The first time we heard about dense bean salad, I knew I wanted in. I mean it’s filling, there’s no lettuce, and super easy to prep.
Not that there’s anything wrong with lettuce. But as a vegan, our go to is salads with lettuce so being able to make something that’s even more elevated than that, it’s incredible.
I first made a curry dense bean salad, but had an idea for a southwest version and had to give you this one too.
What is Dense Bean Salad?
Dense bean salad is simply a multi-bean salad that is loaded with veggies, herbs, and a dressing. Most also contain meat, but this one does not as it’s completely vegan. The result is high protein and fiber-rich salads that are nutritionally and flavorfully well rounded. The term was created by Tiktoker Violet Witchel from our research.
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Why You’ll Love This Dense Bean Salad Recipe
- Pantry Friendly – This recipe is mostly ingredients that people keep on hand all the time or can be swapped for what you do have making it amazing to make all the time
- Meal Prep Friendly – this recipe only gets better as it sits and allows the flavors to merry together and lasts for up to 7 days in the fridge which makes it a great option to eat all week long
- Flavorful – You won’t believe how much flavor you get out of these simple ingredients and when all combined are something incredible
Southwest Dense Bean Salad Ingredients
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Gather your ingredients!
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Beans
We’re using cannellini, black, and pinto beans for this recipe. All have varying tastes and some softer than others which makes for a great variation.
Substitition: You can use all the same beans, chickpeas, other white beans, kidney beans, edamame, etc for this recipe, so grab what you have on hand! No excuses!
Fresh Vegetables/Herbs
We’re using red bell peppers, poblano peppers, green onions, red cabbage, red onions, avocado, garlic, cilantro, corn and lime in this recipe. The flavor you get from these together gives a southwest or Tex-Mex vibe that’s so good together.
Substitute: While we highly recommend this combination together, feel free to change the color of the bell pepper, add in some tomatoes, change cilantro to parsley, or anything else you have on hand.
You’ll Also Need
Maple syrup, dijon mustard, chipotle peppers in adobo, apple cider vinegar, and some spices. Plus unsweetened non-dairy yogurt if making the avocado drizzle that’s optional.
Easy Dense Bean Salad Recipe Variations
This salad has a southwest inspiration, but feel free to switch up the seasoning blend! Some fun ones could be:
- curry
- taco seasoning
- bbq seasoning
- cajun blend
- Italian herb blend
You can also switch up the vegetables or the beans!
Other additions could be:
- baby, red, or sweet potatoes
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- carrots
- celery
- brussels sprouts
- mushrooms
- squash
- asparagus
- green beans
- edamame
You will want to keep in mind things like squash or asparagus will need to be cooked first.
Other must try vegan salad dishes:
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Simple Southwest Dense Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1½ cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- ½ cup pepitas
- 15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned cannellini, drained and rinsed
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 poblano pepper, diced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced (add just before serving)
Smoky Chipotle Lime Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional Creamy Avocado Lime Drizzle
- 1 ripe avocado
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt
- Juice of ½ lime
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2-4 tablespoons water
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste
Instructions
Char the Corn
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 ½ cups corn kernels (no oil needed if using a well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet – heat 1 tablespoon oil if not) and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred in spots. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Toast the Pepitas
- In the same skillet, toast ½ cup pepitas over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until they begin to pop and become fragrant. Remove immediately.
Make the Dressing
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon each apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and dijon mustard, 1 chopped chipotle pepper, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika, and ground cumin, ½ teaspoon each onion powder and sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until smooth.
Assemble the Salad
- Add 15 ounces of each black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans, the charred corn, 1 chopped bell pepper and 1 chopped poblano, 3 chopped green onions, ½ small chopped red onion, 1 chopped shredded red cabbage and ¼ cup chopped cilantro to the bowl. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Fold in half of the toasted pepitas. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Finish
- Just before serving, gently fold in 1 diced avocado. Top with the remaining toasted pepitas and an extra sprinkle of cilantro if desired. If using the avocado drizzle, spoon or drizzle it over the top instead of mixing it in.
For optional Avocado Drizzle
- Into a small blender or using an immersion blender, blend 1 ripe avocado with ¼ cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt, juice from ½ a lime, 2 tablespoon cilantro, 1 small clove garlic, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoon of water. If needed add up to 2 more tablespoon water for desired consistency.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions:
This recipe will last up to 7 days in the fridge when made as instructed.
Yes! Great news, this recipe is already written to be Top 9 Allergen friendly.
Of course, recommendations would be another can of beans or chickpeas, cubed tofu, edamame, cooked lentils, grains like quinoa or barley, and/or nuts like cashews or almonds.
Truly, you don’t need to have anything with this salad. It’s pack with so many wonderful ingredients that it’s a full meal all on it’s own.
That being said, it would be great with some garlic bread or chopped leafy green on the side.
Dense bean salad should be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. You should eat the salad within 2-3 days. After that the cucumbers start to break down to much for it to remain at peak deliciousness.
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