This very basic Tuscan bean salad recipe is made with a variety of different beans, as well as corn, fresh herbs, sundried tomatoes, anchovy paste and more, for a full-flavored salad which is reminiscent of the Mediterranean.

Dried beans are healthier and cheaper than canned beans but they usually require a long soaking and cooking time which some people do not have. In the height of summer it is also nice not to have to turn the stove on to cook beans for hours, so let canned beans come to the rescue if you like. Just make sure you drain and rinse them well.

You might wonder what chiffonade-cut basil means and this is very easy to make. Basically you need long, thin strips of basil for this bean salad recipe. The easiest way to do this is to roll all the leaves together in a cigar shape.

Then, using a sharp knife, cut diagonally across the cigar shape to make slices. Each slice will open out and you will have lots of long, thin strips. This is far quicker than slicing each leaf individually and rolling them up ensures they stay in place so you can cut them properly without missing any bits.

This bean salad recipe is very easy to prepare because all you have to do is mix everything together, taste and season it. You do not have to marinate this recipe or leave it in the refrigerator for the flavors to blend if you do not want to, although some people think this improves the flavor.

You can make this up to two days ahead if you want to. Just give it a good stir before you serve it, to redistribute the dressing and freshen up the flavor a little.