Every so often, a new food rises through the ranks of the TikTok algorithm to become our collective hyperfixation. In the depths of lockdown, it was banana bread and whipped coffees; a little more recently it was chamoy pickles and whole-cucumber salads. The current food group holding pride of place on our FYPs? Dense bean salads.
Unlike food trends gone past, the dense bean salad is actually a nutritionally-sound recipe and makes use of affordable, easy-to-acquire ingredients. While a hearty, bean-and-vegetable combination isn’t exactly a ground-breaking innovation, it was thrust into the spotlight by 24-year-old TikToker, Violet Witchel. Back in 2023, she shared a video of her “crunchy balsamic Mediterranean-inspired salad,” which, in her own words, “held up so well in the fridge [and] was the perfect way to make sure I got all my veggies in.” Since then, she’s gone on to amass nearly 3 million followers on the app, and set a verified dense bean salad revolution in motion.
If, like me, the phrase ‘meal prep’ makes you shudder, the dense bean salad might actually be the solution. Unlike leafy salads that go soggy and limp within seconds (let alone after sitting in a container for 5 days), the dense bean salad is a viable make-ahead lunch option. Not only is it easy to whip up but, thanks to the bean-forward ingredient profile, it will stay edible and, dare I say, actually appetising throughout the working week.
For a heavy dose of meal-prep inspiration, put down the Uber Eats app and scroll our pick of the best dense bean salad recipes, below.
1. Mediterranean dense bean salad
@violet.cooks Sundried tomato DBS! #dbs #beans #densebeansalad #mealprep
♬ Wes Anderson-esque Cute Acoustic - Kenji Ueda
We couldn't compile this list and not include a video from the OG. The hero of this Mediterranean-style recipe is sun-dried tomatoes, enhanced with artichokes, bocconcini, deli meat and, of course, a mix of beans.
2. Dill White Bean Salad
@frommybowl DILLY WHITE BEAN SALAD 🌱 The salad that will be on repeat this spring and summer. 💚 #vegan #plantbased #veganrecipes #salad
♬ Daydreams - Gentle State
This recipe is vegan and gluten free, so it should fit well in just about every diet. What makes this concoction delicious is ample amounts of fresh dill, plus crunchy vegetables chopped super finely.
3. Dense bean salad pita pocket
@atorias_family_bakery dense bean salad 🤝 pita pocket #densebeansalad #salad #saladrecipe #pita #easyrecipe #lunchideas #fyp #food
♬ vibey birds of a feather - Jordan Greenwald
For a recipe akin to an actual burrito, look no further. The green olives and pickled onions give this recipe a zesty kick, while the addition of steak will keep you full for hours.
4. Pesto Dense Bean Salad
@johngs Pesto Bean Salad #saladrecipe #pesto #fyp #easyrecipe #summerfood
♬ Special - Lizzo
We'll slather pesto on just about anything, and this dense bean salad is no exception. Plus, the addition of a salmon fillet quickly takes this recipe from filling lunch to easy dinner.
5. Mexican Dense Bean Salad
@violet.cooks This week’s is gluten-free, dairy-free, and my personal favorite #densebeansalad #mealprep #dbs #glutenfree #dairyfree
♬ Wes Anderson-esque Cute Acoustic - Kenji Ueda
When the craving for Mexican cooking strikes, let this recipe be your go-to. While marinating and barbecuing the chicken will add a few additional steps to the process, we promise, the results are worth it.
