Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Feta & Olives

This colorful dish appears to be a Mediterranean-style white bean salad made with creamy cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta, red onion, parsley, herbs, and a lemon–olive oil dressing. Similar Mediterranean bean salads commonly combine white beans with tomatoes, olives, feta, fresh herbs and olive oil.
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Food Network
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Full Recip
Servings: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 0–5 minutes
Resting time: 20–30 minutes
Total: about 45–55 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Mediterranean / Greek-inspired

Ingredients
For the salad
3 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
½ medium red onion, finely diced
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped — optional
1 small handful fresh basil or mint — optional
1–2 tablespoons chopped green onion — optional
Lemon-herb dressing
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup — optional
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼–½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon lemon zest
The combination of lemon, olive oil, garlic, herbs, feta and olives is characteristic of this style of Mediterranean white-bean salad.
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Food Network
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Instructions
1. Prepare the beans.
Drain the cannellini beans thoroughly and rinse them under cold water. Allow them to drain for a few minutes so the salad doesn’t become watery.

2. Prepare the vegetables.
Halve the tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, chop the parsley and halve the olives.

3. Make the dressing.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, lemon zest, pepper and honey/maple syrup.

4. Combine the salad.
Place beans, tomatoes, olives, onion and herbs in a large bowl. Pour over approximately ¾ of the dressing.

5. Toss gently.
Fold everything together carefully. Cannellini beans are creamy and can break apart if aggressively mixed.

6. Add feta.
Gently fold in the feta near the end so that some pieces remain intact.

7. Rest.
Let the salad sit for 20–30 minutes before serving. This gives the beans time to absorb the dressing and allows the flavors to develop. Similar white-bean salads benefit from resting before serving.
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Food Network

8. Finish and serve.
Taste and add the remaining dressing, lemon juice, pepper or salt as needed. Garnish with parsley, fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Nutrition Information
Approximate nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings:

Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories 330–370 kcal
Protein 13–15 g
Total carbohydrates 38–42 g
Dietary fiber 9–11 g
Total fat 16–19 g
Saturated fat 4–5 g
Sugars 5–7 g
Sodium 500–750 mg
Potassium 700–850 mg
Calcium 150–200 mg
Iron 3–4 mg

These are estimates because bean brands, feta, olives, dressing quantity and salt can substantially change the numbers. Comparable white-bean salads provide substantial fiber and plant protein; for example, one dietitian-developed version lists 6 g fiber and 8 g protein per cup, while an Illinois Extension version provides 5 g fiber and 6 g protein per serving.
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Mallory the Dietitian
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Nutrition highlights
High in fiber: Cannellini beans are the major source of fiber and help make the salad filling.
Good plant protein: Beans contribute most of the protein, with additional protein from feta.
Healthy fats: Extra-virgin olive oil supplies predominantly unsaturated fat.
Vegetable nutrients: Tomatoes, onions and herbs add vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and various antioxidant compounds.
Calcium: Feta contributes calcium.
Naturally vegetarian: No meat or fish is required.
Gluten-free: The basic ingredients are naturally gluten-free, although packaged ingredients should be checked for cross-contact if medically necessary. Similar dietitian-developed versions describe this type of salad as gluten-free.
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Mallory the Dietitian
Allergen / “Nut Info”
Nuts: Naturally nut-free if prepared with the ingredients listed.

Contains:

Milk/dairy: feta cheese
Possible mustard: Dijon mustard
Does not normally contain:

Peanuts
Tree nuts
Wheat/gluten
Eggs
Soy
Fish
Shellfish
For a completely dairy-free version, omit feta or replace it with a dairy-free feta alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use Great Northern beans instead of cannellini beans?
Yes. Great Northern, navy and other white beans work well. Cannellini beans are particularly good because they have a creamy texture while generally holding their shape.
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Food Network

2. Can I use dried beans?
Absolutely. Cooked dried cannellini beans can replace canned beans. Allow them to cool completely and drain well before adding them.

3. Should I rinse canned beans?
Yes. Drain and rinse them thoroughly. This removes excess canning liquid and can substantially reduce sodium; one low-sodium recipe source notes that draining and rinsing canned beans can reduce added sodium by up to 41%.
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HealthCentral

4. Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes. It actually tastes better after the flavors have had time to combine. Refrigerate it in an airtight container and bring it toward room temperature before serving if desired. Similar white-bean salads can be prepared a day ahead.
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Food Network

5. How long does it keep?
For best quality, keep it refrigerated in an airtight container and use within 3–4 days. Similar bean salads recommend approximately 3–4 days of refrigerated storage.
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Mallory the Dietitian
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6. Can I make it without feta?
Yes. The salad remains delicious without cheese. For extra richness, increase the olives slightly or add avocado immediately before serving.

7. Can I reduce the sodium?
Yes. Use no-salt-added or low-sodium beans, rinse them well, reduce the olives and use less feta. Don’t add salt until after tasting.

8. Can I add cucumber?
Definitely. Add about 1 cup diced cucumber for extra crunch and freshness.

9. Can I add chickpeas?
Yes. Replace one can of white beans with one can of chickpeas for a mixed-bean version.

10. Is this a good meal-prep recipe?
Yes. Beans and dressing hold up well, making this particularly suitable for meal prep. For the freshest texture, keep delicate ingredients such as cucumber and fresh herbs separate and add them shortly before eating.

11. What can I serve with it?
It works well as a light main course with pita or crusty bread, or as a side dish alongside grilled chicken, fish, shrimp or roasted vegetables. White-bean salads are also commonly served as standalone meals or alongside proteins.
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Food Network

12. How can I make it more filling?
Add:

Grilled chicken
Tuna
Hard-boiled eggs
Chickpeas
Quinoa
Avocado
For a vegetarian high-protein meal, combine the beans with feta and a whole-grain side such as quinoa or whole-grain pita.

13. Can I make it vegan?
Yes. Simply omit the feta and use maple syrup instead of honey if you use a sweetener.

14. Why does my bean salad become watery?
Usually because the beans or vegetables weren’t drained sufficiently. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly, allow them to dry, and don’t add excessive tomato liquid. Cucumber can also release water as it sits.

15. How do I make the beans more flavorful?
Let them sit with the dressing for at least 20–30 minutes. For an especially flavorful version, gently warm the olive oil with sliced garlic and oregano before combining it with lemon juice, then pour the dressing over the beans. A warm dressing is also used in established white-bean salad recipes to help flavor penetrate the beans.
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Food Network

Best serving tip
For the closest result to the pictured salad, use large cannellini beans, juicy cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, plenty of chopped parsley, red onion, crumbled feta and a generous lemon–olive oil dressing. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and a little parsley right before serving.