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This simple vegan Red Kidney Bean Salad is perfect for a quick lunch, side dish for dinner, picnic in the park, or backyard BBQ. There’s no cooking involved and no mayo in sight — just fresh ingredients tossed together in a light vinaigrette. Easily doubled or tripled for a crowd, and it only gets better as it sits, so it’s a great one to have on hand for meal prep. Ready in just 15 minutes!
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As the salad sits, the cucumbers release some of their juice, which becomes part of the dressing flavor. It’s delicious eaten right away, but leftovers are even better.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ready in 15 minutes — no cooking required.
- No mayo — dressed in a light, tangy vinaigrette instead.
- Meal prep friendly — it genuinely tastes better the next day.
- Easy to scale — double or triple it for a potluck or backyard BBQ.
- Naturally gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Kidney beans — Mild in flavor and easily absorb the tastes of whatever they’re paired with. They hold their shape well, which makes them a great choice for both cold and hot dishes. Canned is used here for convenience — just be sure to drain and rinse well. If kidney beans aren’t your thing, chickpeas, black beans, or white beans like cannellini or navy beans all work as substitutes.
- Radishes — Raw radishes bring a peppery, spicy bite that contrasts nicely with the creamy beans and cool cucumber. Diced bell peppers or carrots are a good substitute if you prefer.
- Cucumber — Fresh, cool, and hydrating. English cucumbers are preferred here for their thin skin and minimal seeds. If using a regular cucumber, wash the waxy skin well (or peel it), and consider halving it lengthwise and scraping out the seeds with a spoon.
- Parsley — Fresh parsley brings a lovely herby, lemony flavor that does a lot of the flavor work in this dish. Don’t substitute dried parsley — the flavor just isn’t the same. Cilantro can be used instead if you prefer a different herb profile.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Step 1: Add the beans and vegetables. To a large mixing bowl, add the kidney beans, diced cucumber, sliced radishes, and diced red onion.
- Step 2: Add parsley and seasoning. Stir in the fresh parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Step 3: Whisk the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil.
- Step 4: Toss and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Eat immediately, or cover and refrigerate — it only gets better as it sits.
Pro tips and tricks
Drain and rinse canned kidney beans well.
Chop the cucumbers and radishes into bite-size pieces, roughly the same size as the kidney beans, for the best texture in every bite.
Use fresh parsley, not dried — or swap in cilantro for a different flavor profile.
This salad gets better as it sits, making it a great make-ahead meal prep dish.
For an oil-free option, whisk in about a tablespoon of dijon mustard in place of the oil to help emulsify the dressing, adding a touch more maple syrup if needed to balance the tang. Another option: Skip the dressing entirely and simply use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead.
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Freezer: Freezing this salad is not recommended — the fresh vegetables won’t hold their texture after thawing.
FAQs
Chickpeas, black beans, or navy beans all work well if you want to switch things up. Or combine 2 or 3 types of beans to stretch the recipe for a potluck.
Yes! Whisk in about a tablespoon of dijon mustard in place of the oil to help emulsify the dressing, adding a touch more maple syrup if needed to balance the tang. Another option: Skip the dressing entirely and simply use a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead.
Not necessarily. English cucumbers have thin skin and minimal seeds, so they generally don’t need any special prep. If you’re using a regular cucumber, the seeds can be a bit tougher — halving it lengthwise and scraping them out with a spoon gives a more pleasant texture, though the seeds themselves are nutritious and some people prefer to leave them in.
More easy vegan bean salads
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Red Kidney Bean Salad
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Bean Salad
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans drained and rinsed (or 3.5 cups cooked kidney beans)
- 1 English cucumber diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 radishes diced (about ¾ cup)
- ¼ – ½ of a medium red onion diced (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup use 2 teaspoons if you like it sweeter
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Add kidney beans, cucumber, radishes, red onion, parsley, salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, pure maple syrup and oil.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss well to combine.
- Eat immediately or cover and refrigerate. It only gets better as it sits!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Pamela Fender
I made this recipe a few weeks ago and it was delicious and even more so after a day or two.
Quick question: I’m making this for a potluck and wanted to ask you if I could make this with the kidney beans and black beans combined. Or would you just recommend one or the other?
Thank you.
Jenn Sebestyen
Yes, you could absolutely do that. Enjoy! And thank you for your comment!
Lynne
I made this last night for supper; it is simple, but tasty. With the weather cooling down, radishes are good again, and I always love beans 🙂 I only remove cucumber seeds when making dishes like tabouli where I want to emphasize the crunch factor.
Jenn Sebestyen
Glad you enjoyed it, Lynne!
Lynne
Still a fave — made it again this week as radishes were good and on sale and cukes are getting better. Not summer here yet 🙂
Jenn Sebestyen
So happy you love it! Thanks, Lynne!
Kathy Moore W5052 Clearwater Lane
I use to remove the cucumber seeds – then one day I read how nutritious they are.
Jenn Sebestyen
I’m sure that’s true and, like I said, with an English cucumber I never remove them. But the thicker, tougher seeds of a regular cucumber aren’t that pleasant. To each their own.
David B. Pratt
easy and great changed some ingrediants to on hand but is great..
Jenn Sebestyen
Thank you, David! Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Jessica Levinson
This kidney bean salad is perfect for summer gatherings! So easy and sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Jessica! I think so too!
Julie
This salad looks so refreshing and nutritious and perfect for warm weather! What if I left the oil out? I’m trying to cook with no oil. Can you think of any substitutions?
Jenn S.
Hi, Julie! I think you could definitely swap out the oil. Try a little dijon mustard instead. Start with a tbsp and add more if needed. You might need a little more sweetener to balance the tang, too. Let me know how it turns out!
Whitney E, R.D.
I love kidney beans + this salad looks absolutely amazing! I can taste all that deliciousness from here. The incorporation of cucumbers is my favorite part. This is so colorful and refreshing 🙂
Jenn S.
The cucumbers are key! They really lighten up the flavors! Thanks, Whitney!