Easy Three Bean Salad Recipe - Water Bath Canned, Low Sugar, Honey Sweetened

5 from 1 vote

Easy Three Bean Salad Recipe - Water Bath Canned, Low Sugar, Honey Sweetened

Delicious, honey-sweetened three bean salad recipe that's safe for canning - this will become a go-to side dish for BBQs and family dinners.

Prep Time30

Cook Time8

Canning15

Total Time53

Course: Salads

Cuisine: American

Servings: pints

Calories: 77kcal

Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

water bath canner
6-8 quart stockpot
5 pint jars and lids
ladle, slotted spoon, canning funnel

Ingredients

5 cups cut green beans about 1.5-2 pounds
1.5 cups kidney beans, 1 can
1.5 cups garbanzo beans, 1 can
1 cup chopped or sliced onion, about 2 medium onions
1 cup diced sweet red pepper, about 1 large pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery, optional
2.5 cups apple cider vinegar or other 5% acidity vinegar
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice (do not substitute fresh or more vinegar)
1/3 cup honey (or 1/2 cup cane sugar)
2 teaspoons canning or sea salt (pure salt, no additives)
2 teaspoons black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, optional to taste
1-2 teaspoons optional herbs, basil or oregano to taste
2-3 tablespoons optional olive oil (I don't usually use this so it's not included in the nutrition)

Instructions

Cut up green beans into bite-sized pieces (smaller pieces make it easier to add to the jars and to eat afterwards) and prep the other produce. Fill canner 3/4 full with water and set on heat to bring to a simmer.
Add the prepped vegetables and all other ingredients to a 6-8 quart stockpot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer 5 minutes, stirring a couple times.
While salad is simmering, wash 5 pint jars with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and then fill again with hot water to sit while finishing cooking. Wash lids and rings to have ready as well.
Using a stainless steel canning funnel and slotted spoon, fill the jars with the drained salad. It's easiest to use the slotted spoon to fill the jars with the salad to about an inch of headspace. Then use a stainless ladle to add the liquid leaving a 1/2 inch of headspace. (Doing it this way helps to even out the salad and liquid across all 5 pints).
Remove air bubbles with a chopstick (or small spatula) and add more liquid if needed to keep the 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim and attach lid to just fingertip tight.
Add jar to the canner rack and repeat with remaining 4 jars. TIP: Keep rack above water, fill with all the jars and then lower rack and jars all at once before turning up heat to high to start boiling.
When the canner comes to a boil, start timing for 15 minutes. Adjust the heat to keep at a nice, even boil. When done, turn off heat, remove lid and let jars sit in canner 5 minutes (this helps prevent siphoning).
Use a jar lifter to remove jars to a towel lined surface (I like to use a tray to be able to move them without disturbing if needed). Cool 12 hours, check lids for seal, label and store.

Notes

Storage:
Properly canned foods are good for up to 18 months (this is according to the lid manufacturers). Before opening a jar pulled from your shelf, do a quick search to make sure the lid is still sealed (they do lose seal in storage, though it is very rare) and the food still looks good.

High Altitude Adjustment: If processing at an altitude of higher than 1000 feet above sea level you'll need to adjust the processing time according to this chart.

If you have any jars that didn't seal (which is rare!), store them in the fridge and use first.

Note: This recipe is based on the National Center for Home Preserving's tested 3-bean salad and the Ball Blue Book's 3-bean salad. See post for the specific adaptations.

Nutrition