14 Ingredients To Upgrade Your Next Dense Bean Salad

The summer season has officially arrived, bringing along barbeques, outdoor dinner parties, and beachside picnics to your calendar. There are plenty of cold salads you can serve as side dishes, such as tuna salads, cheesy pasta salads, crispy cucumber salads, or simple fruit salads. However, nothing will be as sturdy, hearty, or delicious as a dense bean salad. It will last in the refrigerator or cooler for hours without becoming too soggy and will keep your guests' appetites satisfied.

When creating the best dense bean salad or "DBS," the key is to use a high-quality bag of dried beans. Nothing is worse than mushy bean salad, so you'll definitely want to skip the canned aisle and head straight for the dried bags of beans. You can either cook them on the stovetop, braise them in the oven with a salty, savory broth, or quickly prepare them in the Instant Pot. Once they're tender and perfectly cooked, use one of these 14 ingredients to enhance the flavor of your next dense bean salad.

Whenever you're looking to improve a dense bean salad, your first stop should be the vegetable drawer in your refrigerator. Veer away from starch vegetables like potatoes and squash, and go for crispy, crunchy ones such as radishes. Beyond adding a much-needed textural variety, radishes often have a pleasant peppery, spicy kick. The zingy flavor is a great way to cut through the starchiness of your beans. Plus, their vibrant colors will be a beautiful pop of color that will liven the dish.

There's a wide variety of radishes you can include in your dense bean salad. While you can simply just add the widely available red globe radish, be a little rebellious and toss in some French breakfast radishes or even a daikon radish. French breakfast radishes have incredibly crispy, and a strong "heat", whereas daikon radishes have a milder, almost sweet flavor. Want a splash of color? The pale green exterior of a watermelon radish hides the vibrant pink flesh that'll surely turn heads when you serve it in your next dense bean salad.

Just like this Spanish-inspired tuna salad, pickled vegetables are a fantastic way to upgrade any cold salad. Due to the soft, almost creamy texture of bean salad, it's key to incorporate a bit of textural contrast, and the crunchiness of pickled vegetables is the perfect ingredient to supply it.

You can try adding tiny cornichons, chopped green olives, or pickled red onions. If you're looking to step outside the box, try incorporating minced napa cabbage kimchi, bright pickled red beets, or crunchy, crisp carrots.

Don't fret if you don't have any pickled veggies on hand. You can easily make them at home by using the hot or cold pickled method. The hot method entails pouring a lightly heated mixture of vinegar, sugar, salt, and water over sliced veggies and letting it sit for a few hours until crisp. The cold method uses the same mixture — however, it lets you skip the heating step. Make a day out of it and pickle all your favorite veggies so you can be prepared the next time you make a dense bean salad.

Cleaning out your fridge, it's always common to stumble across a few forgotten ingredients like sliced lemon wedges, a half-used tube of tomato paste, a block of cheddar cheese, and more often than not, a bundle of fresh herbs. Don't let those fresh herbs go to waste and add them to your dense bean salad to supply a bit of fresh flavor.

Fresh, delicate herbs like dill, scallions, and chives add a pleasant, grassy, aromatic lift to the hearty flavor of bean salad. If you're looking for a sharp edge, toss in chopped parsley or torn cilantro leaves. If you're making an Asian-inspired bean filled with sesame oil, kimchi, and nori, the earthy, herbaceous flavors of the Japanese herb shiso would complement it perfectly. You can also play it safe, just add in a handful of fresh basil leaves for an Italian twist. There isn't an easier and more effective way to add a generous amount of flavor to any dish than tossing in a bunch of chopped fresh herbs. Give it a shot if you're wanting to level up the flavor of your dense bean salad.

Adding an extra protein to your DBS is as easy as opening a can of tinned fish. It's a sophisticated way to impress your guests that will pack it with funky, fishy flavor and definitely crown you the "top chef" of the friend group.

When selecting the perfect tin of fish, opt for a brand that has sustainable practices and utilizes high-quality seafood. The tinned fish, no matter what type it is, will become the main flavor profile of the salad. Water-based tinned fish tend to be lower in calories; however, olive oil-based tinned fish are packed with more fatty, delicious flavor. Consider either a tin of sardines, mackerel, bluefin tuna, or salmon for buttery flavor and flaky texture. If you're craving a cleaner taste, toss in a tin of white fish such as cod, halibut, or sea bass. Not into fish — no problem! You can find tins packed with a wide range of different seafood. Whether it's a tin of grilled octopus, mussels, shrimp, oysters, or anchovies, it will definitely take your bean salad up a notch.

If your dense bean salad is feeling a little rote, keep it classic and grate over a bit of fresh Parmesan. Incorporating a bit of cheese is a superb way to provide the salad with a creamy texture and salty flavor. There's a plethora of cheeses you can add, like crumbled feta for a tangy, salty kick, cotija cheese for a creamy, crumbly texture, or pearls of mozzarella mild, milky flavor. Any of these cheeses would be a great addition to a Mediterranean-style DBS. If you're looking to make a deli-style bean salad, you can add cubes of sharp cheddar cheese or little chunks of pecorino. Dipping your toes in Spain by tossing in shavings of Manchego and torn bits of salty, fatty jamón.

Whether it's a dollop of ricotta, grated Parmesan, or tiny cubes of scamorza, cheese is a fantastic way to add loads of savory flavor. Be like Ina Garten, head to your favorite cheese shop and grab a variety of cheese so you can be locked and loaded for your next dense bean salad.

Incorporating cooked grains such as quinoa, farro, rice, or couscous can level up your bean salad in several ways. For starters, grains add loads of nutrition, provide plenty of fiber, proteins, and amino acids. They will also add an additional element of substance and heartiness. Most of the time, when people are eating bean salad, it's to get a quick bite of something healthy, satisfying, and fulfilling without too much fuss. Cooked grains will naturally bulk up the salad, keeping your appetite sustained for a longer period.

Furthermore, cooked grains can add a delightful chewy texture, providing a delightful contrast to the typically creamy, soft chew of the beans. When choosing a grain, consider its flavor, texture, and how it'll be specific to bean salad. Cooked quinoa will provide a slightly nutty and fluffy texture. An ancient grain like farro would supply a lovely chewy texture and earthy flavor. Plus, it will hold its shape well against any oily or creamy dressing.

Vinegar and beans go together like thunder and lightning. The acidity provides a crucial tangy base for the dressing, helping to cut through the starchy, fatty flavor of the beans. Not only does it balance the flavor of the dressing, but the vinegar's acidity will also help contribute to the salad's shelf life. It's always keen to add a splash of vinegar to your bean salad if you're bringing it to a potluck, BBQ, or packing it for an office lunch, so it can stay fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor.

You've a multitude of vinegars you can add to your dense bean salad to liven it up. Apple cider vinegar offers a fruity, tart, and slightly sweet flavor, while white wine vinegar provides a cleaner, crisp flavor. If you want a robust, tangy red wine vinegar, or a thick balsamic vinegar would be the perfect option. You can use these two vinegars to flavor Italian, Greek, or Spanish-style bean salads. Crafting an edamame bean salad? Consider incorporating a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar or Chinese black vinegar for an Asian twist.

Tomatoes are probably one of the most obvious ingredients to add to your bean salad. They've got a firm texture and have a delicious, juicy, sweet, slightly acidic flavor that will flawlessly complement the starchiness of your next dense bean salad.

If you're adding tomatoes to your dense bean salad, you want to pick a variety that's not too watery. The tiny but mighty cherry and grape tomatoes are an excellent option. Compared to larger tomatoes like beefsteak or heirlooms, these tomatoes hold their shape better in a marinated salad. You can have or quarter them, they'll stay firm and plump for days. If you want diced tomato chunks, then the Roma or plum tomatoes are great since these have slightly less water than slicing tomatoes. Pro tip: If you want even more flavor, you can add any leftover tomato juices into the dressing for a bit of tart, acidic tanginess.

When it comes to dense bean salad, the key is not to over-spice the salad, especially if you're making a larger batch and letting it marinate in the fridge. Once beans are cooked, they're like a sponge and tend to soak up whatever liquid they are in fairly quickly. With any spice, whether it's ground black pepper, chili flakes, or dried oregano, start with small increments and taste as you go.

There's a wide range of spices that would be delightful in a dense bean salad. Dried spices like cumin, za'atar, cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, sumac, and harissa are the perfect kick of flavor for a Middle Eastern-inspired bean salad. If you're making an Italian bean salad, try using dried herbs and spices like oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, basil, and thyme. You can just sprinkle in a teaspoon at a time, or you can bloom them in hot oil to further enhance their flavor. By blooming spices in heated oil like olive oil or avocado oil, they will release their fat-soluble compounds, intensifying their flavor. Plus, it will allow for more even distribution of flavor throughout the dish.

If you're keeping it traditional, you've got to add a dollop of mustard into your dense bean salad. Depending on the type, mustard supplies the salad with a pungent, sharp, and slightly spicy flavor, alleviating the heartiness of the dish. You've probably already got a bottle of typically American yellow mustard for your hot dogs in the fridge — however, a tasty bean salad deserves something a bit more complex. Try adding a tablespoon of the French classic, Dijon mustard. For those of you who don't know, Dijon mustard is known for its velvety smooth texture and sharp, bold, tangy flavor. If you're striving for mellower flavor, try using a whole-grain mustard instead. This mustard has a milder, earthier, and less intense spiciness flavor compared to Dijon mustard.

Beyond using mustard as a flavor agent, you can use it to help emulsify a vinaigrette. Mustard contains a mix of proteins and polysaccharides called mucilage, allowing it to bind a water-repelling (oil) and water-absorbing (vinegar) ingredient together and prevent them from separating.

If you want to make your dense bean salad a bit more creamy, but don't want to add any dairy, then use one of the creamiest fruits from the produce kingdom, avocado. Avocado will add a luxurious creaminess, smooth texture that will add a nice contrast to the beans and any crispy, crunchy vegetables you've incorporated. Their rich, nutty, slightly sweet flavor pairs superbly with cooked beans and other salad ingredients.

Just like mustard, avocado can act as an emulsifier since it contains phospholipids, which are compounds known to form stable emulsions with droplets of oil. So, if you've got a mustard aversion, avocado would be a great replacement. One thing to consider, avocados tend to turn brown when exposed to air. To minimize this, you can quickly dice up the avocados just before serving or toss them in lemon or lime juice immediately after cutting. The citric acid from the lemon and lime juice prevents oxidation.

When adding avocado to your dense bean salad, you can easily just mash it with a fork, then incorporate it with the other ingredients. If you would like more uniform chunks, then you should pick up a slightly firm avocado so it holds its shape better in the salad.

A quick, delicious, and easy way to incorporate more protein is by simply adding some chicken. It's a great idea if you're looking to make your dense bean salad even more filling and satisfying to keep you full throughout the day. The combination of carbohydrates and lean protein will create a much more balanced meal. However, the best part about adding chicken is that it's pretty much a blank canvas. It can easily absorb the flavors of your dressing or whatever other ingredients. Furthermore, cooked chicken, whether it's diced, pureed, minced, sliced, or shredded, can be another textural element to contrast with the creaminess of the beans.

When incorporating chicken, try to keep it straightforward. You can pick up a roasted chicken from the farmers market or grocery store and quickly shred it, or pan-sear chicken thighs, dice them up, and add them in. If you want a cleaner flavor, then you can easily just poach a few chicken breasts and slice them up.

Incorporating fennel is a tasty way to provide your dense bean salad with a unique, sophisticated touch. Fennel is well-known for its subtle, sweet black licorice and anise flavor. A sliced raw fennel bulb has a crisp and crunchy texture similar to celery. When you first take a bite of fennel, you taste the slight sweetness, and then it's followed by the cooling flavor of the anise. While some people described the flavor as a bit overwhelming, others love the clean, palate-cleansing taste.

Against the creamy and rich backdrop of the beans, the fennel would provide a pleasant, refreshing, almost herbaceous contrast. It will balance the sometimes heavy starchiness with a subtle floral note. If you don't want the fennel flavor to be the centerpiece of the dish, then consider mixing it with acidic ingredients like citrus juice, such as orange, lime, or lemon, or even a splash of vinegar. You want to make sure the fennel doesn't steal the show away from your scrumptious dressing, and most importantly, the beans.

A squirt of mayonnaise is probably one of the quickest and effective ways to add a good amount of scrambled savory flavor to a dense bean salad. Not only will the creamy, luscious consistency of mayonnaise help you mix around the ingredients better, but the flavor will be absolutely divine. The tangy, savory, salty, sometimes sweet flavor of the mayonnaise will mellow out the density of the salad.

Mayonnaise is the go-to choice for the traditional "deli-style" bean salads; however, you can use it in whatever type of bean salad you want to make. Try mixing together a bit of chili paste and mayonnaise for spicy Asian inspired bean salad. You can also combine it with sour cream, fresh dill, chives, minced garlic, and lemon juice for ranch-style dressing.

Like any mayonnaise-based salad, it's sensitive to temperature due to the egg yolks in the sauce. If you're transporting to a BBQ and back home, make sure it's kept well-chilled with a few ice packs. It typically won't last as long as a vinegar-based dense bean salad, and it's usually best to consume within 2-3 days.