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White Bean Salad with Arugula: Ellie Krieger Tricolor Salad

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This delicious White Bean Salad with Arugula is one of my go-to recipes when we have company over. It’s full of flavor, unique and insanely good. If you need a tasty side dish idea that is ready in just minutes, keep reading!

Arugula in a bowl topped with white beans and parmesan cheese.

I was sent a pr pitch about a recipe by Ellie Krieger for the Saturday Evening Post. The ingredients sounded interesting and so I gave it a try.

It has become one of my favorite salads to make for lunch, as a side dish and any time I entertain or am asked to bring something to a potluck.

So while this isn’t my recipe and you can find it elsewhere on the web, I couldn’t find a printable recipe card so I created my own. I changed up the recipe slightly but I give thanks to Ellie Krieger every time I make it!

Why This Recipe Works

The ingredients for this Arugula White Bean Salad are simple, mostly shelf-stable and the salad, as a whole, is entirely uncomplicated. That’s my kind of recipe. 

Ellie Krieger’s Tri-Color Salad recipe calls for radicchio and endive but I generally just stick with the bagged arugula to keep things super simple. 

You guys, I love arugula. And it comes in a bag, ready to go, with no extra prep. If I am going to eat something healthy for lunch, it has to be easy. And this salad is EASY!

The salty parmesan cheese and tangy balsamic vinegar pair so well with the peppery arugula. The white beans (sometimes called cannellini beans) are creamy and a great way to add a little protein to a salad.

It’s just different. It’s not your run-of-the-mill green salad. And it pairs well with just about any main course. Although I like to add chicken and make it my main course.

Need another white bean recipe? Make this White Bean Caprese! SO good. An you can never go wrong with Goat Cheese and Arugula.

Printable pages on top of an image of kitchen gadgets with text next to it.

Ingredients

Ingredients laid out on a cutting board to make an Arugula White Bean Salad.
  • Arugula
  • White Beans (you can also use cannellini beans or Great Northern beans)
  • Olive Oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Parmesan cheese

Scroll down for the full ingredient amounts and a printable recipe card. The amounts will depend on if you are making just one salad at a time or a large portion for a party.

This recipe is nearly foolproof so you can guesstimate and use your stomach as a guide.

How to Make a White Bean Salad with Arugula

A large bowl of salad with arugula and cannellini beans.

In a large bowl, add the arugula. You can measure or just add handfuls.

Rinse and drain the white beans then add the desired amounts.

Grate a handful of fresh parmesan cheese and add to the salad bowl.

Close up of an arugula salad with white beans and parmesan in a blue bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Kid eating salad with white beans and arugula out of abowl.

My son is a VERY picky eater (although this Black Bean Salsa is a favorite!). And he LOVES this salad. I think it has everything to do with the balsamic being so sweet and the fact that he is a fiend for parmesan. The first time he tried it, he tried to maneuver around the beans. 

I don’t blame him, white beans are the only beans I’ll eat because of the mild flavor. But now he eats all of it. 

Tips

Save time | If you want to cut out a step, you can simply drizzle about 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top of the salad, then sprinkle some Maldon sea salt to finish.

Make more | It’s super easy to turn this recipe that serves about 3 into a salad for a crowd. Simply double or triple the recipe. Pick up a few bags of arugula, buy a few cans of white beans and grate the whole piece of parmesan. SO easy!

Money-saving | Don’t want to spend a ton on great quality parmesan? You can use a different type of cheese that is less expensive. The Black Pepper Toscano Cheese from Trader Joe’s is really good in this salad, or you can use another hard salty cheese that is more affordable.

Quality | The key to this Arugula White Bean Salad recipe is using good quality ingredients. Because the recipe is simple, the flavors really stand out. A nice bottle of extra virgin olive oil really adds another layer. And a good balsamic can make or break a dish.

Take it with you | If you are serving this salad away from home simply prepare the salad ahead of time but don’t add the dressing until just before serving.

Make it fancy | As I mentioned above, Ellie Krieger also uses radicchio and endive. I’ve made it with these as well, and the presentation is very nice. If I am serving this for company, I consider including these two ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use a different kind of bean?

This recipe is best with White Beans. While there may be slight variations, most white beans that you will find in the canned food aisle, will work. They are sometimes called cannellini beans, Great Northern Beans and I have also seen some called White Kidney Beans. Any of these are fine.

Can you add other things to this salad?

Yes, you can add other ingredients to this White Bean Salad. A squeeze of lemon would be tasty. Some prosciutto would also be a nice touch. I love adding roasted beets to arugula salads. Toasted almonds would add a nice crunch too. If you think it would taste good, add it!

Related Recipes

A blue bowl of salad with arugula, white beans and parmesan on a table.

White Bean Salad with Arugula

This simple White Bean Salad with Arugula recipe is quick enough for a tasty lunch but special enough to serve company at dinner. With the salty parmesan and creamy white beans, this recipe works great as a side dish but can also stand on its own.
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Calories: 332kcal
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, radicchio, endive, beans, and Parmesan. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, and salt.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the arugula, white beans and parmesan cheese.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and salt.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

Notes

If you want to cut out a step, you can simply drizzle about 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top of the salad, then sprinkle some Maldon sea salt to finish.
It’s super easy to turn this recipe that serves about 4 into a salad for a crowd. Simply double or triple the recipe. Pick up a few bags of arugula, buy a few cans of white beans and grate the whole piece of parmesan. SO easy!
If you don’t have parmesan you can use another flavorful, hard, salty cheese.
Use good quality extra virgin olive oil and good balsamic vinegar for best results. They don’t have to be expensive but should be well made and not use fillers or additives.
If you are serving this salad away from home simply prepare the salad ahead of time but don’t add the dressing until just before serving.
Ellie Krieger also uses radicchio and endive in this salad. I don’t do that if I am making this as lunch for myself, but it is a nice touch if you are serving this to others. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 364mg | Potassium: 746mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 928IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 5mg
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4 Comments

  1. That salad looks so good! I’m going to make it. Thanks for the recipes.

  2. This recipe sounds amazing! I laughed the first half though because I’ve been getting SO many “pitches” and they don’t even start off with my name. MY NAME?! That’s so basic and is easily found in my “About” section. I have a hard time hitting delete without responding, but may start doing that to save time.

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