Vegan Three Bean Salad

Bean salad doesn't likely conjure up images of a delicious side dish... until you get a taste of mine! ;) Even bean haters end up loving my Three Bean Salad and asking for the recipe. If you're looking for an easy to prepare side dish that's also healthy and easy to take with you anywhere, try my recipe below. Minced onion and garlic are better than the powders, but you can try both or one or the other and see which you like best. The beauty of this recipe is that it's customizable so mix and match and see what you enjoy most.

Three Bean Salad

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can kidney, red or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped (optional)

1 stalk celery, sliced (optional)

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil for a rich flavor, but you could use canola for lighter taste)

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

In a bowl, gently mix the garbanzo beans, kidney beans, green beans and onion. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, honey, mustard, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Pour dressing over the salad, and toss gently to coat. Cover, refrigerate at least 2 hours, and gently toss before serving.