Easy Three Bean Salad with Celery

Here is my favorite three bean salad with celery recipe, with a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing, fresh dill and parsley, and a mix of green beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans.

This bean salad is perfect for potlucks and summer barbecues. I love making a big batch on Sunday so we have easy lunches throughout the week. Plus, it actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a day or two!

What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

For this three bean salad, you’ve got some flexibility when it comes to your beans. Canned beans are totally fine and make this recipe super quick – just be sure to drain and rinse them well to get rid of excess sodium and that slightly metallic canned taste. If you want to go the extra mile, you can cook dried beans from scratch, which will give you a firmer texture and better flavor, though it does require some planning ahead. For the green beans, fresh is ideal since you’ll want that crisp, snappy texture, but frozen green beans can work in a pinch if you thaw and drain them thoroughly first. Whatever you choose, just make sure your beans are at similar levels of tenderness so every bite has a nice, consistent texture.

Options for Substitutions

This three bean salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Green beans: Fresh green beans are best, but frozen will work too – just thaw them first and blanch briefly. You could also try wax beans or even snap peas for a different crunch.
• Apple cider vinegar: White wine vinegar or red wine vinegar make great substitutes. Each will give you a slightly different flavor, but all work well in this salad.
• Chickpeas and kidney beans: Feel free to mix up the bean combination! Black beans, cannellini beans, or pinto beans all work nicely. Just keep the total amount around 3 cups.
• Honey: If you’re out of honey, maple syrup or a pinch of sugar will give you that touch of sweetness to balance the vinegar.
• Parsley: Fresh cilantro or basil can step in for parsley. You could also use dill for a more tangy, pickle-like flavor.
• Celery: While celery adds a nice crunch, you can use diced bell pepper or cucumber if you’re not a celery fan. Just keep the pieces about the same size.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making three bean salad is overcooking the green beans, which turns them mushy and dull – they should stay bright and crisp, so stick to the 2-minute boil and immediately shock them in ice water to stop the cooking process.

Skipping the chilling time is another common error, as the salad really needs at least an hour in the fridge for the flavors to blend together and the onions to mellow out.

To avoid a watery salad, make sure to drain and rinse your canned beans thoroughly, and pat the green beans completely dry after their ice bath before adding them to the mix.

For even better flavor, let the dressing sit with the onions for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients, which helps take the sharp edge off the raw onion.

What to Serve With Three Bean Salad?

Three bean salad is one of those side dishes that works perfectly at cookouts and potlucks alongside grilled meats like burgers, hot dogs, or barbecue chicken. It’s also great next to other picnic favorites like potato salad, coleslaw, or corn on the cob for a full spread. If you want to make it more of a main dish, serve it over mixed greens or stuff it into pita pockets with some crumbled feta cheese. The tangy vinegar dressing and crunchy vegetables make it a refreshing contrast to heavier, richer foods, so it’s perfect for balancing out your plate at summer gatherings.

Storage Instructions

Store: This three bean salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together after a day or two, so it’s perfect for making ahead for picnics, potlucks, or meal prep for the week.

Make Ahead: I love making this salad the night before I need it. Just toss everything together, let it marinate in the fridge overnight, and give it a good stir before serving. The beans and veggies soak up all that tangy dressing and taste amazing the next day.

Serve: This salad is best served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve had it in the fridge, you can let it sit out for about 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Give it a quick toss to redistribute the dressing before you dig in.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1050
• Protein: 25-32 g
• Fat: 28-34 g
• Carbohydrates: 120-140 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2.5 oz olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for this dressing)
• 2.5 oz apple cider vinegar (I always use Bragg for the best tang)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (Grey Poupon adds the perfect depth)
• 3/4 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh dill (finely chopped)

For the salad:

• 8 oz green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cup red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 1 1/2 cups kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 celery stalks (thinly sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
• 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

Step 1: Prepare the Dressing Base

• 2.5 oz olive oil
• 2.5 oz apple cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified.

This creates a balanced vinaigrette with acidity, richness, and subtle sweetness.

Set the dressing aside while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 2: Blanch and Chill Green Beans

• 8 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the trimmed green beans.

Cook for exactly 2 minutes until they’re bright green and just tender-crisp but still have a slight bite.

Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water for about 15 seconds to stop the cooking process, then drain and pat dry thoroughly.

I like to lay them out on a clean kitchen towel for a minute to ensure they’re completely dry, as excess moisture will dilute the dressing later.

Step 3: Prepare Remaining Vegetables

• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

While the green beans are cooking, finely dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, thinly slice the celery stalks into 1/4-inch half-moons, and chop the fresh parsley.

Having everything prepped and ready ensures the salad comes together quickly once the green beans are cooled.

Step 4: Combine All Ingredients

• Blanched and chilled green beans from Step 2
• Red onion and celery from Step 3
• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• Parsley from Step 3
• Dressing from Step 1
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

In a large bowl, add the cooled green beans from Step 2, diced red onion, sliced celery, rinsed and drained chickpeas, rinsed and drained kidney beans, and chopped parsley.

Pour the dressing from Step 1 over everything and add the fresh dill.

Gently toss the salad until all components are evenly coated with the dressing.

I find using a rubber spatula and folding motions rather than aggressive stirring helps keep the beans intact while ensuring good distribution of the vinaigrette.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, which allows the flavors to meld and develop.

The vinaigrette will also continue to penetrate the beans during this time.

Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or light lunch.

Easy Three Bean Salad with Celery

Delicious Easy Three Bean Salad with Celery recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 975 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dressing::

• 2.5 oz olive oil (I prefer Bertolli Extra Virgin for this dressing)
• 2.5 oz apple cider vinegar (I always use Bragg for the best tang)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (Grey Poupon adds the perfect depth)
• 3/4 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh dill (finely chopped)

For the salad::

• 8 oz green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1/2 cup red onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
• 1 1/2 cups kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 2 celery stalks (thinly sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
• 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified. This creates a balanced vinaigrette with acidity, richness, and subtle sweetness. Set the dressing aside while you prepare the vegetables.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the trimmed green beans. Cook for exactly 2 minutes until they're bright green and just tender-crisp but still have a slight bite. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water for about 15 seconds to stop the cooking process, then drain and pat dry thoroughly. I like to lay them out on a clean kitchen towel for a minute to ensure they're completely dry, as excess moisture will dilute the dressing later.
• While the green beans are cooking, finely dice the red onion into 1/4-inch pieces, thinly slice the celery stalks into 1/4-inch half-moons, and chop the fresh parsley. Having everything prepped and ready ensures the salad comes together quickly once the green beans are cooled.
• In a large bowl, add the cooled green beans from Step 2, diced red onion, sliced celery, rinsed and drained chickpeas, rinsed and drained kidney beans, and chopped parsley. Pour the dressing from Step 1 over everything and add the fresh dill. Gently toss the salad until all components are evenly coated with the dressing. I find using a rubber spatula and folding motions rather than aggressive stirring helps keep the beans intact while ensuring good distribution of the vinaigrette.
• Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, which allows the flavors to meld and develop. The vinaigrette will also continue to penetrate the beans during this time. Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or light lunch.