Old Fashioned Three Bean Salad

ByJennifer Osterholt May 9, 2025May 9, 2025

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A sweet vinegar dressing coats canned green beans, wax beans, kidney beans and is accented with green pepper and onion to make an Old Fashioned Three Bean Salad.

Easy to toss together in less than ten minutes this is a great salad to take to a summer picnic.

White serving bowl full of canned three bean salad with a silver spoon handle sticking out the side on a yellow and white napkin.

Canned Three Bean Salad Recipe

Green beans and wax beans are a sweeter bean that have a similar flavor. Kidney beans add the texture, onion flavor nicely compliments everything else, green pepper has a crunch and fresh flavor and the sweet vinegar dressing provides balance and ties it all together.

Comparable to our Broccoli Cranberry Salad or Carrot Salad, you don’t expect the vegetables to be sweet. Then there’s a delightful surprise in the tangy and delicious dressing on our Old Fashioned Three Bean Salad that makes it enjoyable.

Similar to our Cold Sauerkraut Salad, the bitterness and boringness of canned vegetables is balanced out with the sweetness in the simple dressing.

Close up serving spoon full of colorful and delicious three bean salad being lifted above the serving dish.

Ingredients Needed

Cut Green Beans
Wax Beans – same shape as green beans, but yellow in color
Kidney Beans – dark red or light red doesn’t really matter
Onion
Green Pepper
Bean Salad Dressing – Sugar (can easily be cut in half), canola oil (can substitute vegetable oil), white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper

Ingredients to make three bean salad are a can of cut wax beans, a can of dark red kidney beans, a can of cut green beans, sugar, white wine vinegar, canola oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, and a green pepper on a wooden counter top.

Step By Step Instructions

Chop the green pepper and onions. Drain the cans of beans.

Pour everything into a medium sized mixing bowl.

Medium white mixing bowl with sections of chopped green pepper, dark red kidney beans, onion, canned green beans and canned wax beans.

In a small dish stir together the dressing ingredients.

Rice vinegar and canola oil in a small metal mixing bowl with sugar and other seasonings to make a homemade salad dressing.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir well.

White mixing bowl to stir together all of the ingredients in a batch of old fashioned three bean salad.

Cover and refrigerate. Serve the bean salad cold and enjoy!

Close up small white dish full of a vintage picnic recipe made with canned beans, green peppers, onion and a simple homemade dressing.

Grandma’s Three Bean Salad is a great recipe to make a day or two ahead of the party and store in the refrigerator. Just stir before serving and keep chilled for the best flavor.

More Vintage Recipes To Enjoy

Categories:

Recipes, Salad,

Jennifer Osterholt

I share how to make life easier while raising a busy family! From delicious desserts to easy dinners and simple breakfast recipes. I’m here to make your time in the kitchen more efficient while building confidence!