Description
A hearty and flavorful Mediterranean-style dense bean salad packed with chickpeas, cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and a tangy balsamic oregano dressing. Perfect for meal prep or a nutritious lunch, with creamy avocado added just before serving to maintain freshness.
Ingredients
Beans
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Vegetables
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 English cucumber, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small-medium bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup quality balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Addition
- 2 large avocados, diced (added just before serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the beans: Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and cannellini beans to a large mixing bowl.
- Chop the vegetables: Finely chop the red onion, seed and chop the red bell pepper, chop the cucumber into small bite-size pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the parsley. Add all these prepared vegetables and herbs to the bowl with the beans.
- Make the dressing: In a small jar with a lid or a small bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano, crushed red chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Shake vigorously or whisk until the dressing is well combined and emulsified.
- Toss the salad: Pour the freshly made dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly and allow flavors to meld.
- Add avocado before serving: Dice the avocados and stir them gently into individual salad portion right before eating to prevent browning.
- Store and serve: Store the salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Optionally, portion into smaller containers for easy meal prep and grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.
Notes
- Do not add diced avocado until just before serving to keep it from turning brown.
- This salad holds well in the refrigerator and can be prepared in advance for meal prepping.
- Adjust salt levels according to personal taste.
- Use high-quality balsamic vinegar for best flavor.
- For extra flavor, allow the salad to marinate for at least 30 minutes before eating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
