Dense Bean Salad Chocolate Notes (Printable version)

A savory-sweet blend of beans, pistachios, and cacao for a vibrant, Middle Eastern-inspired dish.

# What you need:

→ Beans

01 - 1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 cup cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

→ Nuts & Chocolate

09 - 1/3 cup unsalted roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao nibs or 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
14 - 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
18 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Steps to follow:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, black beans, and cannellini beans.
02 - Add diced cucumber, red onion, bell pepper, parsley, and mint. Toss gently to combine.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, honey, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper until well blended.
04 - Pour dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Toss to coat evenly.
05 - Fold in roasted pistachios and sprinkle cacao nibs or cocoa powder over the salad.
06 - Gently toss to distribute cacao throughout without overpowering the flavor.
07 - Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes to meld flavors before serving.
08 - Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy but comes together in under half an hour with no heat required beyond what youve already cooked.
  • The cacao doesnt scream chocolate, it whispers depth and makes people ask what that flavor is.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the pomegranate molasses soaks into the beans.
02 -
  • Start with less cacao than you think you need, you can always add more but you cant take it back once its in.
  • Let the salad sit before serving, I learned this the hard way when I rushed it and the flavors tasted flat and disconnected.
  • If your pomegranate molasses is very tart, add an extra half teaspoon of honey to keep the balance.
03 -
  • Toast your own pistachios in a dry skillet for a few minutes if you can only find raw ones, the flavor is worth the extra step.
  • Use a microplane to grate a tiny bit of dark chocolate over the top instead of cacao nibs for a more subtle, elegant finish.
  • Taste the salad after it rests and adjust the salt, beans soak up seasoning and you might need a pinch more than you think.
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