Mexican Bean Salad

This Mexican inspired bean salad is not entirely raw, but mostly. It is incredibly versatile so you can change it up according to what you have available. 

I’ve used a jar of Queen Chick Peas from the Bold Bean Company. Pricey but worth it. Give them a try even if you don’t like chickpeas as these are totally different to the chick peas you get from a can.

Omit the beans if you want to go all in for 100% raw.  Instead add some sweetcorn, maybe a radish or two, some finely sliced red cabbage and diced avocado for a bit of creaminess. A few dehydrated or toasted pumpkinseeds (pepitas) if you have them would add some crunch.

Enjoy these with dehydrated raw tortilla chips.

Add a pinch of ground cumin for more of a Mexican vibe. It has its place but I’m good without it.   

This is a rare salad that actually tastes better as it sits a while which makes it an ideal choice for lunch boxes and picnics . I make it in a large dish at the beginning of the week as since it lasts 3 days in the fridge, I can dip into it greedily whenever I want a grab and go lunch.

This is an easy meal if you are short on time, kit or prep space. I have neither time, much kit nor prep space at the moment since we are still refurbishing after our home flooded.

I’ve seen lots of different versions of a Mexican salad on social media, some with cheese and some with tuna. This is my plant-based version.  

MEXICAN BEAN SALAD 

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

1 jar Queen chick peas (about 400g drained weight)
1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed (about 240g drained weight)
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
50g olives, sliced
1 yellow pepper (bell pepper), diced
1/3 cucumber, diced
1 stick celery, finely sliced
3 slices red onion, diced
1 jalapeño, finely diced
a handful of flat leaf parsley, or coriander leaves
a few mint leaves (about 7), chiffonade
The zest of 1 lime 

Dressing

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar,
1 teaspoon lime juice,
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard, or Dijon mustard,
1 teaspoon agave (optional)
a pinch of ground cumin (optional)  
Salt and pepper as required – season to taste

METHOD

Mix all the salad ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad, turning gently so all the flavours are incorporated.  Cover and leave in the fridge until required. This will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Serve with raw tortilla chips.