If using canned butter beans and chickpeas, drain them into a colander and rinse briefly under cool water. Allow to drain thoroughly and pat lightly with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place butter beans (1.5 cups) and chickpeas (1 cup) in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare vegetables and herbs

Halve the cherry vine tomatoes (1 cup) and add to the bowl. Thinly slice the small red onion to yield about 1/4 cup and add to the bowl. Pit and halve black olives (1/2 cup) and add them in. Finely chop the parsley (1/4 cup) and mint (2 tbs) and add to the bowl. Season with sea salt (1/2 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper (1/4 tsp) and gently toss to combine the solids.

Dressing

Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar combine sherry vinegar (2 tbs), lemon juice (1 tsp) if using, minced garlic (1/2 tsp) and Dijon mustard (1/2 tsp). Whisk while slowly streaming in extra virgin olive oil (4 tbs) until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust salt/pepper or vinegar to balance acidity.

Dress the salad: Pour the dressing over the bean-vegetable mixture. Using a large spoon, gently fold everything together until contents are evenly coated. Let the salad rest 10–15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld. Taste again and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or a splash more sherry vinegar if desired.

Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of chopped parsley or a few whole mint leaves if desired. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.