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Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Salad with Basil

A short room-temperature rest lets cannellini beans take on a red-wine vinaigrette while roasted peppers and late-added basil keep the salad vivid.

Cannellini beans and glossy roasted red pepper strips are topped with fresh torn basil in a shallow bowl.

This no-cook salad depends on a little patience rather than a long ingredient list. Cannellini beans soak up the sharp, peppery dressing while roasted red peppers provide the main flavor and color.

Let the peppers lead

Roasted red peppers bring sweetness and a soft, smoky edge, so the rest of the salad stays restrained. Cannellini beans add a creamy base that makes each strip of pepper feel substantial.

Start with well-drained beans

Rinsing removes the canning liquid, and shaking off extra water keeps the vinaigrette from becoming diluted. Thin onion slices spread their mild sharpness across the bowl instead of dominating individual bites.

A wide spoon gently folds white beans, red pepper strips, and red onion through vinaigrette. — Cannellini beans, pepper strips, and red onion are gently folded through the vinaigrette before resting.

Give the dressing time

A brief rest lets the beans absorb some of the red-wine vinegar and olive oil, seasoning them beyond their surface. Folding once midway redistributes the dressing without roughing up the tender beans.

Add basil at the end

Torn basil releases its aroma as it is folded through, but it loses some brightness if left in the dressing for too long. Add it just before serving and keep the salad at room temperature so the flavors remain open.

Glossy cannellini beans, tender roasted red peppers, fine onion, and basil show the salad's texture. — Tender white beans catch the glossy vinaigrette beside soft red pepper strips and fresh basil.

Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Salad with Basil

4 servings

30 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Rinse the beans
Drain the cannellini beans in a colander, rinse under cool water, and shake off excess water so the dressing will cling instead of pooling.
Look for: The rinse water runs clear and the beans look clean, not foamy.
Prepare the vegetables
Drain the roasted red peppers and cut them into 1/2-inch strips; thinly slice the red onion so both can be distributed gently through the beans.
Look for: Pepper strips are bite-sized and the onion slices are thin and flexible.
Whisk the dressing
In a large serving bowl, whisk the olive oil and red-wine vinegar with the kosher salt and black pepper until the salt begins to dissolve and the dressing looks lightly emulsified.
Look for: The dressing is glossy and the salt is no longer sitting in a dry patch.
Dress the beans
Add the cannellini beans, roasted red pepper strips, and sliced red onion to the bowl; fold slowly with a wide spoon until the beans are coated without breaking apart.
Look for: Oil and vinegar lightly coat the beans, and the peppers remain in distinct strips.
Let the salad rest
Leave the salad at room temperature for 15 minutes so the cannellini beans can absorb the red-wine dressing; fold once halfway through the rest.
Look for: The beans taste seasoned through rather than merely coated on the surface.
Fold in the basil
Tear the fresh basil leaves by hand and fold them through the rested salad just before serving, keeping a few leaves visible on top for a fresh aroma.
Look for: Basil is bright green and spread through the salad without bruised dark patches.
Taste and serve
Taste a bean with a piece of pepper and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt or black pepper if needed, then serve at room temperature.
Look for: The roasted pepper leads, while vinegar keeps the beans lively and balanced.