A gorgeous Tuscan Bean Salad with barley, sun-dried tomatoes and a light pesto dressing that adds loads of fresh, vibrant flavors. Enjoy it as a light meal or as a side to anything grilled or roasted!
This time of year I’m always looking for delicious, make-ahead salads that I can pull out of the fridge and serve as a side to anything that comes off the grill. To really tick off all the boxes, and because it’s almost picnic season, the salad must also be easy to transport and serve without needing to be reheated or fussed over.
But wait! There’s a few more things I’m looking for. The ingredients must be readily available, it needs to be easy and quick to assemble, and lastly, delicious and satisfying. Well, you guessed it, this Tuscan bean salad is all that and let me tell you, we can’t get enough of it.
Made with white canned beans, barley, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, and a pesto-lemony dressing, this salad is just perfect for the spring-summer season. It makes an excellent filling and protein-rich lunch, or a great side for grilled chicken, baked fish, or grilled veggies.
This recipe has been a staple in my kitchen for years and I have no doubt it will become a house favorite for you, too.
What Makes This A “Tuscan” Bean Salad?
There is an Italian deli in my town that sells a Tuscan bean salad that everyone, myself included, seems quite infatuated with. No surprise, they charge a pretty penny for it which was reason enough to try recreating a version of my own. But also, I’ve never been a huge fan of eating store-bought, pre-made salads that may not be as fresh as we are led to believe.
To be sure, it may be a gimmicky selling feature to label the salad as Tuscan. However, Tuscans are known throughout Italy for their love of beans. So much so, they are lovingly referred to as mangiafagioli, or bean eaters. Cannellini beans are particularly popular in Tuscany but so are borlotti, fava, and many other varieties.
Premium sun-dried tomatoes mostly come from Southern Italy, but many tomato farms in Tuscany also marinate their gorgeous sun-kissed tomatoes in oil.
Farro, which is grown in the mountainous Garfagnana area of Tuscany, would have been a better choice to use here than barley. However, barley is what they use in the deli salad and I love it. It is also a grain I always keep in my pantry for soups and salads, and it is a lot more budget-friendly than farro. That said, barley is also grown in Italy’s northeast region, so we didn’t stretch the envelope too much.
No matter what this bean salad is called, just know that it is super delicious and you’re going to love it.
Ingredients Needed And Notes
This vegan Tuscan white bean salad is made with mostly pantry ingredients. This means you can throw it together for a last minute side or light meal.
- Beans: To keep things simple and easy, I use canned white beans for this salad. White cannellini beans are always my first choice because I like their meaty texture and robust flavor. But sometimes they are hard to find so here I used a mix of Great Northern beans and Navy beans which work just as well. White kidney beans, or butter beans, will also work.
- Chickpeas: Garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas, make this salad heartier and up the protein.
- Barley: I prefer to use pearl barley for this salad. Pot barley, also known as hulled barley, is the more nutritious of the two because it isn’t stripped of its outer bran layer, but it takes longer to cook. Pearl barley is also more readily available.
- Pesto: The pesto truly makes this salad sing. It adds so much flavor! Store-bought pesto is perfect for this recipe. However, if you want to make your own pesto, this would be lovely here.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Here we use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. I like to pat them with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
- Red onion: If you prefer a less harsh taste from the onions, quickly soaking them in water and vinegar will mellow their bite.
- Garlic: I like the bit of bite the garlic gives this salad but if your pesto contains garlic, you can likely omit it.
- Fresh lemon juice and vinegar: To provide a good dose of acidity and keep the flavors bright and fresh, we’ll mix a little lemon juice and vinegar with the pesto. You can use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
- Fresh parsley and fresh basil: I garnish the salad with a chopped flat-leaf parsley and basil, but this is optional. There is typically plenty of parsley and basil in pesto so you won’t miss it for the flavor.
Variations And Substitutions
Add arugula: The bean salad keeps longer in the fridge without any greens added. However, if I’m serving it for a special occasion, I will add a few handfuls of arugula.
Barley: As I mentioned above, farro would be a fabulous grain to use here. For a gluten-free salad, use brown rice.
Add celery or fennel: I often add 1 cup of chopped celery or fennel which adds another flavor profile and some great crunch.
Add more veggies: If you’d like even more veggies in this simple salad add in some chopped cherry tomatoes, red peppers, yellow peppers, fresh corn kernels or blanched asparagus.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the barley according to package instructions (or follow instructions in recipe card). Let cool.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pesto, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
Step 3: Drain and rinse the beans and chickpeas and add them to the bowl along with the sun-dried tomatoes and red onions. Toss gently to coat everything with pesto dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Step 4: Serve, garnished with fresh herbs, if using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Loaded with beans and chickpeas, this salad is packed with good-for-you nutrients like vitamins, fiber and plant-based protein.
This healthy salad also includes a hefty amount of barley which among grains, is one of the best sources of fiber.
In addition, we do not add just a small amount of oil to make the dressing, which keeps everything light and even healthier.
Barley is not gluten-free. If you need to make the salad gluten-free, use brown rice instead, or simply omit the barley.
Cans of beans are pantry staples and make it easy to throw this salad together. However, dried beans are notoriously superior to canned so they would be lovely to use in this salad. To make them, rinse and sort through the dried beans and discard any small rocks or debris. (I typically do not soak my beans but you can if you want to.)
Next, add the beans to a large pot, along with a couple of bay leaves. Cover with water by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, and cook until tender. Depending on the beans you use, and the age of the beans, this will take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. While the beans are cooking, top with water every so often so the beans remain covered by a few inches.
Remove the amount be needed for the salad; drain and rinse and allow to cool before using.
Serving Suggestions
We love eating this hearty salad as a light main dish with perhaps some crusty bread on the side. It also makes a great side dish to grilled or roasted protein such as this skillet chicken or these turkey burgers.
This Tuscan bean salad recipe would also be a lovely addition to a Mother’s Day brunch or a bbq spread alongside other salads.
🌟Tip🌟
If you chill the salad, make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 1 hour before serving. The flavors are much nicer when served at room temperature.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
The best past about this salad is that it keeps well for days in the refrigerator. This makes it ideal for meal prep to use for lunches or sides throughout the week.
- Make Ahead: Serve the bean salad immediately or let it marinate in the fridge, covered, for up to 1 day ahead. If making ahead, hold back on the fresh herb garnish.
- To store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
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I hope you love this Tuscan Bean salad recipe! If you make it, please leave a comment and star rating at the bottom of the page so I know how you liked it. Thank you!
Tuscan Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons pesto
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 (15oz cans) white beans such as cannellini beans or Great Northern, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (see notes)
- 1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed barley with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes or until still a bit al dente. Remove from heat and let stand for 2-3 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Tip: To cool faster, spread out the cooked barley on a sheet pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pesto, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Add the rinsed white beans, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and onions. Toss gently to coat everything with pesto dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and serve garnished with fresh parsley and fresh basil, if using.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Serve the bean salad immediately or let it marinate in the fridge, covered, for up to 1 day ahead. If making ahead, hold back on the fresh herb garnish.
- To store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
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