I perfected a Six Bean Salad built from a dense, protein-packed mix of beans, fresh vegetables, and a simple olive oil dressing, and I’m sharing the pantry tricks and timing hacks that make it work.

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I can’t stop thinking about this Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad that blew up on TikTok. It’s dense and full of surprises, especially the way chickpeas play with crumbled feta cheese.

Call it a Cool Beans Salad or a Gluten Free Bean Salad, both names kinda fit depending how you slice it. I thought it would be boring, like another internet fad, but it surprised me and kept on surprising me.

There’s a tiny trick I picked up that keeps it tasting sharper over days, and yeah I messed it up once and it still came out amazing. You’ll want to know why.

Ingredients

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Ingredient Quantities

1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 15 oz can cannellini beans

1 15 oz can red kidney beans

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 cups)

1 medium cucumber (peeled or not its your call)

1 small red onion (about 1/2 cup when chopped)

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (loosely packed)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic (fresh is best, cuz jarred isnt the same)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, cannellini and kidney beans in a colander, shake off the extra water and dump them into a large bowl; pat lightly with paper towels so the salad wont get watered down.

2. Prep the veg: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion (if it’s too sharp soak slices in cold water 5 minutes then drain), chop the parsley, halve the pitted Kalamatas if they’re big, and crumble the feta.

3. Make the dressing: in a jar or small bowl combine 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic (minced or grated on a microplane — fresh is best, jarred isnt the same), 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; whisk or screw the lid on and shake until emulsified, then taste and adjust.

4. Pour most of the dressing over the beans (reserve a few tablespoons for finishing), toss gently to coat so the beans soak up flavor.

5. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and Kalamata olives to the bowl and fold everything together so it’s evenly mixed.

6. Fold in the crumbled feta and chopped parsley last, gently so the feta stays in nice chunks. Taste and adjust seasoning since olives and feta add salt.

7. Chill the salad at least 30 minutes to an hour so the flavors marry (overnight is even better), give it one more stir before serving and add any reserved dressing, extra lemon or parsley if needed.

Equipment Needed

1. Large colander for draining and rinsing the canned beans.
2. Large mixing bowl youll toss everything in and let the beans soak up the dressing.
3. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the beans dry so the salad wont get watery.
4. Chef’s knife for halving tomatoes, dicing cucumber and thinly slicing the onion.
5. Cutting board, sturdy enough for all the chopping.
6. Measuring cups and spoons, especially a 1/4 cup and tablespoons for the dressing.
7. Small jar with a lid to shake the dressing, or a small bowl plus a whisk.
8. Microplane or garlic press for the garlic, or just mince it finely with the knife.
9. Large spoon or salad servers to gently fold everything so the feta stays in chunks.
10. Airtight container or serving bowl with a lid for chilling and storing the salad.

FAQ

How should I prep the canned beans?

Drain and rinse them well to get rid of extra salt and starch. Pat them dry with paper towels so the dressing sticks. If you like a creamier texture you can smash a few chickpeas with the back of a fork, but leaving them whole works fine.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Make it a few hours ahead so the flavors meld, or up to 24 to 48 hours in the fridge. If you need it farther ahead, wait to add tomatoes and cucumber till right before serving so they dont get soggy.

How long will leftovers keep?

Stored in an airtight container it keeps about 3 to 4 days. Expect tomatoes and cucumber to soften and feta to get saltier, so best eaten within the first two days for peak texture.

Can I make this vegan or lower the salt?

For vegan, skip the feta or use a plant based alternative. To cut salt use low sodium canned beans and rinse them extra well, and reduce or omit the added kosher salt. You can also use less feta or rinse it briefly to tame the brine.

My dressing tastes flat what gives?

Fresh lemon and garlic are the big flavor drivers here. Make sure you juice real lemons and press fresh garlic. If it still feels flat add a bit more lemon juice or a pinch more salt, taste as you go. Letting it sit for 20 to 30 minutes helps flavors bloom.

What else can I add or serve it with?

Toss in diced bell pepper, artichoke hearts, or a handful of arugula for more bite. Serve with pita, crusty bread, or as a topping for grilled fish or chicken. It works great as a main or a side.

Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad (Viral TikTok Recipe) Substitutions and Variations

Chickpeas: swap for 1 can white/navy beans, or 1 1/2 cups cooked green lentils, or 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame. Drain and rinse canned ones, use same volume.
Kalamata olives: try pitted black olives, or 2 tablespoons capers for a briny pop, or chopped roasted red peppers for a milder, sweet note.
Feta cheese: use crumbled goat cheese, or grated ricotta salata, or crumbled cotija, or a vegan feta for dairy free — use about 1/2 cup.
Fresh lemon juice: replace with 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or use 2 tablespoons extra red wine vinegar if you like it sharper.

Pro Tips

1) Dry the beans well after rinsing. Lay them out on paper towels or spin them in a salad spinner, pat them dry so the dressing actually sticks and the salad dont get watered down.

2) Hold back salt till the end, cuz olives and feta bring a lot. Taste after you mix everything, then add a little more lemon or vinegar if it feels flat, not more salt right away.

3) Let it sit. Chill at least an hour, overnight is even better cause the beans soak up the dressing and it tastes way more put together. Give it a last stir and add any reserved dressing or extra lemon before serving.

4) Small hacks for flavor and texture: grate garlic on a microplane so you dont get big garlic chunks, soak the sliced red onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes to take the bite out, and cut tomatoes bigger if you want less juice.

Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad (Viral TikTok Recipe)

Recipe by Jot Punji

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Six Bean Salad built from a dense, protein-packed mix of beans, fresh vegetables, and a simple olive oil dressing, and I'm sharing the pantry tricks and timing hacks that make it work.

Servings

servings

Calories

285

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large colander for draining and rinsing the canned beans.
2. Large mixing bowl youll toss everything in and let the beans soak up the dressing.
3. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the beans dry so the salad wont get watery.
4. Chef’s knife for halving tomatoes, dicing cucumber and thinly slicing the onion.
5. Cutting board, sturdy enough for all the chopping.
6. Measuring cups and spoons, especially a 1/4 cup and tablespoons for the dressing.
7. Small jar with a lid to shake the dressing, or a small bowl plus a whisk.
8. Microplane or garlic press for the garlic, or just mince it finely with the knife.
9. Large spoon or salad servers to gently fold everything so the feta stays in chunks.
10. Airtight container or serving bowl with a lid for chilling and storing the salad.

Ingredients

1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 15 oz can cannellini beans
1 15 oz can red kidney beans
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 cups)
1 medium cucumber (peeled or not its your call)
1 small red onion (about 1/2 cup when chopped)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (loosely packed)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic (fresh is best, cuz jarred isnt the same)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, cannellini and kidney beans in a colander, shake off the extra water and dump them into a large bowl; pat lightly with paper towels so the salad wont get watered down.
Prep the veg: halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion (if it's too sharp soak slices in cold water 5 minutes then drain), chop the parsley, halve the pitted Kalamatas if they're big, and crumble the feta.
Make the dressing: in a jar or small bowl combine 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic (minced or grated on a microplane — fresh is best, jarred isnt the same), 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; whisk or screw the lid on and shake until emulsified, then taste and adjust.
Pour most of the dressing over the beans (reserve a few tablespoons for finishing), toss gently to coat so the beans soak up flavor.
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and Kalamata olives to the bowl and fold everything together so it's evenly mixed.
Fold in the crumbled feta and chopped parsley last, gently so the feta stays in nice chunks. Taste and adjust seasoning since olives and feta add salt.
Chill the salad at least 30 minutes to an hour so the flavors marry (overnight is even better), give it one more stir before serving and add any reserved dressing, extra lemon or parsley if needed.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.