Easy White Bean Salad (Small Batch)

by Allison Campbell · Last updated Jun 12, 2026 · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

No ratings yet

If you're looking for a quick light lunch that doesn't leave you with a week's worth of leftovers, this easy white bean salad is it. Made with a single can of white beans, fresh chopped veggies, and a delightful lemon vinaigrette, it's the perfect small-batch recipe for busy weekdays.

A glass bowl filled with a fresh white bean salad including cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capers, red onion, and chopped parsley, placed on a white napkin with lemon slices and cherry tomatoes nearby.

One of my favorite things about this salad is that it makes the perfect amount for just two servings. So you can enjoy a bowl for lunch today and save the second for tomorrow if you're cooking for one. I also opted for a 2-serving salad to minimize waste and unused ingredients afterward (two of my biggest pet peeves.) 😉

Even better, the flavors only get better as the salad sits, making it an excellent make-ahead option for meal prep.

🌿 Ingredients

Top-down view of labeled ingredients in bowls for a white bean salad: cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, capers, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt & pepper.

If you can't find canned cannellini beans, great northern beans are a great substitute and work equally well. The capers are optional, but highly recommended!

See recipe card below for exact quantities.

📝 Instructions

A metal whisk rests in a glass bowl containing a fresh lemon vinaigrette on a white countertop. — Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

A glass bowl containing sliced red onions, capers, chopped parsley, grape tomatoes, cannellini beans, and diced cucumber, arranged in separate sections on a white marble countertop. — Prep the beans, veggies and parsley, and mix everything well with the dressing.

🥧 Serving suggestions

You can serve this salad on its own for a light lunch, top with some grilled chicken or fish, or tuck it into a pita for a more robust lunch. One of my favorite add-ons is a simple can of tuna. Just drain and flake it over your salad, and mix to combine. So good!

🍅 Use up the extras

If you have extra parsley or lemon left over, you can use them in any of these other recipes this week:

Or for extra cherry tomatoes and cucumber, this chopped Caprese salad will make great use of them.

🍳 Recipe

A glass bowl filled with a white bean salad made with chopped cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, capers, and fresh parsley, placed on a white napkin with squeezed lemon slices nearby.

Easy White Bean Salad (Small Batch)

Allison Campbell

No ratings yet

This quick and easy white bean salad recipe comes together in just minutes with canned white beans, chopped veggies, and a lemon vinaigrette.

Save Recipe Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings: 2

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 161

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup to make vegan
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:

1 15-oz can cannellini beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
½ small cucumber diced
2 tablespoons red onion thinly sliced
2 springs fresh parsley chopped
1 tablespoon capers optional, but delightful

Equipment

Method

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
Wash and drain the beans, prep the veggies and parsley, and combine everything with the capers and dressing in a larger mixing bowl.
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ small cucumber, 2 tablespoons red onion, 2 springs fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon capers
Enjoy immediately, or store in the fridge for later.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 150mgPotassium: 251mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 485IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Storage: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Add protein: Toss in canned tuna, grilled chicken, or a chopped hard-boiled egg for a heartier lunch.

Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

Did you make this recipe?

I'd absolutely love for you to !

Top: A bowl of white bean salad with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, capers, and parsley. Bottom: A glass bowl with fresh lemon vinaigrette and a whisk. Text reads “Easy White Bean Salad. Lunch Today, Lunch Tomorrow. www.onehappydish.com.”

More Salads for One

Leave a Reply Cancel reply