Dense Bean and Edamame Salad

If you’re like me and spend a little too much time scrolling social media for recipe inspiration, you’ve probably noticed dense bean salads popping up in your feed. And, unlike many food trends out there, this one is worth embracing.

Made with beans, colorful vegetables, edamame (young soybeans), fresh herbs, and a bright lemon-Dijon vinaigrette, my Mediterranean-inspired Dense Bean and Edamame Salad is hearty, meal-prep friendly, and loaded with fiber and other important nutrients. Each serving provides 7 grams of fiber, making it an easy and delicious way to boost your daily fiber intake.

This easy one-bowl recipe is perfect as a side dish, a healthy lunch served over crisp salad greens, or a satisfying dinner paired with grilled salmon, chicken, shrimp, tofu, or any other favorite protein.

Why This Recipe Is Good for You

It’s packed with fiber!

Fiber provides a host of health benefits. It reduces heart disease risk, the risk of certain cancers, keeps us feeling fuller for longer, and supports digestive health. It’s also good for the health of our bones. Here’s why.

When you eat fiber-rich foods like beans and whole grains, much of that fiber passes through the small intestine undigested. From there, it travels to the colon, where beneficial gut bacteria break it down and use it as fuel. During this natural process, called fermentation, the bacteria produce compounds known as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

Researchers believe these compounds may help improve calcium absorption, support a healthy gut environment, reduce inflammation, and slow the breakdown of bone. Scientists call this fascinating relationship the gut-bone axis.

While scientists are still learning more about how this connection works, one thing is clear: eating more fiber-rich foods is a smart habit for your overall health. Recipes like this one make it easy to enjoy more beans, vegetables, and other foods that nourish both your gut microbiome and your body … from your head to your toes.

Want to learn more about the connection between fiber and bone health? Be sure to read my post, Fiber and Bone Health: Can Eating More Fiber Help Protect Your Bones?

Dense Bean and Edamame Salad

This colorful Dense Bean and Edamame Salad is made with beans, crisp vegetables, edamame, fresh herbs, olives, feta, and a bright lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. It’s filled with fiber, meal-prep friendly, and delicious as a side dish or light meal.

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Servings: 8

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 301

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions and cooled
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• One 15-ounce can cannellini, navy, or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice (about 1½ cups)
• ¾ cup pitted green olives, halved
• ½ English cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup finely diced red onion
• 8 ounces feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 loosely packed cup parsley, roughly chopped
• ½ cup loosely packed basil, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

 

1. Place the edamame, chickpeas, cannellini beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, cucumber, red onion, feta, parsley, and basil in a large bowl and stir gently to combine.
2. Meanwhile, place the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is well coated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cupsCalories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 12gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 305mgFiber: 7gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 409IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 225mgIron: 3mg

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Recipe Tips

• Rinse and drain canned beans well to wash away 40% of the sodium.
• Let the salad chill before serving for the best flavor.
• Fresh herbs make all the difference, so don’t skip them if possible. And feel free to shake things up by using other favorite fresh herbs, including dill or mint.
• Dice the vegetables into similar-sized pieces for the best texture.
• Any bean variety would work well in this recipe including black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans.
• If you’re feeding a smaller crowd, cut the recipe in half.

Easy Variations

One of the best things about dense bean salads is how easy they are to customize.

Try adding:

• Diced avocado
• Roasted red peppers
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• Pistachios, pecans, or any other favorite nut

You can also swap the feta for goat cheese or leave it out for a dairy-free version.

What to Serve with Dense Bean and Edamame Salad

This hearty salad is satisfying enough to enjoy as a vegetarian meal or side dish, but it also pairs beautifully with other favorite proteins for an easy, balanced lunch or dinner.

Serve it with:

• Grilled salmon
• Grilled shrimp
• Rotisserie chicken
• Grilled chicken breasts
• Grilled flank steak or sirloin
• Grilled tofu or tempeh
• Hard-boiled eggs

It’s also delicious served over mixed greens, tucked into a whole wheat pita, or alongside grilled vegetables.

More High-Fiber Recipes & Resources

• Ultimate Fiber Guide
• Fiber and Bone Health: Can Eating More Fiber Help Protect Your Bones?
• Spring Lentil and Veggie Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower Salad with White Beans, Arugula, and Celery