Tomato Feta White Bean Salad with Arugula is a protein-packed yet light summer salad with both garden fresh cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Tossed with spicy arugula, feta cheese and a simple vinaigrette, it's ready in just 10 minutes! It makes the perfect dinner side dish with grilled chicken, burgers, or sausages and is a great meal prep lunch!
This beautiful fresh White Bean Salad is perfectly versatile for any occasion! With a pantry staple like canned white beans, you can make it as a quick weeknight dinner with Skillet Burgers, Simple Roasted Salmon, or Shaved Pork Roast Sandwiches!
It's best in the summer when our garden is bursting with cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs, but you can really make it any time of year! Try more of my 24 Summer Salad Recipes too!
Try our other favorite side dish salads like this Broccoli Salad with Feta and Cranberries, this Lemon Feta Orzo Salad, or this Panzanella Bread Salad with Cherry Tomatoes!
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Ingredients & Swaps
- White Beans - Beans are such a great healthy pantry staple, packed with fiber, vitamins and protein, and not to mention delicious! I used great northern beans, but you can use any type of white beans, including canellini, navy or garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Love white beans? Try my White Bean Bruschetta and my Tomato Soup with White Beans!
- Fresh Cherry Tomatoes and Sun-dried Tomatoes - Using both fresh summer tomatoes and jarred sun-dried tomatoes gives this white bean arugula salad a flavor packed contrast! However, a white bean tomato salad is extremely versatile and easily adaptable. Either kind of tomato could be left out, and you could also substitute other veggies like sliced fresh or roasted red pepper, cucumber, kalamata olives, artichokes, or red onion. You could also add ALL of these veggies to really bump up the nutrition!
- Feta Cheese - Again this white bean feta salad is super versatile! Crumbled feta is my favorite, but you could also use shaved Parmesan, goat cheese or the mini pearls of fresh mozzarella for a white bean caprese salad variation!
- Arugula and Basil - Fresh greens and herbs add bright flavor to your salad! Don't substitute dried herbs, it won't be the same! You could also use sliced spinach, oregano, or even a combination of cilantro and mint for an all new flavor!
- The Dressing - This is a super simple vinaigrette with just a few ingredients. You can shake it all up in a jar and you can make it ahead of time if you like. The vinegar could be substituted with red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice. You could also really use any basic store-bought or homemade vinaigrette dressing that you have!
Instructions
This White Bean Tomato Feta Salad couldn't be easier! It can be thrown together in just 10 minutes for a quick summer side dish! You can easily double the recipe to feed more people.
Step 1 - Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
Step 2 - Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a bowl or shake them in a mason jar with a lid. Add the dressing to the salad and toss well to combine.
Recipe Tips
- Use Fresh Herbs - I used basil and arugula but you could really use any fresh herbs that you have such as chives, parsley, thyme or oregano. I do not recommend subbing dried herbs for this recipe.
- Look for a jar of sun-dried tomatoes that is packed in oil versus the bag of dried tomatoes, although these are fine too. Sometimes they come sliced, or you may have to slice them yourself, but the oil they are packed in just adds extra flavor to the salad. If the jar has been refrigerated, the oil will be solidified. This is fine, just slice them up, the oil will thaw as you toss the salad.
- For the best flavored feta cheese, I like to buy a block of feta that comes in a tub of liquid, versus the dry crumbles. Then just crumble it with your fingers or a fork. You can usually find this at a co-op or the deli counter at the grocery store.
- Salad Additions - Feel free to leave out any ingredients you don't like. You could also add cucumber, sliced red onion, capers, artichokes, kalamata olives, bell pepper, canned tuna, spinach or other fresh herbs.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- Storage - Leftover arugula white bean salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Make Ahead and Meal Prep - The dressing can easily be made ahead and will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. The salad can also be made a day in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Wait to add the dressing and toss just before serving. This recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd!
What to Serve with White Bean Salad
This Mediterranean flavored tomato white bean salad is an excellent summer side dish for grilling and a perfect "what to bring" option for a gathering! Serve it with:
- Grilled Split Italian Sausages with Giardiniera
- Burgers, Brats, or Hot Dogs
- Grilled Steak Kabobs
- Grilled or BBQ Chicken
- Honey Mustard Dry Rub Ribs
- Broccoli Salad
- Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
- Avocado Bean Dip with Veggies to Dip
Recipe FAQs
No, freezing this salad is not recommended. The fresh tomato, and herbs will lose their texture and the salad will be watery. However, you can freeze half your can of white beans after you drain and rinse them if you want to make a smaller batch. A mason jar is great for this. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or by running them under water to use.
Yes, just omit the feta cheese or using a vegan cheese substitute. This is also a gluten-free bean salad.
Yes, top your Tomato Feta White Bean Salad with grilled chicken, shrimp, salmon or sausage links and serve it with some crusty bread for a healthy dinner!
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If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!
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Tomato Feta White Bean Salad with Arugula
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Print Pin RateIngredients
For the Salad
- 1 can white beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes sliced
- ⅓ cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- ¼ cup fresh basil to garnish
For the Dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 grinds fresh black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the salad to a large bowl. Drain and rinse the white beans. Arugula and basil can be roughly chopped or left whole.
- Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together, or shake them in a mason jar with a lid.
- Combine the dressing with the salad and toss well.
Notes
- Use any type of white beans such as great northern, canellini, navy, or garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
- If bringing to a party, wait to add the dressing and toss just before serving.
- You can add or substitute different ingredients such as cucumber, sliced red onion, capers, artichokes, kalamata olives, bell pepper, canned tuna, spinach or other fresh herbs.
Phyllis says
Delicious
Darcy says
So very tasty!! And, easy and fast to make, which was perfect after a long day. I'm cooking for one so I kept the dressing separate to use as I eat it.
Christy Heitman says
Delish Meryl