Colorful, crunchy, wholesome, and healthy are the right words to define my Mexican Style Mixed Beans Salad! This salad is probably the most delicious way to use that can of beans sitting in your pantry forever.
About Beans
Beans are the powerhouse of plant-based vegan protein and have a significant amount of soluble fiber, iron, and vitamins. From making rajma curry to chicken burrito bowl, you can survive on beans across the globe.
Here are a few reasons to include a variety of beans in your diet:
- most of the beans are low in fat
- fantastic vegan protein and gluten-free
- help in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol
- beans are fulfilling, versatile, and easy to cook
Ingredients Required
Here is the list of ingredients you need to make mixed beans salad:
Canned Beans: I use a mix of garbanzo (chickpeas), red kidney beans, and white beans or cannellini beans.
Vegetables: Red Onion, Bell Pepper, Cucumber, Sweet Corn, and Avocado.
Herbs & Seasoning: To dress the salad, I use one green chili, lemon juice, virgin olive oil, and fresh cilantro.
Canned vs. Home-Cooked Beans
Canned Beans are easy to use, time-saving, and are readily available in all the grocery stores. In contrast, dried beans cooked at home are inexpensive, easy to store, and free from all starch, preservatives, or excess salt.
For a healthier choice, it is always best to cook dry beans from scratch at home. Home Cooked beans are less mushy or overcooked. Hence, best to make a salad.
How To Cook Beans
Dried beans take about 20 minutes to cook in an Instant Pot.
Wash the dried beans thoroughly to remove dirt. Soak them for 6 hours in water. Later, drain water from the soaked beans. Add beans into the IP with enough water to cover the beans.
Set the IP to pressure cook mode for 20 minutes at standard pressure. Once done, allow the pressure to release naturally, and your beans are ready!
Allow them to cool completely in a metal colander before adding to the salad. You can cook the beans on a stovetop as well.
FAQs Related To Beans Salad
From chickpeas, garbanzo, kidney beans, and cannellini to black beans, green beans, you can use any variety and combination of beans to make this salad.
Canned beans are pre-cooked so that you can eat them straight away from the tin. Then, just rinse off the extra salt, and they are good to go!
Yes, if you are using canned beans for your salads, drain and rinse them with cold water to cut the excess sodium content to ensure that the beans don’t alter the taste of your salad.
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Mixed Beans Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup canned garbanzo beans or chickpeas
- ½ cup canned red kidney beans
- ½ cup canned cannellini beans
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup finely diced cucumber
- ½ cup diced ripe avocado
- ½ cup sweet corn
- 1 finely chopped green chilli
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- To begin making the Mixed Beans Salad, drain all the canned beans in a metal seive or colander. Rinse with water. Set aside for beans to dry completely.
- Chop all the vegetables and keep in the fridge.
- To prepare the dressing for the salad. Add all the ingredients for dressing in a bottle with the lid. Tightly close the lid and shake the bottle so all the ingredients get well combined.
- To prepare the salad, in a bowl combine all the chopped vegetables along with the beans. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
- Serve the Mixed Bean Salad immediately with nachos.
Recipe Notes:
- Meal Prep: You can prepare a large batch of dressing and use it for other salads as well. Or if you are using home cooked beans, cook a large batch for the week’s meal prep.
- Beans: You can use canned beans or home cooked beans for the salad. Store the leftover beans for 4 – 5 days in the fridge.
- Make Ahead: You can easily make this salad 2 – 3 hours before serving and store in the fridge. Last minute, pour the dressing and add fresh herbs to freshen it up.
- Leftover Beans: You can use leftover beans in stew, soups, or for making hummus, refried beans and chilli.
Prerana Khanwalkar says
very nice and healthy ..love the salad
Indrani says
A new variety!
Good one.
Joe says
Great combination. I added a little more avacado and cut/cooked corn instead of sweet.
Hina Gujral says
That sounds totally delicious!
Ash says
Easy to cook and healthy good to manage BP
Hina Gujral says
I am so happy you like it.