Three bean salad is a really delicious salad and I just love having it on hand.  It takes about 5 minutes to prepare so it is super easy to do and to have it canned is even better. Just crack open a jar and you have a delicious salad to add to the top of your green salad, eat with crackers and cheese or however you want to enjoy it.

Three bean salad is simple to make and a must-have for almost all meals. Growing up we always had the three-bean salad when I would go to salad bars. I loved the tangy taste of the beans on my salads. I never knew how easy it was to make. My homemade bean salad tastes so much better than the store-bought version even, and does not take long to make! 

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What is in this three bean salad?

Three bean salads usually have green beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and wax beans

How do you make three bean salad?

Three bean salad is super simple to make. It is a mix of pickled beans and onions and we will show you here how to make it. 

Do you need to rinse canned beans?

I do rinse the beans before I make the three bean salad. 

How do you blanch green beans?

Get a large pot that is big enough to fit your green beans.  It is even easier if you have a steamer pot that fits in your pot where you can place your beans.  Fill your pot with water and a bit of salt and set to boil. When your pot is boiling place your steamer pot filled with beans that have the stem ends cut off, into the boiling water.  Cook for 3 -4 minutes. Remove them from the boiling water and plunge into a pan, bowl, or sink filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. Cool the beans, drain and pat dry.

Tips for canning three bean salad

Canning 3 bean salad is super easy.  It is a matter of just water bath canning or steam canning and is quick and easy. 

How Long Will Three Bean Salad Last?

Canned 3 bean salad will last over a year once you can them.  They will last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. 

Can I prepare a bean salad in advance?

Yes, it is best to prepare the 3 bean salad in advance. This as momma always said, “allows the flavors to mingle”. If you are making to serve this 3 bean salad fresh I would give it 24 hours to set in the brine before serving for best results.

When to serve bean salad (really anytime!)

You can serve this 3 bean salad with salads, pasta salad, as a side dish. They are great for potlucks, barbeques, picnics, and any time at all. 

What You Will Need For 3 Bean Salad

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Medium pot
• Waterbath canner or steam canner
• knife
• cutting board
• jar grabber or jar tongs
• debubbler or wooden spoon with skinny handle
• 5 pint jars
• new lids and canning jar rings or these reusable lids
• strainer
• ladle
• Large spoon
• hot pan holders
• towels
• Labels and sharpie

Three Bean Salad Recipe

• 1 1/2 pounds of green beans
• 1 1/2 pounds of wax beans
• 3/4 pound of dry kidney beans (soaked, cooked, and drained) Or use canned
• 3/4 pound of dry garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (soaked, cooked, and drained) Or use canned
• 1/2 pound of sliced red onions
• 1 cup of diced sweet red pepper (you can use hot if you want this with more kick)
• 2 1/2 cups of sugar (we use raw sugar)
• 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon of celery seeds
• 4 teaspoons of Himalayan pink salt
• 3 cups of white vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups of spring water

Directions:

For Dry Kidney Beans

Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Soak them in water to cover them double the level of your beans.  Soak them overnight or do the quick soak method. 

The quick-soak method: Rinse and drain dry beans. Pour the beans in a pot and cover with water twice the depth of the beans.  Turn your stove on and heat to boiling. Boil one minute. Remove from heat and place on a tight-fitting lid.  Leave there for one hour.  Drain the water off and put fresh water in the pot. Bring water to a simmer and cook using the directions on the bag of beans or until the beans are tender.  

For Dry Garbonzo Beans

Soak chickpeas overnight, or follow the directions to quick soak them on the back of the package.

Once they are done soaking, drain the chickpeas and throw them into a large pan with baking soda and stir them around on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

Cover the chickpeas with water, and a pinch of salt. Use the hand strainer to skim off the husks of the chickpeas and any foam that comes to the top.

Cook the chickpeas for 20-60 minutes until the peas are tender and crush apart when pressed between your thumb and a counter.

Strain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Return to the pan and cover with water. Gentle rub the chickpeas between your hands to release any stuck on husks. Skim off any husks that rise to the surface and drain again. 

Wash 5 pint-size canning jars. Get out your water bath canner and set it up on the stove. Place jars in the canning pot and fill the jars halfway full of water.  Fill the canner with water to just up to the rim of the jars and turn on the pot.  Heat the jars.o assemble your 3 bean salad:

• Rinse your green and wax beans and drain. 
• Drain the kidney and garbanzo beans 
• Slice the fresh beans into 1 1/2 inch pieces and set aside
• Slice the onion into thin slices and set aside
• Slice your pepper into thin slices or dice.
• In a medium-size pot add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, and mustard seed.  Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or until the salt and sugar have been dissolved.
• Grab a clean dishcloth or washcloth and fold it to sit the hot jar on to protect it from the cold counter.  With your jar grabber or jar tongs grab one of the jars and pour the hot water out of it before sitting it onto the counter.  Fill your jar with the beans, onion, and peppers. 
• Ladle hot brine into the jar to 1/2 inch of space at the top.  Use a debubbling wand or the thin handle of a wooden spoon to push around the beans and release air bubbles. With a clean lint-free cloth or paper towel wipe the rim of the jar. Place a two-piece lid on the jar and tighten the ring until just tight. Do not overtighten because air needs to release. 
• Using the jar lifter or jar tongs pick up the jar and place it into the canner.  
• Repeat the process for each jar until they are all full. 
• Process the jars for 15 minutes.  
• While the jars are cooking place several towels on the counter folded up to protect the counter or table surface. 
• Using the jar lifter/jar tongs carefully lift the hot jars from the canning pot and place on the towels to cool. Leave the jars there for 24 hours and then label them with what they are and when they were canned.

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• Yield: 5 pints

  Three Bean Salad

  

  Print

  Delicious tangy 3 (really 4) bean salad recipe.

  Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds of green beans
  • 1 1/2 pounds of wax beans
  • 1/2 pound of kidney beans (soaked, cooked, and drained) Or use canned
  • 1/2 pound of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (soaked, cooked, and drained) Or use canned
  • 1/2 pound of sliced red onions
  • 1 cup of diced sweet red pepper (you can use hot if you want this with more kick)
  • 2 1/2 cups of sugar (we use raw sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of celery seeds
  • 4 teaspoons of Himalayan pink salt
  • 3 cups of white vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cups of spring water

  Instructions

  Wash 5 pint-size canning jars. Get out your water bath canner and set it up on the stove. Place jars in the canning pot and fill the jars halfway full of water.  Fill the canner with water to just up to the rim of the jars and turn on the pot.  Heat the jars.

  For Dry Kidney Beans

  Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Soak them in water to cover them double the level of your beans.  Soak them overnight or do the quick soak method. 

  The quick-soak method: Rinse and drain dry beans. Pour the beans in a pot and cover with water twice the depth of the beans.  Turn your stove on and heat to boiling. Boil one minute. Remove from heat and place on a tight-fitting lid.  Leave there for one hour.  Drain the water off and put fresh water in the pot. Bring water to a simmer and cook using the directions on the bag of beans or until the beans are tender.  

  For Dry Garbonzo Beans

  Soak chickpeas overnight, or follow the directions to quick soak them on the back of the package.

  Once they are done soaking, drain the chickpeas and throw them into a large pan with baking soda and stir them around on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

  Cover the chickpeas with water, and a pinch of salt. Use the hand strainer to skim off the husks of the chickpeas and any foam that comes to the top.

  Cook the chickpeas for 20-60 minutes until the peas are tender and crush apart when pressed between your thumb and a counter.

  Strain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Return to the pan and cover with water. Gentle rub the chickpeas between your hands to release any stuck on husks. Skim off any husks that rise to the surface and drain again. 

  To assemble your 3 bean salad:

  Rinse your green and wax beans and drain. 

  Slice the fresh beans into 1 1/2 inch pieces and set aside

  Slice the onion into thin slices and set aside

  Slice your pepper into thin slices or dice.

  In a medium-size pot add the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, and mustard seed.  Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or until the salt and sugar have been dissolved.

  Grab a clean dishcloth or washcloth and fold it to sit the hot jar on to protect it from the cold counter.  With your jar grabber or jar tongs grab one of the jars and pour the hot water out of it before sitting it onto the counter.  Fill your jar with the beans, onion, and peppers.  Ladle hot brine into the jar to 1/2 inch of space at the top.  Use a debubbling want or the thin handle of a wooden spoon to push around the beans and release air bubbles. With a clean lint-free cloth or paper towel wipe the rim of the jar. Place a two-piece lid on the jar and tighten the ring until just tight. Do not overtighten because air needs to release. 

  Using the jar lifter or jar tongs pick up the jar and place it into the canner.  

  Repeat the process for each jar until they are all full. 

  Process the jars for 15 minutes.  

  While the jars are cooking place several towels on the counter folded up to protect the counter or table surface. 

  Using the jar lifter/jar tongs carefully lift the hot jars from the canning pot and place them on the towels to cool. Leave the jars there for 24 hours and then label them with what they are and when they were canned.

   

Tip: How to slice onions

Cut off the tops and roots of the onion.  Remove the dried peel from the onions and discard or save for compost, or for your next batch of bone broth. Then make slices of the onion stacking them as you go. Then cut the rings in slices going all in one direction up and down.  Then slice them going the opposite direction sideways.

Storage info.

Store the canned jars in a cool dark place.  The fresh 3 bean salad needs to be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

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