Greek Bean Salad with Lemon (Printable)

Marinated beans tossed with fresh vegetables and feta in a bright lemon-herb dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Beans & Marinade

01 - 3 (15-ounce) cans 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:

01 - Pat drained beans dry with paper towels and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, honey, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Pour lemon-oregano marinade over 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.
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, then give salad one final gentle toss to distribute cheese evenly.
08 - Let salad rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better the longer it sits, so you can make it ahead and let the fridge do the work.
  • Every bite has crunch, creaminess, and a punch of lemon that wakes up your taste buds.
  • Its filling enough to be lunch on its own, but light enough that you wont feel weighed down.
  • You can swap in whatever beans or vegetables you have without losing the magic.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the beans, the marinade will pool at the bottom instead of clinging to every surface.
  • Marinating overnight transforms the beans from bland to boldly flavorful, so plan ahead if you can.
  • Adding the feta too early will make it soggy and lose its creamy crumble, so wait until the very end.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons before juicing them, it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon and you'll regret skipping this step.
  • If your red onion tastes too sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding.
  • Use a rubber spatula to fold the salad instead of a spoon, it's gentler and keeps everything intact.
  • Serve this salad in a shallow, wide bowl so every ingredient is visible and people can see all the color.
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