Greek Dense Bean Salad
Greek Dense Bean Salad is a veggie and bean filled salad that is full of Greek-flavors and tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette! This healthy bean salad is full of fiber, nutrients, and protein, and is so delicious.
I wish I was better at prepping healthy lunches for the weekdays, but I'm not. I typically prioritize planning dinners and lunches for the kids, and then of course forget about what I'm going to eat. I've been trying to be better at it, and the dense bean salad trend has been a lifesaver for meal prep!
Dense Bean Salads are basically salads without the lettuce, and filled with beans and veggies and fresh herbs. They are typically tossed in a vinaigrette-type of a dressing and are great because they stay fresh for days. This means they are perfect to prep ahead for a week of lunches!
This Greek Dense Bean Salad recipe is full of so many of my favorite flavors, from fresh cucumbers and tangy lemon, to briny olives and feta cheese! This salad is my new favorite go-to lunch.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy - this recipe involves a little chopping but no cooking and is super easy to whip up.
- Healthy and Filling - this is filled with protein and nutrients, and keeps you full for hours.
- Easy to Prep Ahead - this is perfect to prep ahead of time and doesn't get soggy because there is no lettuce.
Ingredients
Garbanzo (Chickpeas) and Cannellini Beans - I use canned beans for ease.
Red Onion - red onion adds a ton of flavor. You can soak the diced onion in ice water if you want to take a little bit of the bite away, but I never do.
English Cucumber - English cucumbers have a thinner skin, which makes it easier to eat without peeling them. They also have less seeds so they are great for chopping in this salad.
Mini Peppers - I always have these on hand because we love to snack on them. I love their more delicate texture compared to bell peppers but you can definitely use bell peppers instead.
Kalamata Olives - these add a delicious briny flavor to the salad!
Fresh Parsley - this adds some fresh herby flavor to the dense bean salad.
Feta Cheese - crumbled feta cheese pairs so well with the olives and cucumbers.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - the oil for the vinaigrette dressing.
Lemon Juice - some acidity for the dressing.
Dried Oregano - oregano is a classic Greek herb.
Salt and Pepper - you can add these to taste.
Dijon Mustard - I love adding dijon to vinaigrettes to add a bit of creaminess and flavor.
Refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Variations
Different Beans - this recipe works well with other types of beans, too! Navy beans, black beans, pinto, and kidney beans would all work.
Add Meat - you could add a can of tuna or some diced chicken breast to this Greek dense bean salad for more protein.
Different Vegetables - you can adapt this to whatever vegetables you like to add to salads. I think sliced radishes, some finely chopped kale, diced cherry tomatoes, diced carrots, and peas would all be delicious.
Dried Beans - you could definitely cook dried beans to use in this recipe, it will just take longer than using canned beans.
Salad Dressing - instead of the homemade vinaigrette, you can use a store-bought Greek vinaigrette or red wine vinaigrette.
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. Add all of the salad ingredients except the feta to a large bowl.
Photo 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Photo 3. Add the dressing to the veggies and toss to combine.
Photo 4. Add the feta cheese and gently toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Storage - store this dense bean salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Chopping - if you want to make your life easier, this veggie chopper is a life saver!
Making the Dressing - you can whisk the dressing in a bowl or you can add the ingredients to a mason jar and shake it up.
Meal Prep - while this salad doesn't get soggy, I do like to add the dressing to my individual servings immediately before serving to keep the fresh veggies super fresh.
Recipe FAQs
Dense Bean Salads gained popularity on TikTok and are basically just salad-less salads made with fibrous beans and vegetables!
Yes! Dense Bean Salads are filled with nutrients from the veggies, and fiber and protein from the beans.
Yes! You can make this vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey and omitting the feta cheese or use vegan feta cheese.
Other Salad Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Greek Dense Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion diced, about ¾ cup
- ½ English cucumber diced into small pieces
- 3 small peppers, I used red, yellow, and orange or 1 large bell pepper
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- juice from 1 lemon ~3 tbsp
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Chop all of the veggies and add them to a bowl along with the beans, olives, and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
- Add the feta cheese and toss to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
