This no cook vegetarian dinner is packed with plant protein, veggies, and lots of flavor and texture. Your choice of greens, crunchy veg, and briny olives get tossed in a simple dressing. A fluffy, lemony black bean hummus gets blended up, smeared generously in your bowl and topped with that crunchy and bright salad. Serve with a side of crusty bread or pita to clean off your bowls!
Ingredient Highlight
Beans! are a great way to get protein along with a heavy dose of fiber, complex carbs, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and potassium to name a few. They are famous for making you fart (hehe) because of the specific sugars (oligosaccharides) they contain that we have trouble breaking down. Cooking your beans from scratch reduces the fart-causing substances!
Servings 4
Prep Time 20 minutes Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed*
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tsp dried oregano or za'atar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1/4-1/2 cup cold water
For the salad:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp ground cumin or coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano or za'atar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups salad greens of choice (arugula, little gems/romaine, radicchio, etc…)
- 4 cups chopped raw crunchy veg**
- 1-2 cups loosely packed fresh herbs (mint, parsley, dill, and/or cilantro)
- 1/2 cup chopped green olives
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts
- Crusty bread or pita bread
- *Use chickpeas for a classic hummus, but any bean works!
- **Use cucumber (remove seeds), fennel, radish, celery, cabbage, snap peas, etc…I tested this using 1 cucumber, 4-5 celery stalks, and ½ bunch of radishes.
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, add beans, tahini, lemon, soy sauce, herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic. Blend until combined, using a tamper tool to encourage blending.
- Add the water, starting with ¼ cup, and blend again until smooth and fluffy, using a tamper tool to encourage blending. It’s a large and thick quantity, so if your blender needs help, add a bit more water.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, spices, herbs, and salt. Add the greens, veggies, herbs, and olives and toss to coat.
- Spread the hummus (about ¾ cup worth) onto your bowl or plate using the back of your spoon. Top with salad, nuts, a drizzle of your best olive oil, and black pepper. If you have za’atar, sprinkle that on top as well. Serve with a side of toast or pita bread to wipe up the hummus
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the hummus
- Chop 4 cups raw crunchy veg
- Prep 1-2 cups loosely packed fresh herbs (mint, parsley, dill, and/or cilantro)
- Chop ½ cup green olives
- Toast + chop ½ cup nuts
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, skip the bread/pita or use GF bread/pita.
- Substitute any bean for the black beans (pinto, white beans/cannellini beans, chickpeas).
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Salad: in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Black bean hummus: in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Try to let the salad sit out at room temp for a bit so it’s not so cold out of the fridge. Serve everything up as described in the recipe.
- Top with a fried or boiled egg.
- Add grilled or shredded chicken (or any other meat).
- Use leftover hummus as a dip for veggies or pita. Spread it on toast and top with a fried egg and some olive oil. Use it in a taco!
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