Greek Bean Salad with Lemon Marinated Beans (Printable)

Colorful Mediterranean bean salad with lemon-oregano marinade, crisp vegetables, olives, and feta.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Marinade

01 - 3 (15-ounce) cans mixed 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 1.5 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
07 - 0.75 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 - 0.5 medium red onion, thinly sliced
12 - 0.5 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
13 - 0.25 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 It:

01 - Pat the 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, 0.75 teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Pour the lemon-oregano marinade over the beans and gently fold until every bean is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for maximum flavor development.
04 - When ready to assemble, taste the 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 the reserved bean marinade and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the vegetables.
06 - Add the marinated beans and gently toss all components together, being careful not to crush the beans or tomatoes.
07 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top, then give the salad one final gentle toss to distribute the cheese evenly throughout.
08 - Let the salad rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to allow all flavors to meld together.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes better after sitting in the fridge, which means you can make it ahead and forget about dinner stress.
  • The lemony beans soak up flavor like little sponges, turning every bite into a tangy, herbaceous surprise.
  • You get protein, crunch, creaminess, and brightness all in one bowl without any complicated technique.
02 -
  • Marinating the beans overnight makes a massive difference, they go from bland to deeply flavorful and almost addictive.
  • If you add the feta too early, it dissolves into the marinade and you lose that creamy contrast, wait until the very end.
  • Letting the salad rest at room temperature before serving wakes up the flavors that get muted in the cold fridge.
03 -
  • Use a mix of beans for varied texture, chickpeas add firmness, cannellini are creamy, and kidney beans hold their shape beautifully.
  • If you want the onion milder, soak the slices in ice water for five minutes, then drain and pat dry before adding.
  • Crumble the feta yourself from a block, it stays creamier and tangier than the pre-crumbled stuff.
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