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fall harvest dense bean salad close up.
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5 from 1 vote

Fall Harvest Dense Bean Salad

Enjoy the flavours of fall with this protein-packed harvest bean salad. With squash, kale, apple and a maple dijon dressing—this delicious salad has over 20g of fiber per serving. It is the perfect side dish or vegetarian main.
Prep Time45 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Calories: 505kcal
Author: Olivia Parsons

Ingredients

  • 2 cups butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
  • 2 cans white kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups kale stems removed and chopped
  • 1 cup pickled beets sliced
  • 1 apple cored and cubed
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans and/or pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tablespoon dried cranberries

Dressing

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Add the cubed butternut squash to a baking sheet and rub with 2 tablespoon olive oil plus a good pinch of salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Roast for 30-40 minutes until tender, stirring halfway.
  • While the squash roasts, chop the other ingredients and whisk together the dressing.
  • Add the kale to a large bowl with a few tablespoon of dressing. Use your hands to massage the kale gently for 2 minutes. Add the beans, beets, apple, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and cooled squash to the bowl. Pour the rest of the dressing and mix thoroughly.
  • You can enjoy immediately, but the salad is best when chilled. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir again before serving and enjoy as a salad, side dish, or vegetarian main.

Notes

  • This recipe is inspired by Violet Witchel's dense bean salads.
  • You can use any beans or legumes in this recipe.
  • This recipe makes a large salad—enjoy it as a side dish or a vegetarian main. You could serve the salad with crackers, tortilla chips, or in a pita or wrap.
  • Storage: This dense bean salad will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Feel free to add any other nuts, seeds, or fall flavours you want in this DBS (dense bean salad).
 
Nutrition facts are an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 1404mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 10.5g | Vitamin A: 1840IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 7.3mg