The Viral Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad (Meal Prep Friendly)
Packed with crisp veggies, fiber-rich legumes and convenient protein, this Mediterranean dense bean salad is a lettuce-less dish that packs a nutritious punch. Inspired by the viral TikTok dense bean salad, it’s easy to make, full of bold flavor, and WORTH THE HYPE! Perfect for meal prep lunches or as a crowd-pleasing potluck side dish.
Erica’s Thoughts
Isn’t social media so funny? You take something like bean salad (which I’ve been making for years), give it a new name, post a video, and suddenly it’s everywhere. The humble bean salad is reborn and everyone is re-obsessed. A true TikTok moment.
This recipe has pasta salad energy, but instead of noodles we’re using beans. We have Violet Witchel to thank for making beans cool again. But I have to say that as a registered dietitian, I’ve ALWAYS thought they were cool. Beans are an excellent source of fiber and provide nutrients like potassium, iron, and B vitamins. Paired with a rainbow of antioxidant-rich vegetables and quality protein, this satisfying salad checks all the boxes for a balanced meal and makes my dietitian heart (and belly) happy.
Why I Love This Viral Dense Bean Salad:
- Convenient Protein: Doesn’t get much easier than canned beans and deli chicken! Use rotisserie chicken or pre-sliced deli chicken for a quick protein boost.
- Versatile: There are LOTS of ways to make bean salad. My version is inspired by Violet’s Mediterranean dense bean salad and features a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. Serve it as a main dish or a flavorful side.
- Meal Prep Friendly: I made this recipe once to test it, once to shoot it, and a third time to film the video. So yes, I’ve been eating it for days. Whether you enjoy it straight from the bowl or pack it for lunch, it’s a satisfying option to have ready in the fridge.
- Balanced Nutrition: High in protein and fiber and packed with antioxidants, this salad is filling, nourishing, and most importantly, SO TASTY. A great choice for a balanced midday meal.
FEATURED COMMENT
“Super tasty salad! This is the favorite bean salad in our household, and I make different ones weekly. I doubled the recipe so my husband and I could both eat it throughout the week (he eats A LOT) and it lasts all week. 10/10!”
★★★★★
Ingredients You Need for Dense Bean Salad:
Beans: You could use any variety of beans you enjoy! I use a can of garbanzo beans and a can of white (cannellini) beans – but great northern beans, pinto beans, black beans or red kidney beans are great too!
Veggies: I’m super lucky to have a thriving garden and weekly farm box of fruits and fresh vegetables to make an easy 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 – you can use rotisserie chicken, pepperoni, sliced turkey, tuna or even cubed tofu.
Cheese: The best part about this recipe is you can choose your journey with cheese. 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 vinaigrette. 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 Protein-Packed Dense 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.
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.
Store in airtight containers for up to 6 days.
Expert Tips & Variations:
- This recipe is called a “dense” bean salad because it skips lettuce and other greens. Without anything to wilt or get soggy, it holds up well in the fridge and tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld.
- For a Greek-inspired salad, add marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- For a Mexican bean salad, swap the chickpeas for black beans, use cilantro instead of parsley, and toss with this jalapeño lime vinaigrette.
- If you want an easy pasta salad, stir in cooked pasta and Italian dressing.
- If you want to make it spicy, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
- Other vegetables that would work well include blanched green beans, olives, pickled jalapeños, radishes, or shredded carrots.
Dense Bean Salad FAQs:
You can store it in a large glass bowl with lid or portion it out into individual airtight containers to meal prep for lunches.
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 vegetarian salad.
There is a whopping 37 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber per serving!
Absolutely! I like the mild, versatile flavor of white beans and chick peas but use whatever types of beans you have on hand (pinto beans, black beans, red kidney beans, etc).
Serve It straight up, with tortilla chips, or I think it is absolutely delicious wrapped in a tortilla as an Italian wrap 😋
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, TikTok, Facebook, or Youtube – I love connecting with you all there!
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Viral Dense Bean Salad Recipe (Meal Prep Friendly)
- 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
Description
This Mediterranean dense bean salad features fiber-rich beans, fresh vegetables, convenient protein, and a zesty vinaigrette for a flavorful, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Dense Bean Salad:
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 10 oz 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
- 2 oz uncured salami, sliced or cubed
- 4 oz mozzarella pearls
- 2 oz sharp white cheddar, cubed
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
- pinches of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and/or red pepper flakes, if desired
Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Combine all of the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette ingredients in a small blender or small food processor. Start with ¼ cup water, you will likely need the additional ¼ cup water but start conservatively and adjust the consistency to your preference.
- Blend on high for 20-30 seconds until the dressing is creamy and emulsified. Adjust the consistency with the additional water, until your desired consistency is achieved. Taste and season with an extra pinch of salt, pepper, honey or vinegar, if needed.
- 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 😏 Excuse me while I go have a bowl for lunch because it’s already prepped and ready to go in my fridge!!
Notes
Store in airtight containers for up to 5 days.
Other dressings that taste incredible with this salad include the white balsamic vinaigrette or Parmesan vinaigrette.
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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Just made this for my lunches for the week! Holy cow this is massive! It’s more like 8 Servings. For which I am perfectly happy. Thanks for another winner Erica! So easy, and gonna be so tasty.
Lol I eat a lot…🙃 I’m so happy you like it Katie! Thanks for your review 🙂
This is phenomenal for lunch prep
Yum! Great recipe and filled me up for the afternoon.
Instead of deli meat, I oven baked a chicken thigh fillet and diced it up.
I found the recipe also made 5 decent lunch serves. Perfect!
Amazing!! Great idea with the chicken thigh! So glad you liked it Linda 🙂
I am currently on day three of eating this salad for lunch and am LOVING it! That vinaigrette is so good!
Ahhhh yesss! I ate this an embarassing amount of days in a row for lunch and didn’t get tired of it haha. Glad you love it too!
This was a big winner in our family! It made a large quantity so I was able to share with my parents too, who also enjoyed it! My high school athlete has been hitting it hard as a snack before practice. It fills her up but isn’t too heavy for 2-3hrs of practice. Yummy ingredients and love that dressing! Definitely a keeper! Thanks Erica! 🙂
Super tasty salad! This is the favorite bean salad in our household, and I make different ones weekly. I doubled the recipe so my husband and I could both eat it throughout the week (he eats A LOT) and it lasts all week. 10/10!
Weeee! Happy to hear! Thank you for trying it and for your review Andreza!!
It happens every generation. Someone does something that nobody has done in awhile and suddenly it’s this cool new thing.
Delicious! Just like all of Erica’s recipes!
first time I made it, didn’t have chicken, super flavorful. Second time I made it, felt like the chicken absorbed all the dressing flavor. overall it’s still great.
Just made this and I think it made me better person. Want to bathe in the sun dried tomato vinaigrette. 10 out of 10!
Ahahahahaha it DID make you a better person! Cheers and thank you for this awesome review!
This is a fantastic recipe to make at the beginning of the week and enjoy all week long. So many yummy ingredients and I love how much protein and fiber it has. I made the recipe as written (delish!) but the other variations Erica mentions in her notes sound so good too. Definitely going to try the Greek-inspired one next. 🙂
I make this regularly for me and my husband’s lunches! We don’t put meat in ours, but keep everything else the same. I thought there was no way this would keep me full all day… but I was wrong! Even without meat, I’m not snacking until dinner time. 10/10 recipe!!
Woot woot! This is awesome Melissa. I also love it without meat, such a fantastic and filling plant-based meal!
Just made this for my lunches this week, it is super tasty! Does the nutrition info at the bottom of the recipe card take into account the sun dried tomato dressing? Thanks Erica!
Hi Eileen, yes it does!
This was DELICIOUS!! Definitely adding to our regular rotation
Yaaay love it Destiny! Thanks for making it and for your review, I appreciate it!
Absolutely delicious from day one to day four 😻😻😻
Literally just got done making this for lunch and it is amazing! Love that I won’t have to think about what to have for lunch for the next few days.
Got the recipe in my email this morning, shopped for ingredients this afternoon, and made this evening. I am so in love. This will be a staple for my lunches! The flavor and texture combos are out of this world!