Dense Bean Salad
Four kinds of beans, crisp vegetables, and a sharp red wine vinaigrette — hearty enough to be a meal, better the next day.
Ingredients
- 1 canchickpeas(15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 cankidney beans(15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 cancannellini beans(15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 canblack beans(15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 mediumred onion(finely diced)
- 2celery stalks(thinly sliced)
- 1 mediumred bell pepper(diced)
- ½ cupfresh parsley(roughly chopped)
- 3 tbspred wine vinegar
- 1 tbspDijon mustard
- 1 clovegarlic(minced or grated)
- 1 tsphoney
- ½ tspdried oregano
- ½ tspkosher salt(plus more to taste)
- ¼ tspblack pepper
- 4 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
Method
- 01
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, kidney beans, cannellini beans, and black beans thoroughly. Shake off excess water and spread on a clean kitchen towel to dry for a few minutes — wet beans dilute the dressing.
- 02
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried beans, diced red onion, sliced celery, and diced red bell pepper.
- 03
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper until smooth.
- 04
Stream in the 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly until the vinaigrette is emulsified and slightly thickened.
- 05
Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss well, making sure every bean is coated.
- 06
Fold in the ½ cup fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.
- 07
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the beans absorb the dressing. Toss once more before plating.
Adapted from public domain & community sources