Marinated Salsa Verde Bean Salad
This marinated salsa verde bean salad is like a dip and is the tastiest way to get in some fiber and protein!
Why You’ll Love This Marinated Salsa Verde Bean Salad
- The ideal meal prep. Make the sauce then let it marinate with your favorite beans and vegetables in the fridge. Pair with your favorite chips or tortillas to make an easy and convenient meal when you need it.
- A flavorful way to up your fiber. Take advantage of the nutrition complexity that beans have to offer. They are high in fiber and an easy meal or side to use to help you hit your fiber goals.
- High in antioxidants. Salsas are such a great way to get in more nutrition as you get a high concentration of antioxidants from the herbs, tomatillos, and peppers that are blended together.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beans: I used canned chickpeas as that is what I had on hand, but any combination of bean you love can work here. I normally do cannellini beans and chickpeas for a play on texture, but red kidney beans or black beans work here too.
- Poblano Peppers: In my opinion, the better green pepper! They are thick, dark green in color, and have a rich flavor when cooked. If you don’t want to use poblano peppers, you can add some additional deseeded jalapeños instead.
- Shallot: Can swap for half a small red onion or white onion.
- Jalapeño: To reduce the spice, just remove the seeds and veins of the pepper before using.
- Tomatillos: To make this salsa, you need tomatillos. Your local store may already have this available, but if not you can also find these at your local latin markets.
- Artichoke Hearts: Easy to replace with some sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cilantro: If needed, use parsley or chives as an alternative.
- Lime: Fresh limes are best, so you can use both the zest and juice.
- Bouillon: I like to use either bouillon paste from Better Than Bouillon or a Vegetable Bouillon Cube. Alternatively, try a teaspoon of miso paste instead.
How to Make a Marinated Salsa Verde Bean Salad
Dress the onions: Place the onions and jalapeño in a bowl. Add the juice of one lime, generous pinch of salt, and sweetener then toss together and set aside.
Prep the bean salad base: Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to heat through, then add the poblano and sauté for about 4-5 minutes to help char around the edges. Transfer the cooked peppers to a large mixing bowl, then add the chickpeas, marinated onions, artichoke hearts, and cilantro.
Make the salsa: Place the same pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat through then add the shallots, tomatillos, jalapeño, and garlic. Allow to cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally until golden and charred around the edges, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Transfer the vegetables and oil to a blender cup then add the cilantro, and vegetable bouillon. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add additional salt to taste if needed.
Mix everything together: Reserve 3 tbsp of the salsa to the side then pour the remainder over your beans and vegetables then give a toss to combine.
Serve: To serve, spread some mashed avocado over a tostada and top with the beans and extra salsa verde.
Expert Tips
- Give your onions a soak in cold water for 10 minutes then rinse and drain. It will cut the sharpness and astringency of the onions.
- Let it marinate. Much like the name suggests, the flavors get better the longer the beans sit in the sauce. When ready to serve, just give a mix then enjoy.
- Use whatever bean combo you like. I used chickpeas because that is what I had on hand. Try it with chickpeas and white beans, white beans and red kidney beans, or chickpeas and pinto beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once fully prepared, store the marinated beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
You can enjoy this served over a tostada, as a dip with your favorite chips (I love this with plantain chips), in a gluten-free wrap, or over rice or quinoa.
Bean salads are a delicious way to get in more protein, fiber, and vegetable variety into your diet. Fiber and varying up your plant-based ingredients in your diet helps to support your gut microbiota. A balanced and well fed gut microbiome may help improve digestion, support immune function, and reduce chronic disease risk (Reference). The way that these bean salads are designed is to be meal prepped ahead so that the beans and vegetables can marinate in the dressing and get tastier over time. Because why not make the nutrition more enjoyable to consume!
You can, but the sauce may not be as creamy. If you want that creamy texture, I would suggest blending it along with an avocado. If using avocado, it will cut down on how long you can store this salad to 2-3 days.
Make It Balanced
This bean salad is great to use as a snack, but it really shines when you transform it into a meal. To maximize your nutrition consider serving your bean salad in the following ways:
- Serve on a crispy tostada with some mashed avocado
- Rolled up as a burrito
- Spooned over rice or your favorite greens to make a nourish bowl
More Bean Salads To Try
- Marinated Green Olive Bean Salad with Chive Basil Dressing
- Marinated Roasted Bell Pepper Bean Salad with Fried Capers
- Creamy Chipotle Bean Salad
- Marinated Sun-Dried Tomato Bean Salad
- Caramelized Lemon and Zucchini Bean Salad
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
Print
Marinated Salsa Verde Bean Salad
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Treat your beans like a dip and marinate them in a creamy homemade salsa verde. The tastiest way to get in some fiber and protein!
Ingredients
Bean Salad
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
- Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed then thinly sliced
- 2, 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 6oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Salsa Verde Cremosa
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 5 tomatillos, halved
- 1 poblano pepper, sliced
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 jalapeno, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 tsp vegetable bouillon paste or half a bouillon cube
For Serving
- 6–8 tostadas, store bought or homemade
- 1–2 avocado, mashed
Instructions
- Place the onions and jalapeño in a bowl. Add the juice of one lime, generous pinch of salt, and sweetener then toss together and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to heat through, then add the poblano and sauté for about 4-5 minutes to help char around the edges. Transfer the cooked peppers to a large mixing bowl, then add the chickpeas, marinated onions, artichoke hearts, and cilantro.
- Place the same pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat through then add the shallots, tomatillos, jalapeño, and garlic. Allow to cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally until golden and charred around the edges, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the vegetables and oil to a blender cup then add the cilantro, and vegetable bouillon. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add additional salt to taste if needed.
- Reserve 3 tbsp of the salsa to the side then pour the remainder over your beans and vegetables then give a toss to combine.
- To serve, spread some mashed avocado over a tostada and top with the beans and extra salsa verde.
Notes
Give your onions a soak in cold water for 10 minutes then rinse and drain. It will cut the sharpness and astringency of the onions.
Let it marinate. Much like the name suggests, the flavors get better the longer the beans sit in the sauce. When ready to serve, just give a mix then enjoy.
Use whatever bean combo you like. I used chickpeas because that is what I had on hand. Try it with chickpeas and white beans, white beans and red kidney beans, or chickpeas and pinto beans.
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