This marinated orange & white bean salad is the perfect easy bean salad! Packed with such incredible flavor, while being light and refreshing.

the inspiration

I love bean salads. They are always such a great way to pack in lots of nutrients and have something delicious. So, I was thinking about beans and oranges one day and then I knew I wanted to make a marinated orange & white bean salad.

The salad is filled with fennel, red onion, cucumbers, beans, and oranges. It has a delicious orange dressing and it is so perfect for summer. The recipe is easy to make and it will be sure to impress people.

All the colors look just absolutely gorgeous together. This is perfect for serving at a get together or party. It will make all your guests go crazy for it!

ingredients for orange and white bean salad

the ingredients

White Beans: you can use cannellini beans, great northern beans, or small navy beans. You just want a plain white bean. You can also swap this for chickpeas or butter beans if you like that.
Oranges: I used Cara Cara oranges because they are just so pretty and sweet. However, you can use Navel or even Blood Orange. We will use them in the salad and for making a dressing.
Red Onion: the red onion becomes almost pickled and it is so delicious in the salad. Of course if you want to omit them you can.
Fennel: this adds in a nice flavor. The flavor of fennel is actually a bit like licorice. However, do not let that steer you away from using it. I personally hate licorice but do enjoy fennel. It brightens up the salad!
Cucumber: I love cucumbers and think they work really well in bean salads. So, I always love to add them in. Also, I really like using either an English cucumber or a Person cucumber.
Olive Oil: we will use this to make our dressing. I like light olive oil but you can use extra virgin olive oil.
Salt & Black Pepper: we will use it to season the marinated orange & white bean salad

how to make marinated orange & white bean salad

cutting up oranges for orange and white bean salad

You will take 1 orange, use a sharp knife to cut down and remove the peel. Save those peels with some fruit to add to dressing. Then, slice and chop the orange. The other orange cut in half for the dressing.

dressing for orange and white bean salad

In a jar combine juice of the orange and saved peels, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Shake to mix up and taste.

In a large bowl combine the white beans, fennel, orange, red onion, and cucumber.

Pour over the dressing and mix. You can let the salad sit for up 15 minutes or up to 6 hours before plating.

Add to a large platter.

Garnish with orange slices (be sure to clean the orange beforehand) and the feathery tops of the fennel. If desired sprinkle more black pepper and salt over top.

what else can i add to this bean salad?

While, the salad is so delicous on all its own I totally get that some people might like to add more to it. So here are just a few ideas:

Pistachios. As I was plating this, I thought to myself “Pistachios would be great here.” The flavors of this salad are very Italian with the fennel and oranges, so the pistachios would be very fitting here.
Vegan Cheese. I think a vegan feta would be great here. You can use store-bought or I have a recipe.
Bread Cubes. If you want this to feel a bit more like a panzanella, an Italian salad made with bread cubes, you can definitely add some in and they would be delicious.
Fresh Parsley. I actually thought I had bought parsley, when I went to find it in my fridge I didn’t see it anywhere. It works out great to use the top of the fennel as a garnish and herb, but I do think some chopped parsley would be nice.
Fresh Basil. I also think some basil would be great in here. Any fresh herbs can really change the flavor.
Add a grain. I actually think anything would work well in here: pasta, quinoa, couscous, or even rice. It would be so delicious in here!
Lemon Zest or Lemon Juice. If you want to really up the zest and acidity add in some lemon zest or juice.

why you’ll love this marinated orange & white bean salad

I think there’s just something so great about this bean salad. The flavors work really well together. It doesn’t require too many ingredients and the dressing just needs to be shaken up, no whisk needed!

It is a great side dish to pair with your favorite protein. I enjoyed this with some air fried tofu and it was so good. The flavors are bright, while we get in lots of great fiber and micronutrients.

marinated orange & white bean salad faq

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

Yes! No nuts, soy, or gluten used here.

How do I store leftovers?

In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, after sitting around for 24 to 36 hours the cucumbers will get very soft.

What recipe can I pair this with?

I think it would go great with this Crispy Breaded Tofu or enjoy it on the side of a delicious Vegan Burger.

Is this a full meal or side dish?

It is truly your call! If you want this to be a full dish just eat more of it. If you want it to be a side dish, then have it on the side of something!

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