All Bean Salad
A colorful, tangy bean salad with crisp bacon, perfect for picnics and gatherings, offering a balance of savory, sweet, and vinegary flavors.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Drain all vegetables well.
- Rinse kidney beans well.
- Chop the green pepper and onion into small pieces.
- Fry diced bacon until crisp and drain well; do not use grease.
- In a large bowl, combine green beans, kidney beans, yellow wax beans, chopped green pepper, chopped onion, black pepper, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and vinegar.
- Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- Top the salad with crisp bacon bits before serving.
Tips & Substitutions
For added flavor, consider using fresh herbs like parsley or dill, which can elevate the taste of your salad. If you're short on time, canned beans can be substituted with frozen beans—just blanch them first. You can also add other vegetables like corn or cherry tomatoes for extra color and nutrition.
Serving Suggestions
This All Bean Salad is perfect as a side dish for summer barbecues or picnics. It pairs beautifully with Ham-Ripe Olive Tetrazzini or grilled meats. Serve it chilled for a refreshing complement to any meal, or enjoy it as a light lunch on its own.
Storage & Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will meld together over time, making it even tastier. To refresh the salad, give it a good stir before serving; if it seems dry, add a splash of vinegar or a drizzle of oil.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
Each serving of All Bean Salad contains roughly 567 calories, with 25g protein, 92g carbohydrates, and 13g fat. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber (101% of the Daily Value), vitamin C (59% of the Daily Value), and iron (53% of the Daily Value), and a good source of calcium. Note that it is relatively high in sodium, at 1436mg per serving (62% of the Daily Value).
Estimated from ingredients & per-serving nutrition — verify against package labels for allergies or strict diets.
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh beans instead of canned?
Yes, you can use fresh beans, but they will require more preparation time. Fresh green beans should be trimmed and blanched, while kidney and yellow wax beans should be cooked until tender before adding them to the salad.
How can I make this salad vegan?
To make this All Bean Salad vegan, simply omit the bacon or replace it with a plant-based bacon alternative. You can also enhance the flavor with smoked paprika to give a similar smoky taste without using meat.
What can I do if the salad is too sweet?
If you find the salad too sweet for your taste, you can balance it by adding more vinegar or a pinch of salt. This will help to cut through the sweetness and enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary with brand, portion and preparation — see our methodology. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or dietary advice (disclaimer).