Mexican Dense Bean Salad

Since discovering dense bean salads (the term for a preppable bean salad made by Violet Witchel- you can see her work here) I have been making every flavor I can think of.

This easy bean salad is Mexican inspired with black beans, corn, fresh jalapenos and more with an oil based dressing with jalapeno brine and Smokey chipotle sauce.

This is the perfect summer bean salad that is ideal to serve as a BBQ side dish. Make a big batch and serve to your friends.

I love making a mixed bean salad because its customizable with many flavor possibilities. It’s a great source of fiber and vitamins.

Keep this bean salad in your fridge for up to 5 days to have a nutrient boosting snack or side all week.

How to make a bean salad

Bean salads are very customizable and a great way to use up leftover salad bits. You need 1-2 types of bean or legume, salad items that wont go soggy such as bell pepper, deseeded cucumber, sundried tomatoes, olives, corn, radish etc. Then a salad dressing that is equal parts oil & vinegar with whichever flavor combination you like.

---

Love legumes? Take a look at these legume recipes

• Jerk Inspired Lentils
• Tomato chickpea curry
• Italian Style Dense Bean Salad

---

Reasons why you should make this Mexican bean salad

Easy- This bean salad is easy to make it just needs some patience for chopping. I find chopping for a bean salad quite satisfying.

Stores well- The oil and vinegar based dressing marinates the salad so make a big batch, store in the fridge and it will be good for 4-5 days with the flavors intensifying.

Pantry staples- You can use canned chickpeas, black beans and corn for this salad and the dressing is made of pantry staples too. This is great because you only need a few fresh items to make a super fresh tasting salad.

Customizable- Dense bean salads are great as fridge raid recipes. This means you can use up loose salad items/veggies in the fridge to reduce waste and make this salad your own.

What to serve with a bean salad.- I think a bean salad is a great bbq addition, lunch or dinner side dish. For a bbq serve with a protein and a carb such as potato salad. For lunch serve in a tortilla or mixed with leaves and protein. And for a dinner side- potato wedges and your choice of protein.

Notes on the ingredients-

• Black beans- Black beans are often used in Mexican cuisine, they work well in this salad as they provide a mild, earthy flavor without being too overpowering. They pair perfect with chickpeas. In bean salads you can use whichever beans you like.
• Chickpeas- Chickpeas have a nutty flavor that compliments the flavor of the black beans well. They are cost effective and healthy. You can use white beans instead if that’s what you have.
• Vegan chicken- For a protein boost I added some vegan chicken into the salad. You can add tempeh, seitan or tofu or omit if you like.
• Red bell pepper- Bell peppers stay nice and crunchy in the salad making them perfect for marinating for a few days. Make sure to use fresh bell peppers for the crunch.
• Jalapeno- I added fresh jalapeno finely diced for the crunch and slight spice. You could use pickled jalapenos if you like but they wont be as crunchy.
• Shallot- Shallot is my favorite to use in a dense bean salad because it tastes sweeter and less pungent than onion. A finely diced shallot goes well with the rest of the salad ingredients but you could use red onion instead.
• Cucumber- Cucumber is another salad item that holds up well in a bean salad just be sure to remove the seeds to stop the moisture making the salad soggy.
• Corn- I charred some canned corn to add to the salad. A fresh corn cob will taste better but either are fine.
• Feta- For a rich fatty element I used some plant based feta cheese. You can use any cheese you like or omit if you prefer.

Tips for the best bean salad dressing

• Use extra virgin olive oil for its health benefits and flavor
• Use vinegar for it pickling properties, choose one based on flavor
• Add herbs fresh or dried to suit the dish you are making
• Mix vigorously with a whisk to make it creamy

More bean recipes

• Greek inspired lemon and herb butter beans - The Plant Bowls
• Pesto Sausage and Beans
• Greek Style Giant Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce

---