Oil-Free Rosemary Three Bean Salad

Easy three bean salad with cannellini beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas in a tangy oil-free apple cider vinegar dressing. Perfect for potlucks and picnics!

Last weekend I decided at about 7 PM on a Saturday that our pantry situation wasn’t working for me.

I poured a glass of red, cleared off some kitchen counter space, and took out every last item I had heaped onto the buckling woven shelves.

It was one of those situations where I had to make an alarming mess before achieving a fully organized outcome.

A few hours later (after counting that I have a whopping 25 + bags of granola– granola anyone???) I had a still-packed but mostly organized pantry.

(Dan said it looked exactly the same, but I pretended he didn’t say that.)

I’ve been in “stock up” mode since we moved into our condo because I love to keep the pantry filled with all of my favorites so when I’m cooking, I’ll never run out!

The problem with this, though, is if you keep stocking up without taking STOCK of what you have, you might end up with 25 bags of granola, like me.

One of my goals for 2018 is to get creative with foods from my cabinet, so I’m sharing a recipe like that today!

This Oil-Free Rosemary Three Bean Salad takes only 15 minutes to prepare with ingredients I bet you’ve already got hiding in your cabinet that are nourishing and delicious!

So, dust off your cabinet collectibles, pick your three favorite BEANS and let’s get started.

Are you bean salad people?

Growing up, I never really liked bean salads (or any typical picnic sides) for that matter because they were just too slimy for my palette.

I sifted beans back and forth across my picnic plate, watching the oil bead off the ovals like shipwrecked passengers.

Enter my oil-free apple cider vinegar dressing.

I like to make my ACV an oil-free dressing by diluting it with a big squeeze of freshly squeezed lemon and a bit of maple syrup for a bright tart flavor.

If you’re watching your sugar, the maple syrup measurements I included are very minimal, and pretty much a non-issue when stretched between 4-6 servings.

The touch of sweetness really draws out the apple flavors and compliments the piney notes of the rosemary!

For beans, I used a blend of white and red kidneys and garbanzo beans, but anything goes.

Pintos and black beans are welcome here, too!

I’ve been incorporating more apple cider vinegar into my diet this month.

Apple cider vinegar, from my research, is shown to stabilize blood sugar and amp up your metabolism!

I could use a bit of that, please, especially when that 2:30 feeling strikes.

I love Eden Foods Apple Cider Vinegar because it’s organic, raw, unpasteurized, and slowly fermented apple juice!

ACV by itself can be a bit abrasive and although I totally have friends that down it in shot form. I’m more of a mixer kind of a girl.

In the mornings, I’ve been loving it with a glass of ice water, a spritz of apple juice, and a pinch of cinnamon.

Yum.

Or we could just make this Oil-Free Rosemary Three Bean Salad…

I love how quickly this salad comes together when you’re looking for a flavorful meal or side.

It’s great to whip up for that end of the week stretch when the fridge is suddenly barren or for a frantic Monday morning meal prep when the grocery run was too many items down on your TO-DO list to do.

(I’ve been there! Side note: I’ve been loving shopping on Friday evenings because that way I have the entire weekend to whip my freshly purchased produce into shape before the new week. When do you shop?)

If you’re in a rush, you don’t *really* have to mix your dressing on the side, you can just kind of pour everything separately into the bowl and give it a good mix.

Keep your bean salad in a big bowl in the fridge for several days or  if you like to meal prep, try portioning the salad into 4-6 mason jars for the days ahead.

Enjoy this Oil-Free Rosemary Three Bean Salad whenever you need quick, hearty lunches fast!

I like it best after it’s been chilling in the fridge for a few hours, or even days, but it’s also great straight out of the mixing bowl.

Try serving a heaping cup over a hearty bed of greens for lunch or as a protein-packed side to your main meal.

It’s also perfect for warmer weather picnics and potlucks!

Pro Tip: serve with ALL the sliced avocado for creaminess.

If you make this Oil-Free Rosemary Three Bean Salad, let me know!

I’d love to hear how you enjoyed yours.

Be sure to leave a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to make more yums.

Come say hi on Instagram and use #floraandvino!

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipe like this one to make later!

For more fun sides, check out my Cozy Cauliflower Salad, Baked Yam Fries with Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and Oil-Free Purple Sweet Potato Fries with Beet Ketchup, too!

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XO Lauren

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