Three Bean Salad

Lucky Number 7 Bean Salad

 

This was always my favorite summertime salad.  I’ve doctored it up a little, added a few more beans and gave it a little kick.  Try it out and see what you think.

½ cup red kidney beans

½ cup great northern beans

¼ cup soldier beans

¼ cup black beans

¼ cup pinto beans

¼ cup lima beans

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 bay leaf

½ tsp black pepper

Combine above ingredients in slow cooker/crock pot and cook on high for four hours.  Do not remove cover during cook time unless more water needs to be added.  Drain, discard bay leaf, rinse and cool completely (about 3 hours in fridge). 

Measure 5 cups of beans and place in large bowl.  Sprinkle with ½ tsp kosher salt and toss.

*2 cups pickled green beans cut into 1 inch pieces, drained, reserve liquid

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup largely diced onion

3-5 sliced Chile peppers

½ cup reserved pickled green bean broth

½ cup Italian salad dressing

2 Tbsp sugar

½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp parsley

¼ tsp celery seed

Combine pickled green beans, onion and peppers in bowl with mixed beans and toss gently.  In small bowl combine garlic, dilly bean broth, sugar, pepper, parsley and celery seed and mix well.  Slowly add Italian salad dressing while whisking.  Pour mixture over beans and toss to coat.  Let stand in refrigerator for an hour to chill and incorporate flavors before serving.

© Crackerberries 2013

*Note: usually I would use my own dilly beans but I tried making this recipe from BHG and didn't care for them much by themselves, but they are perfect for this recipe.