Plant-Based Dense Bean Salad Recipe Guide

Dense beans salad went from viral TikTok trend to meal prep staple and for good reason. They are easy to make in bulk, super nutritious, and packed with favor.

We’ve got TikTok creator Violet Witchel to thank for this simple meal prep trend.

Nutritional Benefits of Bean Salads

As a registered dietitian, creating something that’s highly customizable to individual preferences while incorporating beans is a win-win.

There’s a reason beans made it into Fig Lane Nutrition’s 11 Top Vegan Meat Alternatives. When it comes to beans there are so many different verities with different uses but nutritionally, you cant go wrong. Most beans have around 15 grams or protein and 15 grams of fiber in 1 cup. That’s more than half the recommended daily value for fiber.

In addition to the beans, it is also easy to pack in some healthy fats, antioxidants, and micronutrients.

Bellow you will find a recipe guide to get you started with making your own plant-based dense bean salads and an example recipe using some of my favorites.

Uses:

Although “Plant-Based Dense Bean Salad”, has salad in the name, its uses extend far beyond just salad.

• Dip for chips or pita crips
• Grain bowl topping
• Salad Topping
• Flatbread topping
• Pita pocket filling
• Denes bean salad nachos
• Loaded baked potatoes
• Mixed with hot pasta
• Mixed with cold pasta salad

Dense Bean Salad Variations

With Fig Lane Nutrition’s Plant-Based Dense Bean Salad Recipe Guide, you can create endless variations that suit your taste preferences and dietary needs.

Go down the list and choose one or more items from each categories to build your own salad recipe. Note quite ready to make your own? Check out one of my favorite recipes using the “*”, ingredients below.

Step 1: Choose Your Beans

Beans form the base of the salad, so you can go with one or a variety of beans for a good mix of textures and flavors. Here are some options:

• Black Beans
• Butter beans
• Cannellini beans/White beans
• Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans*
• Kidney beans
• Navy Beans
• Pinto Beans
• Rattlesnake beans

Looking to change things up? You can also try this with different types of whole lentils.

Step 2: Choose Your Vegetables

• Asparagus, blanched and chopped
• Avocado
• Cabbage
• Carrots, raw or roasted
• Celery
• Corn
• Cucumber or pickles
• Olives*
• Onions
• Radish
• Roasted sweet potato
• Sweet or spicy peppers
• Tomatoes

Tip: Go for a mix of colors to ensure you’re getting a variety of nutrients!

Step 3: Fruits (Optional)

Trust me on this one, fruits may sound weird in a bean salad but as long as your choosing the right ones, the parings are unmatched for a sweet and savory combo.

• Dried apricots
• Dried cherries
• Dried cranberries
• Mango
• Orange or nectarine*
• Pineapple

Step 4: Herbs or Greens

• Arugula
• Basil
• Cilantro/Coriander *
• Dill*
• Mint
• Kale
• Parsley
• Spinach*

Step 5: Dressing

Acids:

• Apple cider vinegar
• Lemon, zest or juice
• Lime, zest or juice
• Orange, zest, or juice
• Rice vinegar
• White wine vinegar*

Oils:

• Neutral oil (Avocado, Canola, or Vegetable oil)
• Olive oil*
• Sesame oil

Step 6: Favoring and Texture Boosts

Some of these can help for your dressing where as others like croutons and toasted nuts can go right into our salad.

• Dijon mustard or whole seed mustard*
• Croutons
• Garlic*
• Ginger
• Plant-based cheese
• Smoked paprika
• Tahini
• Toasted Nuts or seeds (ex. toasted sesame seeds, slivered almonds or pine nuts*)

Tip: Make it ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge for an hour or two—this allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.

*See the recipe below using these ingredients for an example recipe.

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