The other day I was standing at the deli counter in my grocery store waiting for a lid to an olive bar container. I stood there staring at the various “salads” that lay limp, soaked in dressings and vinegars, and couldn’t take my eyes off of the 3-bean salad. It was drowning in a pool of vinegar dressing, which I imagined was sweetened to death with loads of sugar just to make it palatable. I thought to myself, this potluck/family reunion staple needs a makeover. I’ve got green beans from my CSA and dried black beans and chickpeas waiting to be used; let’s jazz up this boring, tired salad and give it a fresh zippy kick in the beans! {see what i did there}
The main alteration is the dressing. It’s creamy (instead of vinegary) from cashews and avocado and bright and zesty from lime juice, lime zest, and lots and lots of fresh herbs. I also added some other salad pals to the mix – cashews and sun-dried tomatoes – for crunch and sweetness. With a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and extra cilantro, this 3-bean salad is thrice as nice!
Limey lime zest = refreshing zing!
Dressing ingredients in the blender; tons of herbs, tons of flavor!
Blended! This recipe makes extra dressing…it would be wonderful over grilled veggies.
Three beans: green beans, black beans, and chickpeas/garbanzo beans.
Salad companions: sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro and toasted cashews.
You can mix it all together or serve separately, totally your call.
Fresh. Healthy. Delish.
This recipe has been submitted to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck
3-Bean Salad with Avocado Cashew Dressing
adapted from With Love + Food
1 avocado
1/2 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup packed parsley
1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for 30 minutes then drained
1 lime, juice & zest
1 green onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. Add more water to thin out if needed. This recipe will make more dressing than needed for the bean salad; store in refrigerator for 3 – 5 days.
3-Bean Salad:
4 cups steamed or blanched green beans
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or one 15-oz. can drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or one 15-oz. can drained and rinsed
avocado cashew dressing (above)
salt & pepper to taste
red pepper flakes
handful of cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup chopped toasted cashews
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Add all the beans to a large bowl and pour in half the dressing; stir to combine. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more dressing if desired. Serve with the cilantro, toasted cashews, and sun-dried tomatoes on the side or add them all together. Enjoy!
the Seasonal Veg Head 
So bright and fresh! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Ann! It’s a nice, refreshing salad with vibrant flavors 🙂
[…] Green beans! You can see some of the drip irrigation hoses in the background. Drip irrigation (watering at the base of the plant) as opposed to overhead irrigation (watering from above the plant) is a more efficient way to get water to the roots of the plant. It also keeps the leaves from getting wet, which could lead to fungus and other diseases. […]