Dense Bean Salads for Fall: Tips From a Dietitian-Chef

In case you aren’t familiar, dense bean salads are usually packed with chickpeas, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion, cherry or sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and fresh herbs, like parsley and cilantro. They’re all chopped into tiny bite-sized pieces that make the salad easy to pack into a pita pocket, top over a piece of sourdough bread, or eat on its own.

“Generally speaking, the [term] ‘dense’ indicates no lettuce,” explains Abbie Gellman, RD, dietitian and chef. This allows people to put together ingredients they like, such as beans, veggies, and cheese, and toss it with a vinegar-based dressing. “You and can keep it in the fridge for several days, where it will marinate and continue to develop flavor (versus lettuce and other veggies that will wilt or break down with vinegar-based dressing and time).”

But now that it’s officially autumn, you might wonder how to incorporate more fall seasonal ingredients into your dense bean salad. To help us embrace fall’s nutritious produce, Gellman shares her spin on this salad trend.

First, what’s so great about dense bean salads?

“As mentioned above, these ‘dense’ salads don’t have any ingredients—like lettuce—that will wilt or cannot sit long term in the refrigerator with dressing. These types of salads offer an option for people to plan ahead and have things ready to go during their week. They are also very ‘formulaic,’ so the user—or eater—can mix and match how they want. For example, one person may want pinto beans while another likes black beans and some people will try cucumbers, while others may try bell peppers. Or both!” Gellman says.

Fall ingredients to add to your dense bean salads

So how can we “fall-ify” this trend and make the most of the nutrient-dense fall produce the season has to offer? Gellman recommends adding some of the following produce to the mix:

• Roasted winter squash (think: butternut, acorn, delicata)
• Roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Pickled red onions
• Apples
• Pears
• Nuts and seeds, like pumpkin seeds

Tips

“I recommend slicing and adding [apples and pears] right before eating so they don’t oxidize and turn brown,” she says.

She also recommends toasting nuts and seeds for a deeper, richer flavor. “Nuts and seeds add healthy fat, fiber, and nutrients, such as vitamin E and magnesium. These also add texture to the meal, which many people enjoy,” she notes.

If you want to spice up your dressing as the days get cooler, consider @violet.cooks’s chipotle chicken salad dressing, which is made of lime juice, olive oil, chipotle, cumin, and mayo.