Dense Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes is the perfect meal prep salad that's satisfying, filling and delicious. High in fiber, plant-based protein, and super nutritious!
Did you know that most North Americans are only meeting half of their daily fiber requirements? That's right, we're meant to be eating 25-38g of fiber a day, and the average adult isn't even getting close.
That's why as a dietitian, I'm a huge fan of Violet Witchell's dense bean salad recipe- definitely check out her Substack if you haven't already. I wanted to put my and had to put my own spin on it, ever since I began making my own variatoin every week. Fiber is so important for blood sugar management, digestion and gut health, and this dense bean salad packs in 14g per serving. It's a win for your tastebuds and your gut!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Packed with fiber. Did you know that most North Americans aren’t meeting their fiber needs? Fibre is so important for our health, and one serving of this salad has 14g.
- Perfect for meal prep. Since there's no delicate leafy greens in this salad, it holds up really well for meal prep- even with the dressing on.
- High in plant-based protein. I am always trying to incorporate more plant-based protein into my life, and this dense bean salad is a great source.
Ingredients
Legumes. For our beans and legumes, I'm adding chickpeas and white beans. Both are a great source of fiber and plant-based protein. Plus, white beans are a nice softer bean packed with a milder flavour, so they blend in well.
Bocconcini. These are soft mild cheese that pairs perfectly with the saltier additions of the olives and sundried tomatoes. I recommend using mini bocconcini if possible, but you can also slice larger bocconcini balls in half.
Fresh vegetables. I added red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes for a pop of colour and freshness. Grape tomatoes and any color of bell pepper will work.
Parsley. I recommend flat leaf parsley for a bit of freshness and micronutrients.
Artichokes. Jarred or canned artichoke hearts will work great in this recipe for additional fiber. I recommend looking for artichokes stored in water (instead of oil) to help reduce the overall fat content.
Sun dried tomatoes. Jarred marinated sun dried tomatoes work best in this recipe. I love the bright flavour that these add to this dense bean salad.
Kalamata olives. For a bit of salt and healthy fats.
Hemp seeds. I love hemp seeds as an easy protein and healthy fat addition.
Turkey breast. Nitrate-free turkey breast slices are one of my faovurite ways to add additional protein to a recipe like this.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine chickpeas, white beans, shallots, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, bell peppers, parsley, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, olive, hemp seeds and turkey breast if using.
- To make the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano and honey if using. Adjust seasoning to desired taste.
- Pour dressing over the salad.
- Toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
To make vegetarian: I added turkey to make this higher in protein, but you can easily omit it for a vegetarian bean salad.
To make dairy-free: omit the bocconcini.
To make nut-free: this recipe is naturally nut-free.
Looking for added veggies?
- Add a few cups of marinated chopped kale
- Swap in any chopped veggies of choice. I typically try to think of vegetables with lower moisture levels to ensure they stay fresh when prepped in advance- think diced broccoli or carrots.
Use what you have on hand! For example, if you don’t have white beans, red kidney beans or black beans work well. Many of the ingredients in this salad can easily be omitted or replaced. Ingredients like artichokes and olives are add-ins that won’t make or break the salad if omitted.
Equipment
Storage
This dense bean salad can stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This is a great option to prepare meal prep lunches because there is nothing in it that will go soggy if stored overnight, so store the salad with the dressing on.
Top Tips for Success
The key to a good bean salad is ensuring everything is chopped and diced small enough to get a taste of everything in every bite.
This bean salad can be customized to meet your desired tastes! Get creative and add leafy greens such as kale or spinach for more greens, use a variety of different beans, swap out the chopped vegetables or add pepperoncinis for spice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dense bean salads are a trend I can absolutely hop on as a dietitian. Not only are the budget friendly and a great option for meal prep, but they also pack in key nutrients like fiber and protein.
More Meal Prep Recipes
If you like this dense bean salad, try these next:
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this dense bean salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Dense Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 540 mL can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 540 mL can white navy beans rinsed and drained
- 2 shallots diced
- 1 cup mini bocconcini sliced in half
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 2 cups flat leaf parsley chopped
- ¼ cup canned artichokes chopped
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sliced kalamata olives
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- 200 g nitrate free turkey breast chopped (optional)
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon honey optional for sweetness
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine chickpeas, white beans, shallots, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, bell peppers, parsley, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes , olive, hemp seeds and turkey breast if using.
- To make the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano and honey if using. Adjust seasoning to desired taste.
- Pour dressing over the salad.
Amy says
This is so good! I had some hearts of palm open so threw those in too. Love the dressing! Excited to have this ready for lunches this week! Thank you!
Victoria says
This was SO good. I used red kidney beans instead of navy beans, cilantro instead of parsley and feta instead of bocconcini. It was perfection. This one’s going into the regular rotation for sure! I love that it gets better the longer it sits and travels well!
Riley says
This is a great salad to meal prep for lunches during the week. Great flavors and super easy to make! (I did omit the olives and doubled the sun-dried tomatoes)
Christine says
Easily one of my new favourites! I love bean salad and this is so perfect for meal prep. It’s one of those things that gets better as it sits in the fridge. I’ve been eating it as a quick lunch but also have added a scoop of it to my dinner plate for more volume and nutrients. It’s also such a flexible recipe that you can switch up to use what you have.
Nicole Addison says
This is your sign to hop on the dense bean salad train!! This is the perfect make ahead lunch to help you meet your protein and fiber goals (and it tastes delicious)! I hope you enjoy!
Diana B says
It is so hard to find a salad with a good amount of fibre and protein and this salad not only perfectly hits those macros but does so with such amazing flavours. Eating this meal makes me realize how much taste I compromise with commercially made salads and dressing. Lunch meal prep perfection.
Sarah says
This is amazing!!!! So perfect for lunch or a light dinner when it's warm outside! I left out the meat and cheese to make it vegan and served it with some ciabatta bread. I already can't wait to make this again!