What are the ingredients in the Classic Three Bean Salad?
The Classic Three-Bean Salad is an extremely simple recipe to make due to the small number of ingredients. The main ingredients for the salad include three cans of beans, celery, onions, bell peppers, and parsley.
The ingredients for the salad dressing are just as simple. These include vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
How far in advance can you make a 3 bean salad?
For optimal taste and freshness make the Classic Three Bean Salad about 1 to 2 days in advance. This gives the flavors in the dressing time to come together and to better season the main ingredients. Any longer than this, the salt in the dressing begins to draw moisture from the ingredients and causes them to lose their crunch.
It is best if the Classic Three Bean Salad is enjoyed in three to four days.
Be sure to give it a good mix to redistribute the dressing.
Is this the Original Three Bean Salad recipe?
There are many variations of the Classic Three Bean Salad. I have vivid memories of my Mom making this salad when I was growing up. I know that there is a 3 x 5 recipe card floating around somewhere with the ingredients clearly listed.
From what I remember, the ingredients are simple; three types of beans, celery, onions, and bell peppers. The tangy and sweet dressing is vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper. The only unknown is the celery seed. I don’t recall if my Mom added that to the salad I used to enjoy.
There are recipes out there that add other ingredients. Dijon mustard, garlic, green onions, shallots, spicy peppers may be pleasant additions/substitutions to the Classic Three Bean Salad.
Woolworths Three Bean Salad Recipe
There is a lot of talk about a “Woolworth Three Bean Salad.” For the life of me, I can’t find any information about this specific recipe. Are the ingredients the same? Or, are there significant differences between the Classic Three Bean Salad and Woolworths Three Bean Salad.
If I were a betting person, and I am not, I would say that the recipes are almost exactly the same. I used to eat at Woolworths quite frequently when I was young. I don’t recall a Three Bean Salad on their menu. It would be safe to say that the Classic Three Bean Salad would be something that was popular in the mid 1900’s and could have been a side dish at the Woolworth food counter.
Rather than calling it Woolworths Three Bean Salad, I would probably call it Grammie’s Three Bean Salad.
Key Aspects of the Classic Three Bean Salad
- Mixture of three different types of beans to give the salad an enjoyable tender and savory flavor.
- Fresh vegetables that add plenty of flavor to the salad and provide a crispy and crunchy element that contrasts with the tender beans.
- A sweet and sour dressing that packs a ton of flavor and makes this salad a perfect side dish for those warm summer days.
Recommended Tools
- Balloon Whisk – https://amzn.to/3OeoAfb
- Bench Scraper – https://amzn.to/3ZPsLEo
- Cutting Board (Maple) – https://amzn.to/3ASqNtt
- Mixing Bowls (Pyrex) – https://amzn.to/3AW2bA2
Ingredients for the Classic Three-Bean Salad
- 1 (15-ounce) can wax/green/cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced - pole to pole (about 3/4 c)
- 2 celery stalks, finely sliced (about 1 c)
- 1/2 bell pepper (capsicum) finely sliced
- 1/2 c loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
For the Three Bean Salad Dressing
- 1/3 c Red wine vinegar
- 1/4 c granulated sugar (more or less to taste)
- 1/4 c neutral tasting oil or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions for making Classic Three-Bean Salad
Open all three cans of beans. Empty cans into a colander. Rinse the beans and allow them to drain. Once drained, pour the beans into a bowl.
Finely slice the red onion, two stalks of celery, bell pepper, and 1/2 cup parsley. Add all to the bowl containing the beans.
In a separate bowl, add the oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
Add the dressing to the bowl with the beans and other ingredients. Toss well to combine.
Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight (for maximum flavor).
Serve alongside your favorite cheeseburger.
