Bold, salty, briny, and satisfying, this Bean Antipasto Salad has it all. Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, creamy white beans, marinated and cured vegetables in a tangy vinaigrette. It comes together in under 30 minutes. Best of all, it’s perfect for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, or a simple lunch with a hunk of crusty bread.
Pair this salad with one of my lighter main dishes: Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Harissa Chicken Skewers or Shish Tawook.
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Ingredients
This hearty bean salad comes together very quickly and with some standard pantry and fridge ingredients. What I love about this recipe is that many of these ingredients are canned or jarred, so you can keep them on hand and make this recipe without thinking too much about it ahead of time. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Beans: I am a big fan of white kidney beans or white navy beans. But you can also use butter beans, chickpeas or a bean medley. If you like bean salads, try my Mexican Bean Salad, Greek Butter Bean Salad or my Greek Chicken Salad too.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are ideal. I cut them in half but you can keep them whole. Or you can chop a large slicer-type tomato instead. If using a large tomato, I would recommend removing the seed cavities so the salad doesn’t end up being too wet.
- Cheese: I am using small pearl mozzarella, also known as mini bocconcini. You can use larger bocconcini and cut them up to the desired size. You use a different cheese altogether too.
- Salami: Use what you like. I am using a mild genoa salami, but you can use whatever you have on hand or whatever you prefer. If you want to keep this salad vegetarian, just omit the salami.
- Artichoke hearts: I always have a jar or artichoke hears in my pantry! And sometimes, they sit there for a while. This salad is a perfect way to use them up.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full ingredient list and quantities.
How to Make this Bean Antipasto Salad Recipe
This is a pretty straightforward recipe. Just a couple of steps and you’re ready to enjoy it!
Step 1. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Step 2. Add salad ingredients. To a large bowl, add all your chopped ingredients.
Step 3. Toss and Taste. Add the salad dressing to the bowl. Toss everything, making sure to coat the salad ingredients with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Step 4. Garnish and Serve. I like to garnish with some fresh basil at the very end. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Pairing Suggestions and Menu Ideas
This salad is hearty enough to serve and enjoy on its own as a light lunch. But for dinner, serve it as a starter or as a side with one of my main dish recipes. I think it goes really well with my Greek chicken Souvlaki, Harissa Chicken Skewers or Chicken Shawarma.
You can also pair it with another appetizer or vegetarian main for a lighter meal. Serve it with Greek Spinach Pie, Greek Cheese Pie, Heirloom Tomato Galette or my Tomato Pie for a complete meal.
If you make this salad for meal prep, I suggest keeping the dressing on the side and mixing it before you eat it. What I like to do is divide the dressing into individual containers, and then add the veggies on top. I just shake up the container to mix in the dressing and serve.
Expert Tips
- Rinse the beans: Make sure to run the canned beans under cold water to get rid of any excess residue and drain them really well before adding them to the bowl.
- Consistent bites: Try to cut your ingredients as evenly as possible. It’ll make for a more pleasant eating experience.
- Change it up: not a fan of beans, use cooked pasta, faro or your grain of choice instead.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely. This salad can be prepared 2 or 3 days ahead of time. I would suggest keeping the dressing separate and tossing it before serving.
In an airtight glass container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 3 days.
An antipasto salad is an Italian-American-inspired dish that features a mix of cured meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables, olives, and sometimes pasta or lettuce, all tossed with a tangy vinaigrette.
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Recipe Card
Bean Antipasto Salad (with Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Salami)
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 1 can White kidney beans or white navy beans (drained) - 19oz (540ml) can
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half)
- 1 cup Mozzarella or bocconcini pearls
- ½ cup Salami (roughly chopped) - Cut into strips or squares
- ½ cup Green olives (rough chopped)
- ½ cup Marinated artichokes (rough chopped)
- ¼ cup Red onion (finely sliced)
Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoon Red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoon Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon Black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Add salad ingredients. To a large bowl, add 1 can White kidney beans or white navy beans (drained), 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half), 1 cup Mozzarella or bocconcini pearls, ½ cup Salami (roughly chopped), ½ cup Green olives (rough chopped), ½ cup Marinated artichokes (rough chopped), and ¼ cup Red onion (finely sliced).
- Toss and Taste. Add the salad dressing to the bowl. Toss everything, making sure to coat the salad ingredients with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Garnish and Serve. I like to garnish with some Fresh basil leaves at the very end. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Beans: I am a big fan of white kidney beans or white navy beans. But you can also use butter beans, chickpeas or a bean medley.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are ideal. I cut them in half but you can keep them whole. Or you can chop a large slicer-type tomato instead. If using a large tomato, I would recommend removing the seed cavities so the salad doesn’t end up being too wet.
- Cheese: I am using small pearl mozzarella, also known as mini bocconcini. You can use larger bocconcini and cut them to the desired size.
- Salami: I am using a mild genoa salami, but you can use whatever you have on hand or whatever you like. If you want to keep this salad vegetarian, just omit the salami.
- Artichoke hearts: I always have a jar or artichoke hears in my pantry! And sometimes, they sit there for a while. This salad is a perfect way to use them up.
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