Here's your new go-to Protein Bean Salad! Made with the three highest-protein legumes-white beans, lentils, and edamame-this salad is perfect for meal prep and packed with plant-based power. The vibrant green hemp seed dressing is rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. It will keep you full and energized all week.
Enjoy it as a hearty side or a satisfying main-this salad has everything you need for a nutritious, easy-to-prep meal!
This Protein Bean Salad recipe was inspired by the Dense Bean Salad and my High-Protein Chickpea Quinoa Salad.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients & Health Benefits
- Edamame: A cup (160 grams) of cooked edamame provides around 18.5 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber.
- Lentils: A cup (200 grams) of cooked lentils provides around 18 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber.
- White Beans (Great Northern): A cup (177 grams) of cooked white beans provides around 15 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber.
- Capers (optional) - A concentrated source of the flavanol, quercetin, which is a natural senolytic compound. A senolytic compound is a substance that selectively targets and eliminates senescent cells, which are aged or damaged cells that can contribute to aging and age-related diseases.
- Red onion: Boasts anti-blood clotting abilities, increases the absorption of iron and zinc when added to a meal, and so much more! (Note: The antiplatelet activity in onions is lost with cooking.)
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, has been linked to various longevity benefits, including reduced risks of certain cancers and improved heart health. While lycopene from foods like tomatoes may offer protective effects, high-dose supplements have not shown the same benefits and may even carry risks. Sun-dried tomatoes are an excellent source, with 12 times the concentration of lycopene compared to raw tomatoes, making them an ideal addition to a longevity-focused diet. It's recommended to get lycopene through whole foods rather than supplements for the best health outcomes.
For the hemp seed dressing:
- Hemp hearts add heart-healthy fats and protein.
- Nutritional yeast adds a rich, savory, cheese-like flavor and helps thicken dressings. If you're looking to boost your B vitamin intake, opt for fortified nutritional yeast, which often includes B12-especially important in plant-based diets.
- Chives and parsley or fresh herbs you have on hand.
- Miso adds gut-health benefits and a bold umami flavor.
- Garlic boosts iron absorption from your meal even in the face of phytates.
- Red wine vinegar can reduce blood sugar spikes by about 20%.
- Date syrup is optional. Add to taste.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities.
🫘 Substitutions
- Legumes - substitute with an equal amount of beans or lentils of your choice
- Cucumbers - add these for serving or omit them entirely for meal prepping
- Red onion - use shallots instead
- Capers - substitute with olives as desired
- Cabbage - use red cabbage for the most antioxidants (red cabbage may contain eight times more antioxidants than green)
- Dressing- substitute with a different Healthy Dressing as desired
For more healthy salads, visit my Vegan Salad Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Protein Bean Salad
This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.
- Make the dressing: Transfer the red wine vinegar, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, mellow miso, garlic, chives, parsley, lemon juice, and water to the canister of a blender.
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Combine: Place the red onion, bell pepper, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cabbage, white beans, edamame beans, lentils, cucumber, and parsley into a large bowl. Add two-thirds of the dressing and mix to combine. Add more dressing as desired.
- For meal prep: Use three to four (24 to 32-ounce) jars with tight-fitting lids. Add one-third of the dressing to each jar followed by the bell peppers, red onion, artichoke hearts, cabbage, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, edamame, white beans, and lentils. Omit the cucumber if stored overnight.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Cook the lentils until al dente. Do not overcook them or the salad will become mushy.
- Dressing: Substitute with a different Healthy Dressing as desired.
- Meal prep: Omit the cucumbers if stored overnight. Add them for serving as desired.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover Protein Bean Salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Green, brown, or French lentils work well in this recipe as they have a firmer texture similar to Puy lentils. Avoid using red lentils, as they tend to become mushy when cooked.
While soybeans have been FDA-approved for their heart-health claims, research shows that other beans may be even better for heart health. A Tulane study found that non-soy legumes, like lentils, navy beans, and pintos, reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol by an average of eight points, double the four-point reduction seen with soybeans. This cholesterol-lowering effect is significant, as LDL cholesterol is the #1 risk factor for heart disease. So, although soy dominates the ads, all beans support heart health-and some may be twice as effective!
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Protein Bean Salad
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Ingredients
For the hemp seed dressing:
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon mellow miso (white miso)
- 1 large clove garlic
- ½ cup chopped chives (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 small lemon juice
- ½ cup water
- Salt (or salt substitute) to taste
For the salad:
- 1 small red onion small dice (about 1 cup)
- 1 large red bell pepper small dice
- 2 tablespoons capers (reduced sodium) rinsed, and minced
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes jarred, preserved in oil, rinsed, or plain sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water
- 1 cup artichoke hearts marinated and quartered from jar, strained, and rinsed
- 2 ¼ cups chopped cabbage (about one-fourth head)
- 1 ½ cups cooked white beans
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame beans thawed
- 1 cup cooked French lentils or Puy, green, or brown lentils
- 1 medium cucumber small dice (optional)
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Transfer the red wine vinegar, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, mellow miso, garlic, chives, parsley, lemon juice, and water to the canister of a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
- For serving: Place the red onion, bell pepper, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cabbage, white beans, edamame beans, lentils, cucumber, and parsley into a large bowl. Add two-thirds of the dressing and mix to combine. Add more dressing as desired.
- For meal prep: Use three to four (24 to 32-ounce) jars with tight-fitting lids. Add one-third of the dressing to each jar followed by the bell peppers, red onion, artichoke hearts, cabbage, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, edamame, white beans, and lentils. Omit the cucumber if stored overnight.
Notes
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
Aliza says
Another satisfying, delicious salad from Nisha! So many ingredients makes it take a while to put together, and the variety in every bite makes it worth it.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy you enjoyed protein salad!!! Thank you for letting me know.
Michelle says
Your shorts on youtube drew me in and I am so excited to try these recipes on a gorgeous website. I am a cancer survivor and I am finding that meat just does not agree with me anymore. I've done detox diets and had vegetarian days in my week for years.
And your website is inspiring me to go full-time. Thank you so very much..
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for commenting and I am so happy you are here. I hope you enjoy the recipes.
valerie steele says
I am planning on making this tomorrow, but I didn't know you had a cookbook and so when someone else mentioned it I found it. And ordered it, and it will be here in 2 days. Can't wait. Love all of your recipes.
thank you for your dedication.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for your support. Appreciate you being here.
Melissa says
This looks great! Quick question: are the 587 calories the total for 3 jars or is it 587 calories for one jar?
Thank you so much!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
One jar, or one-third of the recipe.
Savannah says
I love this recipe so much! I have made it three times now and always give a portion to a friend- nothing but compliments! Your website is a treasure trove of information. Thank you so much for sharing it all 🙂
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you so much for your kind words. Your comment means a lot!!! Happy your friend is reaping the benefits of your cooking too!
Natalie says
Very satisfying and flavorful and filling but not heavy!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to hear! Thank you.
Georgie says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything and anything you create!! You are a SENSATION and INSPIRATION to me, as I’m certain to others! I must have missed it, but do you have a cookbook available for purchase? Also, will you PLEASE send me the link to those beautiful, tall, glass jars with the white, screw-on lids? Thank you very much, Ms. Melvani, for all your incredibly, palatable creations!!! Your recipes come in handy and my catering company thanks you!! Looking forward to your New Year conceptions!! Many thanks! Hugs
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. Thank you for your kind words. I am so glad you are enjoying the site. Here is the links : https://amzn.to/4j8znFW https://amzn.to/4gNf0fX https://amzn.to/3Pulbtm
Best,
Nisha
Michelle says
Delicious. So much flavor. I added a little bit of chopped dates and cayenne pepper.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Love those additions. Thank you.
Abi says
Tasty! Didn't have date syrup and forgot the Capers, but this is still good and super filling. I want more protein for the volume, since I'm doing a glp1, so would maybe add greek yogurt or cottage cheese to the dressing or something to bump that up. Thanks for the recipe!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad you enjoyed it. You can add that to the dressing with some extra liquid t thin. Good luck.
GT says
QQ: Does the dressing contain date syrup? The picture shows it, but I don’t see it mentioned in the ingredient list or the directions…
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
It is optional. Add to taste.
Michelle says
Hi, I haven't cooked with hemp hearts before. For the dressing, should they be raw or cooked? I understand they can be eaten raw?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. They should be added raw straight from the packet.
Diana says
This looks yummy, can’t wait to make this. Do you have have the macros for this recipe?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes they are all in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Kam says
You’re a darling. Just what I needed. Thank you Nisha 🪷
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad it's a helpful recipe! Thank you.