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This simple Dense Bean Salad is packed with protein and health benefits. Featuring a mix of beans and crunchy veggies, this flavorful salad is tossed with a Mediterranean dressing. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners, quick lunches, summer cookouts, and meal prep!
I’m always looking for ways to eat more protein from plant based sources. If in the past I would rely on chicken every day, now my meals include plenty of vegan and vegetarian proteins.
I already love my lentil salad. But when I saw this viral bean salad on TikTok, I knew right away it’d earn a spot in my rotation. And months later, I still meal prep a big batch almost every Sunday.
What is a dense bean salad?
The Dense Bean Salad is a high protein salad featuring a mix of beans and fresh vegetables. Served with dressing, it’s full of flavors and textures: buttery beans, crisp cucumber, creamy cottage cheese, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.
This recipe went viral on TikTok thanks to Violet Witchel. It quickly became popular amongst health conscious people because it’s nourishing, satisfying, and so easy to put together!
But why “dense“? Dense means that every bite should be packed with flavor, fiber, protein and nutrients. Boasting 15 g of vegetarian protein per serving, it delivers on its promises.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy – It comes together in a bowl in 10 minutes, no need for cooking.
- Packed with health benefits – This TikTok salad is high in protein, fiber, and many other nutrients. Plus, it’s vegetarian, vegan-friendly, and gluten-free.
- Satisfying and delicious – It’s full of Mediterranean flavors and combines multiple textures. Creamy, buttery and crunchy at the same time.
- Customizable – You can toss in anything you’d like, from creamy avocado to chimichurri steak. Or make your favorite dressing!
- Great for any occasion – You can serve it as a side on Meatless Monday, as a quick summer lunch, or bring it to cookouts like barbecues and potlucks.
- Meal-prep friendly – Make a large batch for no-cook weeknight dinners or lunch boxes at work.
Ingredients
This high protein dense bean salad has just a handful of ingredients. Here are more details, you can find the precise quantities in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Navy beans – They’re buttery and flavorful. For convenience I used low sodium canned beans, but you can also cook dry beans at home. White beans (Italian cannellini) work too.
- Chickpeas – Garbanzo beans are packed with protein and texture. Use canned or cooked chickpeas, or replace with your favorite beans.
- Cottage cheese – The main source of protein along with beans. For creaminess, I recommend 4% fat whole milk cottage cheese, but also low fat (2% fat) or nonfat works. Use dairy-free cottage cheese for a vegan dense bean salad.
- Vegetables – Tomatoes, English cucumber and red onion are my to-go choices. But you are free to use your favorite like bell peppers, mushrooms, roasted zucchini, eggplant, kale or broccolini.
- Mediterranean dressing – You’ll need extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and honey or pure maple syrup as a base. For seasoning, use dried oregano or Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper.
- Mix-ins – My version has pumpkin seeds and diced avocado. But feel free to add whatever you’re craving. Tasty ideas are Kalamata olives and roasted corn.
Tips for choosing beans
- You can use either canned or cooked chickpeas and beans.
- If you choose canned beans, I recommend low sodium options. Or rinse well under running water to remove excess salt.
- If you cook dry beans at home, plan ahead. They require hours of soaking and cooking.
- There is no need to cook canned beans, just drain and rinse well. They are ready for serving.
How to make dense bean salad
Here’s an overview with step-by-step pictures. You can find more details in the printable recipe card at the bottom.
Step 1 – Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice (or vinegar), honey (or maple syrup), dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 2 – Prep ingredients. Rinse and drain the beans and chickpeas if using canned. Dice tomatoes, slice cucumber and slice onion thin.
Step 3 – Combine ingredients. In a large bowl, combine white beans, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and red onion. Stir in the cottage cheese for creaminess and extra protein.
Step 4 – Toss in dressing. Pour the dressing over and toss to coat.
Step 5 – Serve. For the best flavor, cover the bowl and refrigerate the bean salad for 30 minutes. Or serve immediately. If desired, top with pumpkin seeds and diced avocado just before serving.
Recipe variations
- Vegan – Swap cottage cheese for dairy-free cottage cheese and make the dressing with maple syrup.
- Extra protein – Add diced chicken breast, salmon, tuna fish, crispy baked tofu, tempeh, or seitan.
- Chimichurri steak – Mix your dense bean salad with steak or chimichurri steak diced in pieces.
- Extra cheese – Either combine or replace cottage cheese with briny feta cheese, vegan feta, shaved Parmesan, or mozzarella.
- Mexican – Add black beans, roasted corn, jalapeños, and avocado. I love topping mine with whipped cottage cheese (as a healthy swap for sour cream) before serving with air fryer tortilla chips.
- Other dressings – Spicy peanut sauce, lemon tahini, Greek yogurt ranch dressing, honey Dijon mustard, or a healthy Caesar dressing. Choose your favorite!
Matteo’s tips
- Use a mix of beans – I like navy beans and chickpeas. But feel free to use any bean you want. Some tasty ideas are black beans, great Northern beans, lentils, edamame or a combination of those.
- Add your own touch – For more flavor, mix in your dense bean salad chicken, steak, tofu, feta, black olives, or your favorite veggies. You can also swap the dressing.
- Let chill before serving – After mixing and coating with dressing, refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors meld, as the dressing soaks into the beans and veggies.
- Meal prep it – Double or triple the quantities and make a larger batch ahead for the week. It’s perfect for lunch boxes, quick dinners, or vegetarian side dishes.
Health benefits
As a certified nutrition coach, I eat this dense bean salad almost every day. Beyond taste, it’s packed with fiber, protein and health benefits.
- High in fiber and plant protein – The combination of fiber with protein makes it super satisfying, so you’ll stay full for hours. Fibers also help with digestion and constipation.
- Complex carbohydrates – Unlike white bread and refined flours, beans are a source of slow releasing carbs. They will give you energy steadily, for hours.
- High volume – It’s high in volume and low in calorie, meaning you can eat a lot without gaining weight. So, it’s perfect if your goal is losing fat.
- Packed with nutrients – Beans are rich in vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium and folate. Instead, cottage cheese contains B vitamins and calcium.
Are beans high in protein?
Yes, beans do have some protein, but they’re mostly carbs. Plus, the protein isn’t complete on its own. To get all essential amino acids, pair them with grains (like rice or quinoa) or dairy (like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese).
That’s why I love making my dense bean salad with cottage cheese: more protein, more nutrients, better macros.
Storage directions
- To store – After mixing, transfer the bean salad to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before serving, and if necessary mix with a drizzle of olive oil.
- To freeze – As they don’t thaw well, freeze it without the cucumber, cottage cheese, and dressing. Portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir in fresh cucumber, cottage cheese and dressing before serving.
More high protein bean recipes
Dense Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) navy beans, cooked or canned and rinsed
- 1 cup (160 g) chickpeas, cooked or canned and rinsed
- ¾ cup (150 g) tomatoes, diced
- ⅓ English cucumber, sliced
- ¼ small onion, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup (180 g) cottage cheese, full fat recommended
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, optional
- ½ diced avocado, optional
Mediterranean Dressing
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tbsp lemon juice, or red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp honey, or maple syrup
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ⅓ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt, or more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, or more to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice (or vinegar), honey (or maple syrup), dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Prep the bean salad
- Rinse and drain the beans and chickpeas if using canned. Dice tomatoes, slice cucumber and sliced onion thin.
- In a large bowl, combine white beans, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and sliced red onion. Stir in the cottage cheese for creaminess and extra protein.
- Pour the dressing over and toss to coat.
- For the best flavor, cover the bowl and refrigerate the bean salad for 30 minutes. Or serve immediately.
- If desired, top with pumpkin seeds and diced avocado just before serving.
Notes
- To store – After mixing, transfer the bean salad to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Just give it a good stir before serving, and if necessary mix with a drizzle of olive oil.
- To freeze – As they don’t thaw well, freeze it without the cucumber, cottage cheese, and dressing. Portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir in fresh cucumber, cottage cheese and dressing before serving.
- Nutritional values are approximations, and they may vary based on ingredients used. For accuracy, calculate your own.
- Nutritional values include pumpkin seeds, avocado, and dressing.
