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This dense bean salad is inspired by the viral recipe that makes healthy eating convenient and crave-worthy. Jump on the trend with our Asian-inspired twist!
With its mix of protein and fiber-packed ingredients, the TikTok dense bean salad is a viral hit that might just help you hit your fitness goals, too.
Our miso sesame dressing gives it a fresh, Asian-inspired twist that’ll have you licking the bowl clean.
Even better, it’s meal prep-friendly, so clean eating won’t feel like a chore!
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There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to salads, but if you’re stuck in a salad rut, take inspiration from Asian flavors! Check out spicy kani salad and spicy Korean cucumber salad.
Why You’ll Love This Dense Bean Salad Recipe
- This Asian bean salad is ideal for meal prepping because it gets even tastier the next day!
- Packed with flavor and nutrients, this hearty miso sesame dense bean salad will keep you full and feeling good.
- This dense bean salad is easy to tweak to suit different tastes and what you’ve got in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Salad:
Chickpeas – The star of our dense bean salad is the plant protein: garbanzo beans. Use canned beans to keep things quick!
Edamame – Save time and grab a bag of shelled edamame.
Purple cabbage – Adds crunch, and the pop of purple is a plus!
Carrots – Cut your veggies the same size for the best texture. For carrots, you can shred them with a mandolin or box grater.
Green onions – The subtle onion flavor is a natural match for anything umami.
Roasted peanuts – Adds crunch and flavor to finish off our miso sesame dense bean salad.
Dressing:
White miso – Slightly sweet, umami, and brings out the best in those delicate chickpeas!
Tamari – We prefer the smoother savory flavor of tamari for this Asian dense bean salad, but soy sauce works just fine if that’s what’s in your pantry.
Rice vinegar and fresh lime juice – That bit of acidity evens out the deep, savory flavor of the dressing.
Toasted sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil – An Asian-style salad without sesame seeds and sesame oil just feels flat! The sesame seeds give a nice bite, and the sesame oil adds a nutty depth to the dressing.
Honey – You can use any liquid sweetener to mellow out the salty notes in the dressing.
Chili flakes – Add as much or as little as you like for the perfect kick.
Ingredient Substitutions For Miso Sesame Dense Bean Salad
Great Northern Beans
Use your favorite beans or mix various kinds in this Asian bean salad! The subtle taste of white beans, like Great Northern beans, is perfect for soaking up all that umami goodness from the dressing.
Sugar Snap Peas
Fresh, sweet, and crunchy, sugar snap peas make a great alternative to edamame in this miso sesame dense bean salad recipe.
Yellow Miso
Yellow miso lends a stronger savory kick if you want to switch things up from the sweet and milder white miso.
Tips For Making This Recipe
Chill Before Serving
This Asian bean salad is ready to eat right away, but letting it sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge brings out more flavor.
Add-Ins to Try
Load up this delicious miso sesame dense bean salad with extras like navy beans, English cucumbers, jalapenos, and cilantro. The Asian-style dressing also pairs well with tasty and healthy add-ins like ginger and garlic.
Serving Suggestions
This dense bean salad is satisfying on its own, but you can enjoy it in so many ways! Try it as a quinoa bowl topper, in lettuce cups, wrapped in a tortilla, or as a side to grilled fish, to name a few.
TikTok Dense Bean Salad Recipe FAQs
Why is it called dense bean salad?
TikTok creator Violet Witchel popularized the dense bean salad, so-called because it’s nutritionally dense thanks to its protein and fiber-packed ingredients. Since it’s made with beans, the texture of the salad is also denser than that of leafier salads.
Which beans are best in the TikTok dense bean salad?
We like the hearty garbanzo beans for our Asian-inspired take on the viral dense bean salad, but you can use whatever plant-based protein you want, even black beans and kidney beans! Just pick whatever suits your taste and texture preference.
Are dense bean salads actually healthy?
Yes. This particular miso sesame dense bean salad is healthy because chickpeas add fiber, edamame provides protein, red cabbage offers vitamins, and carrots are a good source of antioxidants.
Is this Asian dense bean salad vegan?
Nope, but you can substitute honey with a vegan-friendly sweetener like maple syrup!
Can this Asian dense bean salad be made ahead of time?
For sure! Just store the Asian bean salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
- La Scala Chopped Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Pear Gorgonzola Salad
- Celery Salad
- Snicker Apple Salad
I found this recipe for Quinoa Bean Salad that I HAVE to try!
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Dense Bean Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 4 green onions, chopped
- Roasted peanuts
For the dressing:
- 3 tbsp white miso
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp chili flakes
Instructions
- Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients until well combined.
- Pour in the dressing and toss gently until all the ingredients are well coated.
- Serve with roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and green onions on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- This Asian bean salad is ready to eat right away, but letting it sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge brings out more flavor.
- Load up this delicious miso sesame dense bean salad with extras like navy beans, English cucumbers, jalapenos, and cilantro. The Asian-style dressing also pairs well with tasty and healthy add-ins like ginger and garlic.
- This dense bean salad is satisfying on its own, but you can enjoy it in so many ways! Try it as a quinoa bowl topper, in lettuce cups, wrapped in a tortilla, or as a side to grilled fish, to name a few.
Nutrition
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