The summer heat can make cooking a hot meal feel like a chore. But, you still need to eat, even when it feels like exercise. While many of us turn to boring leafy salads in warm weather, there’s a delicious and nutrient-rich alternative: a dense bean salad. This TikTok-inspired recipe is perfect for meal prepping, giving you healthy and satisfying lunches all week long.
The recipe, shared by Violet (@violet.cooks), is packed with protein from both meat and beans, along with a generous amount of vegetables. It’s also incredibly versatile, allowing you to customize it with your favorite ingredients.
Violet starts by chopping shallots, flat-leaf parsley, fresh basil, two bell peppers, and a container of cherry tomatoes. Then, she adds her choice of protein, using pepperoni and smoked chipotle chicken in her version. You can opt for whatever meat you prefer, or even leave it out for a vegetarian option.
Next, she dices a jar of sundried tomatoes, keeping the oil to the side for the dressing. Artichoke hearts are chopped and added, followed by rinsed cannellini beans and chickpeas. To finish the salad base, she adds a container of mozzarella balls.
The dressing is a simple mix of sundried tomato oil, garlic olive oil, white wine vinegar, pizza seasoning, sea salt, and mustard. Violet blends everything together with a milk frother to create a creamy consistency.
Once the dressing is ready, she pours it over the salad and gives it a good stir. Finally, she separates the salad into containers, ready for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.
Commenters on Violet’s video were impressed, with many eager to try this flavorful and nutritious salad themselves. If you’re looking for a delicious and easy meal prep solution for the summer, this dense bean salad is definitely worth trying.
