Learn to make this simple, dense bean salad TikTok sensation! It’s fresh and healthy, vibrant and colorful, with plenty of crunch, then tossed in a tangy homemade dressing.
Viral TikTok Dense Bean Salad
Not since cowboy caviar have I been this obsessed over beans! This Tik Tok viral bean salad is all the rage because it’s simple, delicious, healthy, hearty and the zesty homemade dressing is the best!
Made with two kinds of beans, red bell peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and mozzarella, it’s packed with protein and fiber, making it great for a post-workout meal, a side dish, a light dinner, or lunch the next day.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Customizable. Plenty of ingredient substitutions or additions can make this salad your own.
- Make ahead. It’s even better the next day, because the longer it sits the more the flavors marry.
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Beans: Drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans and a can of white beans. Garbanzo beans are also known as chickpeas.
- Mozzarella pearls: These are small balls of soft mozzarella cheese kept in brine, and are the size of a cherry tomato, so no need to cut them.
- Veggies: Grape tomatoes, quartered, diced red pepper and red onion, and chopped cucumber and parsley.
- For the dressing: You’ll need red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper to season.
How to Make Dense Bean Salad
Once you’ve chopped, diced, and prepped all of your ingredients, toss everything into a large bowl.
In a smaller bowl (or mason jar) combine the dressing ingredients and whisk everything until combined. If using a jar, you can tighten the lid and give it a good shake.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to make sure the dense bean salad is coated evenly. Serve immediately or refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy it.
Recipe Tips
- Chop veggies evenly into small pieces to ensure you get some in every bite!
- It’s even better the next day once it has had a chance to sit in the fridge and absorb the flavors.
- Prep ahead. You can dice, prep, and chop everything first and dress it when you’re ready.
- Serve: Treat this salad like black bean salsa and scoop it up with some pita bread! You can also enjoy it as an appetizer with tortilla chips, a side dish, or a main meal.
More salad recipes to try include chopped salad, southwest quinoa salad and creamy cucumber salad.
More Salad Recipes
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Dense Bean Salad
Video
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 can garbanzo beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 1 can white beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup grape tomatoes , quartered
- ½ red pepper , diced
- ½ cup parsley , finely chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion , diced
- 1 medium cucumber , chopped
Dressing
Optional: chopped Rotisserie Chicken, cut salami, deli turkey or grilled meat, flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 1 can drained and rinsed garbanzo beans, 1 can drained and rinsed white beans, 3/4 cup mozzarella pearls, 1 1/2 cups sweet peppers, 1 1/4 cups grape tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/3 cup chopped red onion, and 1 chopped cucumber. Gently toss.
- Mix dressing ingredients: In small bowl, add 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons honey, the juice of 1/2 large lemon, and salt and pepper. Whisk well.
- Toss: Toss the dressing and the salad. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Substitutions and Variations
- Grinder: Add some chopped rotisserie or shredded chicken, pepperoni, salami, or your favorite deli meats, and some banana peppers for a kick!
- Southwest: Canned (or grilled) corn, black beans, and avocado would be a nice addition.
- Mediterranean: Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and fresh parsley or oregano. You’ll find similar flavors in my bulgur salad.
Recipe FAQs
You can prep the salad by chopping, dicing, draining the ingredients, and combining them, and storing them separately from the dressing until you’re ready to serve. You can also assemble the salad entirely, including the dressing, and store it in the fridge overnight.
Keep this dense bean salad recipe covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Double the batch for lots of leftovers throughout the week!
Categorized as: 4th of July, American, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Mediterranean, Salads, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
