If a TikTok recipe has ever gotten to me, then that’s this one! I tried this once, and it has been a staple for meal prep ever since. It’s not just a favorite in my household, but among all of my freinds as well. And to be fair, this Zesty Dense Bean Salad is exactly what it sounds like dense, filling, and packed with so much flavour that you’ll forget it took you 15 minutes and zero cooking to pull together.
Three kinds of beans — butter beans, red kidney beans, and chickpeas — form the hearty base, giving you a serious hit of plant-based protein and fibre in every cup. Fresh diced vegetables add crunch, crumbled feta brings that salty, creamy contrast, and the dressing ties it all together with a bright, zesty punch of lemon, dill, and fresh coriander that makes every bite feel alive.
At around 421 calories per cup with 10g of protein, it’s rich and satisfying . It works as a side, a main, or a meal prep staple that gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. Make it Sunday, eat it all week.
Personally, I love pairing this up with some extra protein and quinoa!
Zesty Dense Bean Salad
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 Cup Onions Diced
- 1 Cup Bell Peppers Diced
- 1 Cup Cucumbers Diced
- 1 Can Butter Beans Drained and Rinsed
- 1 Can Red Kidney Beans Drained and Rinsed
- 1 Can Chickpeas Drained and Rinsed
- 6 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 100 g Feta Cheese
- Fresh Coriander Chopped
For the Dressing
- 1 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- Dill Seasoning To taste
- Fresh Coriander
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning To taste
Instructions
- Dice the onions, bell peppers, and cucumbers into bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic and roughly chop the fresh coriander. Add everything to a large mixing bowl along with the drained butter beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and crumbled feta.
- In a separate bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, dill seasoning, and fresh coriander. Whisk or shake until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours develop. You can meal prep this for a week, as the flavours soak in over the week and makes it even better.
Video
@nothussainali i just had this for lunch today too lol i am so obsessed #fyp #maldivestiktok #densebeansalad #healthyrecipes #type2diabetes
♬ Originalton – 𓄂Bollywood🎼 𓆃
Notes
Macros Per 1 Cup Serving:
- Calories: ~421 kcal
- Protein: ~10g
- Carbs: ~28g
- Fats: ~31g
