Description

This dense bean salad is my colorful take on the viral TikTok recipe, made with chickpeas, kidney beans, bell peppers, cucumber, Castelvetrano olives, and feta in a honey lemon dressing. It’s lettuce-free, keeps for up to 5 days, and tastes even better after it sits.

Ingredients

Units

For the salad

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 small red onion, finely sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced (size of garbanzo beans)
1 yellow bell pepper, diced (size of garbanzo beans)
1 English cucumber, diced (size of garbanzo beans)
3/4 cup pitted Castelvetrano (light green) olives, halved or sliced
4 to 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or arugula

For the dressing

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas and kidney beans. Allow them to drain thoroughly.
Add the beans, red onion, bell peppers, cucumber, olives, feta, and parsley to a large mixing bowl.
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. You can also combine the ingredients in a jar, cover tightly, and shake until emulsified, or blend with a hand blender.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

Notes

Dice small: Cut the peppers and cucumber to about the size of a chickpea so every bite has a little of everything.

Drain well: Wet beans water down the dressing, so let them drain thoroughly before mixing.
Arugula: If making ahead with arugula instead of parsley, stir it in right before serving.
Storage: Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir before serving and refresh with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt if needed. Not recommended for freezing.