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Packed with veggies, fiber-rich legumes and convenient protein, this Mediterranean dense bean summer salad is a lettuce-less salad that packs a nutritious punch. It is an easy recipe inspired by the viral TikTok dense bean salad and WORTH THE HYPE! Excellent choice for meal prep lunches or a crowd-pleasing potluck side dish.

Protein-packed dense bean salad made with beans, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes served on a plate.
Jump to:
  1. 1 Erica’s thoughts:
    1. 1.1 Here’s why you’ll love it too:
  2. 2 Simple ingredients you need to make dense bean salad:
  3. 3 How to make this healthy bean salad:
  4. 4 Variation ideas and expert tips:
  5. 5 FAQs
  6. 6 If you like this dense bean salad recipe, you’ll want to try these other healthy lunch ideas!
  7. 7 Dense Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
    1. 7.1 Description
    2. 7.2 Ingredients
    3. 7.3 Instructions
    4. 7.4 Notes
    5. 7.5 Would you like to save this?
    6. 7.6 Nutrition
    7. 7.7 Did you make this recipe?

Erica’s thoughts:

Isn’t social media so funny? You take something like bean salad, that I’ve been making for the past decade, but then call it ‘dense bean salad’ and create a video that goes viral and voila! The bean salad is re-born and everyone is re-obsessed. A true TikTok – make moment.

This recipe is giving pasta salad but instead of pasta, we’re using beans! We all have Violet Witchel to thank for making beans cool again. But I have to say that as a registered dietitian I have ALWAYS thoughts beans were cool. They are such an excellent source of fiber and boast nutrients like potassium, iron and B vitamins. Paired with a rainbow of antioxidant-rich veggies and quality protein, this anti-inflammatory salad checks all the marks for a balanced meal and makes my dietitian heart (and belly) happy.

Wooden bowl filled with colorful dense bean salad mixed with beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs.

Here’s why you’ll love it too:

  • Convenient protein: doesn’t get much easier than canned beans and deli chicken! You can use rotisserie or the sliced kind from the deli counter.
  • Versatile: there are LOTS of ways to make bean salad. My take is inspired by Violet’s Mediterranean dense bean salad and features a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. You can serve this Mediterranean bean salad as a main dish or side dish.
  • Meal prep: soooo, I made this recipe once to test it, once to shoot it, and a THIRD time to film a video. Needless to say, I’ve been eating this nutrient-dense salad for manyyyy days. Whether you enjoy it straight from a small bowl or pack it for lunch, it’s a fantastic way to have something satisfying ready to go in the fridge!
  • Balanced nutrition: high protein, high fiber, full of antioxidants and most importantly, SO TASTY, this meal is a great option for a balanced midday meal.

Simple ingredients you need to make dense bean salad:

Dense bean salad ingredients including beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, cheese, meats, and herbs.

Beans: you could use any variety of beans you enjoy! I use a can of garbanzo beans and a can of white beans – but great northern beans, pinto beans, black beans or red kidney beans are great! 

Veggies: I’m super lucky to have a thriving garden and weekly farm box of fruits and fresh vegetables to make this easy summer salad. I love to use cherry tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, fresh parsley and other fresh herbs if I have them!

Protein: I snagged sliced chipotle chicken and uncured salami from the deli counter- helloooo convenience! The protein here is versatile- use rotisserie chicken, pepperoni, sliced turkey, tuna or even cubed tofu.

Cheese: the best part about this recipe is you can choose your journey here. I love mini mozzarella pearls and the unexpected cheddar from Trader Joe’s. You can find mozzarella pearls in the ‘fancy cheese kiosk’ usually right in front of the deli (great place). Other delicious options: parmesan, goat or feta cheese.

Dressing: I LOVE this sun-dried tomato salad dressing. It is packed with healthy fats and tangy tomato flavor. Other incredibly delicious options are a simple white balsamic vinaigrette, parmesan vinaigrette or jalapeño lime vinaigrette.

How to make this healthy bean salad:

Blend up the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. This dressing features sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, fresh garlic, oregano, honey (or maple syrup) and red wine vinegar.

Dressing ingredients for dense bean salad in a blender, including herbs, garlic, and olive oil.
Blended sun-dried tomato vinaigrette dressing for dense bean salad in a food processor.
Jar of sun-dried tomato vinaigrette made to serve with dense bean salad.

In a large bowl add chick peas, cannellini beans, tomatoes, red peppers, cucumber, red onion, chicken, salami, cheeses and parsley. Add ¾ of the dressing and toss everything to combine. I like to serve with an extra dollop of dressing and small amounts of fresh parsley or basil.

Fresh ingredients for dense bean salad in a wooden bowl with beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and cheese.
Dense bean salad ingredients topped with tomato vinaigrette dressing before mixing.

Store in airtight containers for up to 6 days. 

Variation ideas and expert tips:

  • This recipe is called ‘dense’ bean salad because it is lettuce-less and doesn’t have a lot of fluff. This helps increase its longevity because there aren’t any tender salad greens to wilt and get soggy as it sits in the fridge.
  • Add marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta, and lemon juice to make this a Greek-inspired salad.
  • Swap out the chick peas for black beans, the parsley for cilantro and use this jalapeño lime vinaigrette to make a Mexican bean salad.
  • Throw in some cooked pasta and Italian dressing to make an easy pasta salad.
  • If you like things a little spicaaayyy, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or any hot sauces you enjoy.
  • Other veggies that I think would go great in this white bean salad: fresh green beans (blanched), artichoke hearts, olives, pickled jalapeños, radishes or carrots.
  • See? I told you this recipe was versatile!
A vibrant dense bean salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, and green peppers on a dark plate. A subtle inviting homemade feel in a cozy kitchen.

FAQs

How should I store this salad?

You can store it in a large airtight container or bowl with lid or portion it out into individual containers to grab and go for lunch.

How can I make this vegetarian?

For plant-based diets, omit the chicken and salami. Feel free to add another can of beans and/or edamame or tofu for more a more protein-rich salad.

How much protein is there per serving?

Thanks to protein-packed ingredients there is a whopping 37 grams of protein and 11 grams fiber per serving!

Can I use a different type of beans?

Sure! I like the mild, versatile flavor of white beans and chick peas but use whatever types of beans you have on hand!

How should I serve this bean salad?

Serve straight up, with tortilla chips OR I think it is absolutely delicious wrapped in a tortilla as an Italian wrap 😋

Is this a good recipe for people with diabetes, high cholesterol, or those managing their weight?

Yes, this heart-healthy salad contains legumes and vegetables with a low glycemic index that can help with blood sugar control and lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Close-up of dense bean salad with beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cheese, and salami on a dark plate.

If you like this dense bean salad recipe, you’ll want to try these other healthy lunch ideas!

Springtime quinoa chickpea salad

Nourishing white bean and kale soup

Incredible BLT chicken salad

Cucumber edamame salad

Easy summer salad with avocado and strawberries

If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!

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large wooden bowl with dense bean salad and a wooden spoon

Dense Bean Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Erica
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: N/A
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Lunch
  • Method: Chop
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Nutrition superstar beans are accompanied by a rainbow of veggies, quality protein and a zesty dressing for this wicked easy dense bean salad.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

  • 1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

  • 10oz grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered

  • 2 sweet bell peppers, chopped

  • 1 medium cucumber, seeds scraped out and cubed

  • 1/4 red onion, chopped

  • 1/2 lb cooked chicken (rotisserie or deli), cubed/chopped

  • 2oz uncured salami, sliced or cubed

  • 4 oz mozzarella pearls

  • 2 oz sharp white cheddar, cubed

  • 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

  • sun-dried tomato vinaigrette OR white balsamic vinaigrette OR Parmesan vinaigrette, all of which are incredible on this salad!
  • pinches of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and/or red pepper flakes, if desired

Instructions

  1. Blend up your dressing of choice. I have the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette pictured here, but I have also tried this exact combo with my Parmesan vinaigrette, and it is VERY good.
  2. In a large bowl add chickpeas, cannellini beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, red onion, chicken, salami, cheeses and parsley. Add ¾ of the dressing and toss everything to combine. Taste and season with pinches of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, per your taste. I like to serve with an extra drizzle of dressing and extra fresh herbs like parsley or basil. Muah! So fresh, nutritious and DENSE 😏
  3. Store in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Excuse me while I go have a small bowl of dense bean salad for lunch because it’s already prepped and ready to go in my fridge!!

Notes

Refer to above blog post for tips, variation ideas and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
  • Calories: 512
  • Sugar: 13.9 g
  • Sodium: 1611.5 mg
  • Fat: 21.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 43.3 g
  • Fiber: 10.9 g
  • Protein: 37.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 57 mg

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