Mediterranean black bean salad

Whether you need a healthy side dish, or a light and satisfying lunch or dinner, this salad has got you covered! It is fresh and delicious and packed with Mediterranean flavours. Easy to make vegan by using vegan feta cheese.

The canned black beans in this salad is a great way to add some plant-based protein. Black beans are cheap, healthy, low in calories and fat, and a great source of fiber and nutrients.

Another of my favourite protein packed salads is this Lentil and chickpea salad or this fresh Quinoa salad with pumpkin

Ingredients

All that’s needed are just a few simple ingredients. Take a look at the ingredient list below.

For the full recipe with the quantities, see the recipe card below.

• Canned black beans, drained and rinsed. This recipe uses canned beans because they are a great time saver. You can also boil your own beans, follow the packet instructions. Let them cool down to room temperature before adding to this salad.
• Romain lettuce, rinsed and chopped. Isberg lettuce works well too.
• Seedless cucumber, chopped.
• Cherry tomatoes, halved. I have used different colors, use the freshest tomatoes that are in season. Large, chopped tomatoes works great too.
• Red onion, chopped. Spring onion or yellow onion works fine too. These Pickled Red Onions also tastes amazing!
• Red or yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped. Canned roasted peppers works great too!
• Avocado, chopped in big chunks
• Olives, kalamata or a mix of olives. I prefer to remove the pip before adding the olives to the salad.
• Feta cheese, crumbled or cubed. To make this salad vegan, use a vegan feta cheese alternative. Fried pieces of hallomie cheese is another great option.
• Parsley, adding fresh herbs like parsley really enhances the flavours of this salad.

Dressing

• Extra virgin olive oil, use a good quality for lots of flavor.
• Lemon, fresh squeezed lemon juice adds a zesty flavour to this dressing.
• Garlic, gives this dressing a punch of flavour.
• Honey, or maple syrup for a vegan alternative.
• Dijon mustard, just a little adds a lot of flavor to this vinaigrette.
• Spices, dried oregano, Sea salt and Black pepper.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Making this healthy Mediterranean black bean salad is fast and easy. Just follow the step by step photos below. 

For the full instructions see the recipe card at the bottom.

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

Add the Roman lettuce and all the vegetables, olives and chopped parsley to a large salad bowl.

Pour over the dressing and gently toss the salad together.

Top the salad with the crumbled feta cheese. 

Hint: Don’t mix the salad with the dressing until right before serving as the veggies will start to wilt and go soggy. If you like a lot off dressing, double this recipe to have some extra on the side.

Substitutions and Variations

• Lettuce – instead of romaine lettuce, you can use ice berg lettuce or baby spinach
• Vegan – use vegan feta cheese and maple syrup instead of honey to make this salad vegan.
• Onions – Instead of using raw onions, try this recipe for Pickled Red Onions.
• Peppers – Either red, yellow of orange bell peppers can be used. Some canned roasted red peppers also tastes great.
• Beans – Other canned beans or lentils can also be used. Chickpeas and kidney beans are two great options.

This salad in lightly coated in a zesty vinaigrette style dressing. If you like a lot of dressing I recommend that you double the recipe.

A great way to serve this salad is with some freshly baked bread like this Cranberry Walnut Bread and some creamy Lemon Dill Hummus.