Growing up in the South, we were surrounded by three-bean salads, which are something of an aquired taste. We ate up Mama’s beans and ham hocks, but give us kids a cold bean salad and we’d be out the backdoor. Well, now we’ve seen the error of our ways—plus canned beans seem to be better these days, less mushy and more flavorful. Here we toss them with spicy cheese and leftover ham for a main-course salad that’s delicious served with cornbread.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, combine the ham, kidney beans, chickpeas, green beans, scallions, and pepper Jack cheese (if using). Add the dressing and gently toss until combined.
Step 3
For each portion, arrange 2 leaves of Bibb lettuce to make a bowl on a plate and fill with the bean salad.
a bit more, y’all
Step 4
This salad gets better as it sits (up to 4 days, refrigerated), so it’s perfect for picnics and potlucks.
