Try this creamy masa harina bean salad if you are looking for a filling, nutritious and easy to make meal. This salad is loaded with protein and fiber plus tons of great flavors making it an easy lunch, a hearty side dish or even a light dinner.
Credit: Caitlin BenselIn this one-level bean salad, we incorporate dense ingredients for a more filling meal. Here is a salad that has beans, veggies and it’s all stirred together to help keep Drs away..ha ha!
Dense Bean Salad Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients :
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1 . Beans: Rinse and drain the black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas Dense bean salads — which are puffy and filling, thick-skinned beans like perusini or lima nests.
2 . Mix the Vegetables: In a large bowl, add beans and mix in red onion, cucumber, red bell pepper with cherry tomatoes. They offer a delightful crunch as well as color to your salad, making it quite literal both healthy and colourful.
3 .For the Dressing: whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in small bowl. This tart, citrus dressing really brings out the flavors of the beans and veggies. Caractheristic seasoning salt and pepper
4. Mix It All Together: Add the dressing to the beans and veggies. Stirring very gently to coat evenly. I asked them to show me how they prepare this delicious bean salad, and here I am sharing the recipe that you made for us. This thick chili is covered with vegetables and sprinkled with a sour sauce so flavorful!
5 .Chill and Serve: The salad is best when left in the fridge for roughly 30 minutes before serving. Allow the beans to pick up on all the flavors of the zesty dressing, which will make this salad simply irresistible.
Nutritional Benefits of a Dense Bean Salad
This thick bean salad recipe gets its nutrients from beans.
- Protein-Rich: This salad is vegetarian and vegan friendly since beans are an amazing plant-based protein.
- Fiber: With black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas this recipe is quite a bit higher in fiber than many other recipes — so as an added bonus it helps you feel full longer.
- Healthy fats: made with olive oil, a heart-healthy fat that adds thickness and flavor without the extra calories or cholesterol of heavier dressings
- Vitamins and Minerals: This is a biggie – from the fresh vegetables, notably vitamin C in bell peppers and tomatoes along with potassium found mostly beans.
Ingredient Substitutions and Additions
The best part is that this Cuban bean salad recipe is super versatile. It is easy to switch out ingredients for your likes and what you have in the kitchen.
- Beans: Use black beans or kidney beans if you like, but switch to cannellini beans, pinto beans or even lentils for a change of pace.
- Vegetables: If your answer is ‘yes, please’, then dice some celery and carrots so everyone can get their crunch on or maybe a little roasted corn with its sweetness and smokey flavor. Another case where you want to add them raw towards the end – well not in this particular soup since there are none:) Note that ingredients like paraddix will take about 35 minutes to tenderize!
- herbs: Fresh herbs are a good choice, yes for parsley but also try cilantro or basil if you like them.
- Spices: add some cumin, smoked paprika or chili flakes for extra flavour and to make the salad spicier.
- Add Protein (optional): If you aren’t completely vegetarian or vegan, grill a chicken breast to throw on top of this for some extra protein.
Why This Salad is Dense
This dense bean salad is called “dense” because it sure packs a ton of nutrients into your belly! This salad is packed with tons of fiber, protein and healthy carbs by combining three beans! This is a meal that’ll fill you up but isn’t something really hefty or an entrée with all the fixings.
Beans are nutritious and filling, meaning you will be satisfied for long hours even from a small serving. Combined with some vegetables and a simple, flavorful dressing it is such a well-rounded meal that you can have at any time of the day.
Serving Suggestions
Dense Bean Salad This salad has tons of beans and great as a side for just about anything!
Serve as a side dish: great to eat with grilled meats or fish for proper family meal.
For a main course: Over mixed greens or quinoa if you want something more filling.
Wrap filling: Fill a whole-wheat tortilla with the salad for an easy, healthy lunch.
Meal Prep: Double up at the start of the week and have it as a ready to go meal or snack for rest of this same one.
Storage Tips
This is a thick and crunchy bean salad that you can store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. which makes it perfect for preparing meals thoroughly. You can stir it a smidge before serving to re-mix the dressing with all of your veg.
Final Thoughts
This recipe for dense bean salad is more than just a food remedy with lighting speed from preparation to table. It is a healthy and fulfilling meal bursting with flavor and nutrition. Whether you are making this salad to serve at one of the many summer BBQs, packing it for a light lunch or just looking at it as an impressive main-ish course… I am SURE your tastebuds will be pleased with my original recipe.
Its short prep time and basic ingredients make it a perfect quick meal or side dish for those who want to incorporate healthier foods without losing flavor. Next time you want a healthy, hearty dish go for this bean salad — I promise it will not disappoint!
