# 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.

_Salad_

Prep: 15 min · Total: 15 min · Yields: 6 servings

## Ingredients

- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 can kidney beans (15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 can black beans (15 oz, drained and rinsed)
- 1 medium red onion (finely diced)
- 2 celery stalks (thinly sliced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
- ½ cup fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic (minced or grated)
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

## Instructions

1. 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.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried beans, diced red onion, sliced celery, and diced red bell pepper.
3. 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, 0.5 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper until smooth.
4. Stream in the 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly until the vinaigrette is emulsified and slightly thickened.
5. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss well, making sure every bean is coated.
6. Fold in the 0.5 cup fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the beans absorb the dressing. Toss once more before plating.

## Tip

> Soak the diced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain — it kills the harsh raw bite while keeping the crunch and color.

Tags: vegetarian, vegan, make-ahead, gluten-free, high-protein

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/dense-bean-salad