

Vibrant Mediterranean-style bean salad with zesty lemon marinade, crisp vegetables, and tangy feta.

# What You Need:

→ Beans & Marinade

01 - 3 (15-ounce) cans mixed beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, cannellini), drained and rinsed
02 - Juice and zest of 2 lemons
03 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano or 1.5 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
07 - 0.75 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Salad

09 - 1 small English cucumber, seeded and diced
10 - 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
11 - 0.5 medium red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 0.5 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
13 - 0.25 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
15 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
16 - 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

# Directions:

01 - Pat the drained beans dry with paper towels and transfer to a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, honey, 0.75 teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined. Pour the lemon-oregano marinade over the beans and gently fold until every bean is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for maximum flavor development.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, parsley, and dill. Taste the marinated beans and adjust salt and pepper if needed, then reserve any excess marinade.
03 - Drizzle the reserved bean marinade and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the vegetables. Add the marinated beans and toss gently to combine, being careful not to crush the beans or tomatoes.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top and give the salad one final gentle toss to distribute the cheese evenly. Let the salad rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beans soak up all that lemony, garlicky goodness while you do absolutely nothing.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge, which means lunch is sorted for days.
  • Every bite has crunch, creaminess, and tang all at once.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as it sits.
02 -
  • Do not skip patting the beans dry or the marinade will just pool at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Letting the salad rest before serving makes a huge difference, the flavors relax and come together.
  • If you add the feta too early, it can get mushy, so wait until the very end.
03 -
  • Marinate the beans overnight if you can, the difference in flavor is remarkable.
  • Use block feta and crumble it yourself, the pre-crumbled stuff is drier and less creamy.
  • Taste before serving and do not be shy with the salt, beans need more seasoning than you think.
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