Dense Bean Salad Wellness Seeds (Printable version)

Protein-rich bean salad with red pepper, cucumber, seeds, and zesty dressing for a nutritious boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Legumes

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 cup (5.3 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
08 - 1/4 cup (0.5 oz) fresh parsley, chopped

→ Seeds

09 - 2 tablespoons chia seeds
10 - 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans.
02 - Add diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped parsley to the beans.
03 - Sprinkle chia seeds and hemp seeds over the salad mixture.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sea salt, black pepper, and cumin in a small bowl.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
06 - Allow the salad to rest for at least 10 minutes so chia seeds can swell and flavors meld together.
07 - Serve chilled or at room temperature as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stays good in the fridge for days and tastes better as it sits, which means less work and more flavor.
  • The chia seeds soak up the dressing and turn into tiny pockets of tangy goodness.
  • Its filling enough to skip the afternoon snack spiral.
02 -
  • The chia seeds need time to hydrate, if you skip the resting step, theyll stay crunchy and weird instead of turning soft and pleasant.
  • Rinsing the beans is not optional, the canned liquid makes the salad taste metallic and dull.
03 -
  • Let the salad sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes before serving if its been in the fridge, the flavors open up and taste brighter.
  • Add the chia seeds right before you dress the salad so they absorb the dressing instead of clumping together dry.
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