Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup (Vegan option)
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 clove Garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1 (15 oz) can Canned Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can Canned Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can Canned Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup Red Onion, very finely diced
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 2 medium Celery Stalks, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions:
- Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey/maple syrup, and Dijon mustard.
- Season: Add the minced garlic, salt, and pepper to the liquid ingredients.
- Whisk or Shake: Whisk vigorously until the dressing is well-combined and slightly emulsified. Set aside.
- Rinse the Beans: Open all three cans of beans, place them in a colander, and rinse thoroughly under cold water for 1-2 minutes until no foam remains. Shake dry.
- Chop Vegetables: Finely dice the red onion, red bell pepper, and celery. Roughly chop the fresh parsley (reserve the parsley for the final step).
- Mix Base: In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the rinsed beans, diced bell pepper, celery, and red onion.
- Dress: Pour about two-thirds of the prepared vinaigrette over the salad components. Gently toss the mixture until everything is evenly coated. Adjust vinaigrette quantity to taste.
- Chill and Marinate: Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (ideally 2–4 hours) to allow the beans to fully absorb the dressing.
- Final Touches: Just before serving, stir the salad well. Add the chopped fresh parsley and give it one final light toss. Check seasoning one last time and serve chilled.