There are a hundred million mixed bean salad recipes out there.
This is my mom’s. That is why it is here. And I like it.
When I was a young adult, but old enough to appreciate driving my mom to hang out at the shopping mall together, we had lunch at a fancy deli.
She had a mixed bean salad with avocado that she loved so much, she asked how it was made and then made it herself.
She was given the ingredients with only a few measurements, as the server was not the chef. When she got home she figured it out herself, wrote it down, and has made it many times.
All of this recipe creating is unlike my mom.
She is a Milk Calendar recipe reading, Butterick pattern sewing, coffee on the porch mom.
So I remember it well.
The other special thing about this Mixed Bean Salad recipe was the avocado. You know how there was a time avocados were in everything and were everything? This was before that.
Way before that.
My mom was using avocados before avocados was a thing!
There was a time, not too long ago, when avocados were a specialty and not sold by the bag. Kiwi fruit were pretty novel too.
Oh, the server did remember 5 drops of hot sauce, but you could use more, or less.
Easy Beans?
You will need about 38oz (1123.78mL) canned beans. And if you find any in tetra packs, that would be better than canned. My opinion.
We used 2- 19 oz cans, but sometimes I use 3- 398mL cans, because I have three types of beans.
Why do beans come in such different packaging weights?
I bothered to do this, so I’m sharing it.
1- 19 ounce can = 561.89 mL 2-19 ounce cans = 38oz = 1123.78 mL
1- 15 ounce can = 443.6mL 3- 15 ounce cans = 45 oz = 1330.8 mL
1- 13.45 ounce can = 398mL 3- 13.45 ounce cans = 40.35 oz = 1194 mL
This is not baking, it is a salad, so about 38 ounces (1123.78 mL) of beans.
You can cut your vegetables any size or shape you want, because, salad.
But I put large square diced, which is a bit less than an inch (2cm), for the Anal Chef.
How to Make my Mom’s Mixed Bean with Avocado Salad
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6-8
Prep Time – 20 min
- 2- 19 oz (2- 1123.78mL) cans or boxes of any combination of your fav beans like kidney, chickpeas, cannellini, navy etc.
- ¼ cup (65mL) red wine vinegar
- Green beans, cooked tender crisp, cooled and cut about 1” (3cm) to equal 1 good cup
- ½- 1 sweet red pepper, large square diced
- ½ sweet onion, large square diced
- 1 -2 avocados, large square diced, to be added last, or on the side
Dressing ingredients
- ⅓ cup (83mL) olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 5 drops tobasco sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
When you are getting your ingredients together, start with the green beans since they need to be cooked and cool.
I steam them.
If your onions are strong, and you don’t like them too strong, pour boiling water over them, then drain and chill before using them in salad.
Rinse and drain the beans well. This is to remove any tinny taste, if they are canned, excess sodium, and flatulence juice.
I have read that red wine helps to soften the skins of beans, especially kidney beans, After they have been soaked and cooked. Not before. Vinegar added to dried uncooked beans does not allow them to soften. So before I combine all of my ingredients, I toss the mixed beans with the red wine vinegar in a large bowl and set it aside.
If you would rather, you could also just add it in with the dressing ingredients.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients, adding the red wine vinegar if you choose to, and set aside. Stir occasionally so the salt and sugar dissolve.
adding lemon juice and hot sauce
whisking in garlic powder
Add the green beans, onions and red peppers to the beans and toss lightly.
Give the dressing another whisk and gently stir through the salad.
Check seasoning.
Add avocado last, and gently fold it in.
If you are serving this the next day, or like to make this so you have leftovers, or expect to have leftovers, serve the avocado on the side, or at least, just before serving.
My mother would probably sprinkle this with fresh parsley as well.
Mixed Bean Salad with Avocado
Full of textures and tastes. The gathering at the table staple.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: Green beans, 5 minutes
Servings: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
- 2- 19 oz (2- 1123.78mL) cans or boxes of any combination of beans
- ¼ cup (65mL) red wine vinegar
- Green beans, cooked tender crisp, cooled and cut about 1” (3cm) to equal 1 good cup
- ½- 1 sweet red pepper, large square diced
- ½ sweet onion, large square diced
- 1 -2 avocados, large square diced, to be added last, or on the side
Dressing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (83mL) olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 5 drops hot sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Clean and cook the green beans, then cool and cut them.
- Rinse and drain the beans well and put them in a large bowl.
- Prepare your other vegetables.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside. Stir occasionally so the salt and sugar dissolve.
- Add the green beans, onions and red peppers to the beans and toss together lightly.
- Give the dressing another whisk and gently stir through the salad.
- Check seasoning is to your liking.
- Add the avocado last, and gently fold it in just before serving.
If you are serving this the next day, or like to make this so you have leftovers, or expect to have leftovers, serve the avocado on the side, or as close to serving time as you can.
