Tender and creamy marinated white beans in a garlic infused olive oil with lemon, thyme, and paprika. This simple but flavorful marinated white bean salad is a great fresh and protein-rich lunch option.
Here’s a quick little meal component to keep on hand if you’re like me and would be happy eating toast for lunch every day. This marinated white bean salad is great to serve with a slice of good bread and some fresh greens. I love how the acidity of the lemon juice complements the creaminess of the white beans. A hint of garlic, paprika, and fresh thyme round out the flavors in these easy marinated beans. They’ll store well in the fridge for up to a week so you can grab a scoop any time you need a quick meal or snack.
Marinated White Bean Tips:
- by infusing the olive oil with garlic, you can enjoy garlic flavor without the pungency of garlic in your dish. Or you can go for it and include the garlic itself if you’re like me and can’t get enough garlic
- a bit of heat wouldn’t be unwelcome in this salad- add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce to serve.
- use fresh or dry thyme for this dish, or use any herbs you have or prefer. I think rosemary would be great here or some nice fresh parsley or dill.
- mash some or all of the beans if you want more of a spread.
- double this recipe if you’re sharing with a partner or family because it won’t last long!
Lemon Thyme Marinated White Beans

Tender and creamy marinated white beans in a garlic infused olive oil with lemon, thyme, and paprika. This simple but flavorful marinated white bean salad is a great fresh and protein-rich lunch option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- pinch of salt, to taste
- 15 oz can of white beans, drained
Instructions
- Heat a small pot on the stove, add the smashed garlic cloves and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for a couple of minutes
- Carefully remove the garlic cloves and either mince them or discard them, depending on how much garlic flavor you want in the finished beans.
- In a large bowl, add the olive oil, garlic if using, and all other ingredients except the beans. Whisk them together until smooth.
- Pour the rinsed beans into the bowl and toss to coat in oil. Taste and add more salt or other ingredients if desired. Store in a jar to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour but preferably for a few hours to let the flavors develop.
- Serve over toast, on a salad, or with pasta.
Delicious! So much flavour for so little cost and effort !
Just one comment, the recipe doesn’t state that you need to fry the garlic in the oil, but I did because I assume that’s what you meant!
★★★★★