Quick & Easy · OUBELLA KITCHEN

White Bean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing

Name: White Bean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 cans cannellini beans, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed; 1 English cucumber, about 12 oz (340 g), diced; 1 cup cherry tomatoes (150 g), halved; ¼ cup finely diced red onion (40 g); ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; ¼ tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper

Cannellini beans give this cucumber salad a soft, creamy texture without a creamy dressing. Crisp cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and red onion supply contrast, while lemon and Dijon bring the olive oil together. It is a no-cook option for a lunch bowl or a side with a warm main dish.

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About 20 min · 4 servings

Serving idea for White Bean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing — Serving idea · AI illustration

Drain the beans well

Canned beans are ready to use after draining and rinsing. Let excess water drip away while you prepare the vegetables. Water carried into the bowl dilutes the dressing, making the finished salad taste less seasoned even when the measured quantities are correct.

Fold the beans rather than stirring vigorously. A few broken beans will thicken the dressing, but repeated mixing can turn the salad pasty.

Keep the cucumber crisp

English cucumber has a relatively tender skin and small seeds. Dice it into pieces about the size of a bean so each spoonful has a similar balance. If using a cucumber with tough skin or large watery seeds, peel and seed it before weighing or measuring the prepared pieces.

Ingredients for White Bean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing — Ingredients · AI illustration

Preparation for White Bean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing — Preparation · AI illustration

Mix the dressing first

Whisking in the serving bowl means fewer dishes and distributes the mustard before the beans go in. Taste for acidity and salt, remembering that canned beans vary in seasoning. The dressing may separate slightly while standing; a gentle toss brings it back over the vegetables.

For a milder onion flavor, rinse the chopped onion briefly under cold water and drain well. Do not add that rinsing water to the salad.

Pack lunch thoughtfully

Keep the salad refrigerated at 40°F or colder. For a packed lunch, use an insulated bag with cold sources rather than leaving the container at room temperature. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.

For best texture, prepare the vegetables close to serving. Refrigerated leftovers should be used within 3–4 days, although cucumber may soften sooner. Discard food left out beyond the safe time limit rather than relying on smell.

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