Dense Bean Salad
TikTok creator Violet Witchel made this dense bean salad go viral for good reason. It’s simple, high in fiber, protein-packed, and stays delicious for days. My version keeps the same hearty texture and zesty flavor that made her trend explode.
Reasons to Love Every Bite
High Protein & Filling: Loaded with hearty beans that keep you full without weighing you down.
Fresh Flavor & Crunch: A mix of crisp veggies, zesty dressing, and herbs gives every bite a bright, satisfying crunch.
Perfect Make-Ahead Dish: Dense bean salad tastes even better after chilling, ideal for meal prep, potlucks, or quick lunches all week long.
Dense Bean Salad Ingredients
Beans: Any beans work in this salad! But be sure to drain and rinse them well to remove any excess liquid.
Cheese: If you want, you can use your favorite cheese! I love mozzarella, parmesan, feta, or a mix of all three.
Peppers: Bell peppers add color and crunch. I used yellow, but feel free to use any color or colors you like.
Olives: Use Kalamata olives to add more depth of flavor.
Parsley: Fresh herbs bring any recipe to life! Don’t skip the parsley.
Salami: You can substitute it for pepperoni or prosciutto, or you could also add chicken or steak.
Honey: Use your favorite sweetener! Try agave and maple syrup.
How to Make Dense Bean Salad
This dense bean salad recipe comes together in no time! Just a quick chop, toss, and you’re done! If you like this recipe, make my three bean salad next!
Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, and oregano.
Toss the Beans and Veggies: In a large bowl, add the garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, black olives, red onion, English cucumber, bell pepper, salami, cherry tomatoes or red pepper, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.
Mix with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the salad, then gently toss to combine.
Chill: For the best flavor, cover the dense bean salad and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours!
Dense Bean Salad
Ingredients
Salad
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed1 (7-ounce) package sliced salami1 cup diced English cucumber1 medium diced yellow bell pepper1 cup sliced black olives¼ cup diced red onion1 cup cherry tomatoes halved1 cup mozzarella cheese cubed¼ cup grated parmesan cheese¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Dressing
½ cup olive oil2 tablespoons honey¼ cup red wine vinegar3 teaspoons dijon mustard2 cloves minced garlic1 teaspoon dried oreganosalt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Notes
In the Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead: This salad is meant to be made ahead, so the flavors meld! Make it up to 2 days in advance! Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition
More Fresh and Flavorful Salads
If you’re like me, sometimes you just need a big bowl of fresh vegetables in a zesty dressing. Just like in my black bean and corn salad or my Southwest chickpeas salad. Here are a few more to try.