Greek Bean Salad with Lemon (Print Version)

Marinated beans with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and feta in lemon-oregano dressing. Mediterranean flavors, ready in 80 min.

# What You'll 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 1½ tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
07 - ¾ 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 - ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
12 - ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
13 - ¼ 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat drained beans dry with paper towels and transfer to a large mixing bowl
02 - Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, honey, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined in a separate bowl
03 - Pour lemon-oregano marinade over beans and gently fold until coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight
04 - Taste marinated beans and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Reserve any excess marinade
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, parsley, and dill. Drizzle reserved bean marinade and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over vegetables
06 - Add marinated beans and toss gently to combine, being careful not to crush beans or tomatoes
07 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top and give the salad one final gentle toss to distribute evenly
08 - Let salad rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beans soak up every bit of bright lemon and oregano, turning humble pantry staples into something you'll crave.
  • It gets better as it sits, so you can make it ahead and let the fridge do the work while you handle everything else.
  • Every bite delivers crunch from cucumber, sweetness from tomatoes, brininess from olives, and creaminess from feta in one forkful.
  • It's filling enough to be lunch on its own but light enough that you won't feel weighed down on a warm day.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the beans dry, wet beans dilute the marinade and leave you with a watery salad instead of a zesty one.
  • Marinating overnight transforms the beans from bland to flavor-packed, they absorb the lemon and garlic in a way that an hour can only start.
  • Add the feta at the very end so it stays in creamy crumbles instead of dissolving into the dressing.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons before juicing them, it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon and you'll need every bit of that fragrant oil.
  • If your red onion tastes too sharp, soak the slices in ice water for ten minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding.
  • Taste a bean after marinating, if it doesn't make you smile, add more lemon juice or a pinch of salt until it does.
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