Love it? Share it!

Not to be confused with the ever so popular Summertime Three Bean Salad, this delicious South African three bean salad offers a delightful blend of textures and spices. I particularly love how many fresh vegetables are incorporated into this vibrant dish!

It’s a recipe full of color and spice, and is a great way to give your body lots of wholesome ingredients. 

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.

What is South African Three Bean Salad?

This hearty, colorful salad is believed to have originated in West Africa, where beans have been a staple food for centuries. As African cuisine made its way across the globe, the salad gained popularity, thanks to its nutritious qualities and flavor-filled blended ingredients. 

There are many different versions of South African three bean salad. It is seen a lot with just the main beans used, or with additional ingredients included.

After comparing to a few other recipes, it is apparent that butter beans and fresh green beans are staple ingredients. Whereas, the kidney beans are often substituted for either canned baked beans or chickpeas. 

People can also make this recipe as simple or as complex as they want.

Essentially, you could simply mix all three beans together along with the spices and sauces and stick in the refrigerator for later. But I also found many enjoy adding more vegetables, such as carrots, zucchini and peppers.

In this recipe you’ll be adding all of these nutrient rich vegetables to your South African three bean salad. 

What Spices Are in African Three Bean Salad?

There are a variety of aromatic spices in this salad, all of which add depth and complexity to the dish. Each spice infuses its own bold flavor.

Let’s explore them all below! 

Curry Powder: Curry powder has a unique flavor with the combination of both savory and sweet spices. The savory spices like cumin, turmeric, and bay leaf give the curry a deep, earthy flavor while sweet spices, such as clove and cinnamon add brightness. 

Red Pepper Flakes: Made from various combinations of chiles like ancho and cayenne, these red pepper flakes add a slight spice and crunchy pep. 

Paprika: Paprika offers a subtle earthiness, with a sweet and peppery taste and vibrant red coloring. 

Parsley: Parsley is a mild bitter. It brightens flavors and adds balance to savory dishes similar to the way lemon juice makes food taste better. 

Rosemary: Rosemary is by far one of my favorite spices! It’s very complex, offering notes of pine, lemon, evergreen, lavender, mint and sage. 

Salt & Pepper: Your traditional tabletop spices, because every dish needs a bit of salt and pepper!

What to Serve with South African Three Bean Salad 

While you can enjoy South African three bean salad by itself, it is a versatile dish that complements many other dishes.

With Summer in full swing, it makes a perfect side to pair with grilled meats, like marinated chicken or seasoned steak. 

If you’re strictly vegetarian, pair it with some couscous, rice, or quinoa. Or simply top it with some fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice to perk it up for a Summer potluck. 

How to Make South African Three Bean Salad

South African three bean salad is super simple to make, but does require a bit of prep work with all the fresh vegetables this recipe boasts!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 16 oz Long Green Beans
• 1 8 oz Can Butter Beans 
• 1 8 oz Can Dark Red Kidney Beans
• 2 Medium Zucchini (Chopped)
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (Chopped/Diced)
• 5 Large Carrots (Peeled Shavings)
• 1 Yellow Onion (Chopped)
• 5 Fresh Garlic Cloves (Chopped)
• 2 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Tomato Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Curry Powder 
• ½ Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Tbsp Paprika (scant)
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Dried Parsley 
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper 
• 1/2 Tbsp Dried Rosemary 

Instructions

Step 1. Coat the bottom of a large non-stick skillet with vegetable oil. Chop up your onion and garlic into diced pieces, and place in the skillet. 

Step 2. Heat garlic and onions on medium heat, stirring occasionally. 

Step 3. While your onions and garlic sauté, chop your zucchini. I like to cut them into a circles, then into quarters from there to make nice small bite sized chunks. 

Step 4. Add the chopped zucchini to the skillet. Then prepare your green beans. Chop them into bite sized pieces and place into the skillet. 

Step 5. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the first layer on the carrots, and then continue to use the peeler to create long thin shavings for all the carrots. Place these carrot “noodles” into the skillet. 

Step 6. Then cut and chop the bell pepper. Don’t worry about rinsing any of the seeds. Just place into the skillet. 

Step 7. Next, using a strainer, rinse the kidney beans and butter beans and drain. Place them into the skillet to heat them through. 

Step 8. In a small glass bowl mix together all of the spices. Then add to the skillet vegetable mix and stir, thoroughly coating all the vegetables. 

Step 9. Add in both the tomato sauce and sweet chili sauce to the skillet and stir. 

Serving and Storing African Three Bean Salad

You can serve this dish warm or cold, however it is typically served cold. 

If you wish to serve it cold, then put the salad into a bowl and let sit on the counter to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to let chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to serving. 

South African three bean salad lasts for about three days in the refrigerator when stored in an air-tight container. However, you can also freeze it in a Ziploc Gallon Freezer bag up to 2 months.

Simply remove from the freezer the day before you wish to serve, and place in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. 

South African Three Bean Salad truly embodies the rich flavors and culinary heritage of the African culture. Whether served as a side dish or a main course, its vibrant colors and spice notes are sure to delight your taste buds. 

Free Printable Recipe Card

Make sure to subscribe to Grace Notes to gain access to over 75 free printables, DIY tutorials and all my free printable recipe cards!

More Delicious Recipes

I’d love to know if you gave this recipe a try! Did you serve it warm or did you refrigerate it to serve cold alongside some tasty BBQ? 

If you’re looking for more flavorful Summertime recipes, make sure to check these out next:

• Tomato Cucumber Quinoa Salad
• Simple Thai Turkey Salad with Peanut Lime Sauce
• Simple Refreshing Vegan Cucumber Sandwiches

You can also visit my recipe archives here.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! Make sure to subscribe to get my Grace Notes directly to your inbox and to access all my insider perks. You can also follow along daily on Instagram and weekly on YouTube!

~Sarah