A vibrant, protein-packed bean salad loaded with creamy garbanzos, tender navy beans, crisp veggies, and fresh herbs, all tied together with a bold, zesty dressing. Perfect for meal prep, picnics, or a filling lunch straight from the fridge.
If you've been around Balancing Bowls for a while, you know I'm a little obsessed with bean salads. In fact, I've written an entire mini cookbook on how to build them! But not all bean salads are created equal. On my site (and in my kitchen), I make a distinction between salads that include beans and a true dense bean salad, where the beans are the heart and bulk of the dish.
This recipe is one of those dense bean salads. It's hearty, high in fiber, and meal-prep friendly, exactly the kind of dish that keeps you full and energized through a busy week. Think of this post as both a recipe and a guild to bean salads: you'll walk away not just with a salad you'll love, but also the know-how to create your own bean salad combinations at home.
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Ingredient Notes
- Garbanzo beans & navy beans - A creamy + tender pairing. Swap in Great Northern or cannellini if that's what you have.
- Cucumber & yellow bell pepper - Add crunch and sweetness.
- Corn - A pop of sweetness (fresh or frozen works).
- Sun-dried tomatoes - Oil-packed gives a tangy, chewy contrast.
- Red onion - Sharp bite for balance.
- Cilantro & mint - Fresh herbs brighten and freshen everything up. Parsley, dill, or basil are great alternatives.
- Dressing - A zippy vinaigrette with olive oil (or sun-dried tomato oil), apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and zest, honey, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Instructions
Start with the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Slowly drizzle in ½ cup olive oil (or the oil from your sun-dried tomato jar) while whisking until smooth and emulsified.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed), 1 can navy beans (drained and rinsed), 1 cup finely chopped cucumber, 1 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper, ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion, 1 cup corn, ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, and ¼ cup chopped mint.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is well coated. Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight for even better flavor.
When ready to serve, stir, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
The Anatomy of a Dense Bean Salad
Over the years, I've developed a simple framework for creating endless variations of bean salads, which I outlined in my mini e-book The Anatomy of a Bean Salad. Here's the condensed version, so you can riff on this recipe and make it your own:
- Beans: Use 1-3 varieties for contrast (garbanzos, navy, kidney, black beans, butter beans).
- Veggies: Add something crunchy (cucumber, celery), sweet (corn, cherry tomatoes), and bold (onion, shallots).
- Dressing: A vinaigrette with a slightly higher acid-to-oil ratio than usual.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are key: cilantro, mint, dill, parsley, basil.
- Additions: Aromatics (garlic, zest), sweeteners (honey, maple), spices (red pepper flakes, cumin, za'atar).
- Meal Prep Bonus: These salads taste even better the next day.
- Serving Options: Over greens, in lettuce cups, wrapped in flatbread, or topped with a fried egg.
How to Serve
- Piled high on a piece of crusty toast for an easy open-faced meal.
- With flatbread on the side for scooping.
- As a hearty side for grilled chicken, salmon, or veggie mains.
Tips, Tricks & Alterations
- Swap navy beans for Great Northern or cannellini beans.
- Basil, dill, or parsley can sub for mint/cilantro.
- Store in an airtight container up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Let it marinate overnight for the best flavor.
- Store-bought vinaigrette works if you're in a rush.
- Chop veggies small if you want to tuck the salad into wraps or pitas.
I'm endlessly passionate about dense bean salads because they prove just how satisfying, versatile, and nourishing beans can be. If you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love for you to check out my Anatomy of a Bean Salad mini cookbook. It's packed with even more tips and variations to inspire your own creations.
Recipe
Dense Bean Salad Recipe Card
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 can 15 oz garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 15 oz navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cucumber finely chopped
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper finely chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed, chopped
- 1 cup corn fresh or thawed from frozen
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
Dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until fully emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine beans, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, corn, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, and mint.
- Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss gently until everything is well coated.
- Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate overnight.
- Stir before serving, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!