Three Bean Salad with Pickled Red Onions and Parsley
Borlotti, cannellini and green beans in a tangy dressing with quick pickled onion, a no cook salad that is better after a night in the fridge.
Made with Pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) and Basic vinaigrette. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time20 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.88 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the green beans for 4 minutes, until just tender with a little bite.
4 min - 2
Drain and cool under cold running water, then drain well again.
- 3
Put the borlotti beans and cannellini beans in a large bowl. Add the green beans, celery and the pickled red onions from your ready made batch (see the base recipe).
- 4
Pour over your ready made basic vinaigrette (see the base recipe) and stir gently so the beans do not break up.
- 5
Add the parsley, season with salt and pepper, and chill for at least 30 minutes so the beans absorb the dressing.
30 min - 6
Stir again before serving, and taste for seasoning.
Tips
- Rinse tinned beans well to remove the starchy liquid, which can make the dressing cloudy.
- Make it the day before for the best flavour. The beans soak up the dressing and the onions mellow.
- Add a drained tin of chickpeas or sweetcorn for extra bulk.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 4 days in a covered box in the fridge. Stir before serving. Not suitable for freezing.
Questions
Can I use dried beans?
Yes. Soak 100 g of each overnight, boil kidney beans hard for 10 minutes then simmer until tender, and cook the cannellini until soft. You need about 250 g cooked weight of each.
Is this vegan and gluten free?
Yes. It contains only beans, vegetables, oil and vinegar. Check your mustard is gluten free. It is also dairy free, egg free and nut free.
Can I add other vegetables?
Yes. Diced red pepper, cucumber or sweetcorn all work well. Avoid soft ingredients like tomato, which release water and thin the dressing.
More made with pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas)
Tacos de Pollo en Salsa Verde (Green Sauce Chicken Tacos)
DFEFNFThit Heo Quay (Vietnamese Crispy Roast Pork Belly)
DFEFNFGreek Loaded Chips with Feta, Pickled Red Onions and Tzatziki
EFNFPescado al Guajillo al Horno (Baked Fish in Guajillo Sauce)
DFEFNFSee every dish made with pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.