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How to Make Bean Salad With Oil-Free Dressing + Our Secret Ingredient!

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bean salad serving

With BBQ season right around the corner, a quick and easy vegan bean salad is one of my favorite go-to salads. First, it travels well when going to a BBQ, or if you are hosting a BBQ, it stays together well in the summer weather. And, of course, I made a vegan bean salad without any oil, loaded with veggies, with a tangy tasty flair. 

When I start to plan menus for BBQ parties or weekly lunches, I think about the easiest and quickest meals I can make. We are all busy, so why not take the thinking out of cooking and make it as simple as possible. Since I'm all about convenience and taste, let's make it 15 minutes easy! 

Regardless if you are looking for a quick and easy lunch idea or a recipe for a picnic or BBQ, vegan bean salad is always popular with a crowd. 

BEANS, BEANS, THE MUSICAL FRUIT...THE MORE YOU EAT...THERE IS RELIEF!

Unfortunately, a lot of people have difficulty digesting beans, and gas is the result. Stop worrying about tooting when eating beans. One solution, however, is to use a piece of Kombu in your beans when you cook them. 

WHAT IS KOMBU?

This magical sea vegetable can change your vegan life. Many people have asked me how I can eat so many beans and other legumes without the stomach pains and gas associated with eating beans and legumes. In my opinion, its real power is in its ability to take the gas out of beans; yes, removes the negative results of heavy bean and legume consumption.

Seaweeds are becoming more widely known as a healthy food with few calories and rich minerals. Kombu, however, possesses something that other edible seaweeds do not, and this is what makes kombu kelp the “King of Seaweed.” Not only is Kombu delicious on its own, but it is different from other seaweed in that it produces Dashi(stock). No other seaweed has that gift. This exclusive characteristic of kombu is extremely important and is indispensable to Japanese cuisine. Dashi is the base of several dishes and valued as a vital and rich ingredient.

COOK KOMBU WHILE YOU COOK ALL YOUR BEAN AND LEGUME DISHES

All you have to do is put one piece of Kombu, whole, into your bean and legume dishes while they are cooking. For instance, I put a piece in the crockpot of the chili we ate for dinner tonight. I left the Kombu all-day brewing in the chili. Like a bay leaf, I removed it when I served the chili.

IT DOESN’T TASTE LIKE SEAWEED OR CHANGE THE FLAVORS OF THE FOOD

It does not leave a seafood taste; you won’t even know it was in there, but you will notice a decrease if not full disappearance of gas and discomfort that some experience when eating beans and legumes.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY THIS MAGIC SEAWEED?

I bought my Kombu at Whole Foods, in the Asian section, but you can buy Kombu on Amazon as well. 

Since I plan to use canned beans for this salad, instead of cooking kombu into my beans, I ground up kombu to put in my vegan bean salad. 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO EAT BEANS? 

vegan bean salad

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, in a 2015  article, "Beans Lead to a Longer Life," says, "Beans contain both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber and are very high in resistant starch. Although resistant starch is technically a starch, it acts more like fiber and 'resists' digestion. Since it passes through the small intestine undigested, it means that a significant amount of the carbohydrate calories are not absorbed."

And as any vegan knows, eating beans is a great way to get that protein everyone thinks we can't get from vegetables alone, which of course is untrue.

THE BENEFITS OF EATING BEANS AT LEAST 4 TIMES  A WEEK:

  • Heart-healthy
  • Good for  digestion
  • Helps regulate weight
  • Reduces the risk of different types of cancers
  • High in fiber
  • High in protein
  • High in vitamin B
  • High in iron

WHAT IS IN A EASY VEGAN BEAN SALAD?

3 bean vegan salad

 

In order to make a crunchy and tasty vegan bean salad recipe, you need very few ingredients. Because I like to include several colors, as well as textures, I add some additional vegetables not typically in a traditional bean salad. In my bean salad I included: 

  • Cannellini Beans
  • Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans)
  • Dark red kidney beans
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Celery
  • Red bell pepper
  • Parsley
  • Dill
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Salt
  • Pepper

bean salad vegetables

HOW DO I MAKE A HEALTHY OIL-FREE DRESSING THAT TASTES GOOD? 

bean salad recipe

Whenever I am making an oil-free dressing, I start by replacing the oil I would have used with water. Yes, water! Although water is not oil, it does mellow out the flavors of the vinegar and other ingredients. Oil, after all, doesn't really taste like anything. For instance, you wouldn't drink olive oil; that would just be disgusting! 

So, my dressing includes: 

  • Red wine vinegar
  • Maple syrup
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Water

dressing vegan bean salad

Not only is this bean salad, healthy, but it is also easy to make. So, the next time you are wondering what to make for lunch, or bring to your next picnic or BBQ, just bring a bean salad. 

bean salad side dish

FAQs

How long does vegan bean salad last?
 
A vegan bean salad may last for 3 to 5 days. To maximize its shelf life, we recommend storing the salad in airtight containers. Thereafter, place it in the fridge. 
 
 
Are beans good for weight loss?
 
Yes. Beans are good for weight loss. They're a good addition to your diet as they're high in fiber and protein, making you feel fuller. 
 

IF YOU ARE TRYING TO ADD MORE BEANS AND LENTILS TO YOUR DIET, GIVE THESE RECIPES A TRY? WE HAVE YOUR BEANS AND LENTILS COVERED!

If you meal prep, as I do, bean salad is easy to pack for lunch and the oil-free dressing enhances the bean salad the longer it marinates. Share this amazing vegan bean salad recipe with your friends and family. 

bean salad meal prep

Bean Salad Recipe
Yield: 8 servings

Bean Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

For a quick and easy lunch idea, or your next BBQ or picnic, make an oil-free bean salad.

Ingredients

Bean Salad

  • 1 15 ounce can Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup diced red onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning 

Instructions

BEAN SALAD

  1. Rince, drain and combine all beans in a large bowl
  2. Dice vegetables and add them to the bowl with the beans.
  3. I use a vegetable chopper to make my vegetables uniform in size
  4. Add herbs and seasonings.
  5. Set aside to make the dressing.

BEAN SALAD DRESSING

  1. Whisk all ingredients together
  2. Pour over the bean salad
  3. Stir into bean salad mixture
  4. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
  5. The bean salad needs to marinate int eh refrigerator for at least an hour for optimal flavor.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

8 servings

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 240Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 316mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 11gSugar 8gProtein 13g

Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Kathy Carmichael
Cuisine: American / Category: Salads

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rachel

    This dressing is absolutely PERFECT. Best bean salad dressing I have tried. Thank you so much for the recipe and thank you for not using oil😊

    Reply

    • Kathy Carmichael

      Hi Rachel. I'm so glad you enjoyed the bean version of the dressing. I love dressing, so I understand how important it is to find one you like. Thank you for reaching out. I appreciate the feedback.

      Reply

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