For The Best Bean Salad, You Need A Little Crunch

Who doesn't love a good ole bean salad? Perfect for summer picnics or backyard barbecues, bean salad is the unassuming party guest that patiently waits for someone's attention. But bean salad doesn't have to be boring — add a little crunch to elevate your side dish game. Unlikely ingredients to consider are fennel, daikon radish, capers, nuts and seeds, cucumbers, bell peppers, avocados (alright, not as crunchy as creamy, but the texture marries well with beans), red onions, mango, and rice, just to name a few. 

Want even more crunch? Toss in some nutrient dense quinoa or chia seed for added texture and health benefits to boot.

Also, consider varying the beans to give the salad more crunchy and depth of flavor. Look beyond the traditional three-bean salad and mix it up a bit using non-traditional beans, such as pintos, black beans, garbanzos, butter beans, navy beans, cannellinis, and favas. But for beans, you can use whatever you have on hand.

When designing a bean salad, two factors come into play. One, the beans you use, and two, the accompanying ingredients that will allow the beans to sing. When selecting beans, think of the color, texture, and any flavor profiles they'll bring to your dish. Will you use canned beans, dry, or fresh? Is there additional prep work involved? If using canned, which is the easiest and more convenient way to prepare a quick bean salad, be sure to strain and rinse the beans well before you use them. If using fresh, be sure to blanche the beans well to add extra crunch. For dry beans, soak them overnight and cook according to the packaging; bean cooking methods vary by type. The sky's the limit when it comes to bean combinations, so let your imagination run wild.

To keep things crunchy, adding additional ingredients helps elevate any bean salad. Look for highly textured and flavorful options. Seasonality helps, so consider the use of in-season vegetables whenever possible. 

Take, for example, a traditional summer succotash, which contains corn, tomatoes, and lima or butter beans. (Depending on where you're from, you may or may not add pork to this summer picnic staple.) Throw in some okra and green or red bell peppers, maybe some diced carrots, and you've got yourself a texturally unique composition of flavorful summer ingredients. Other additions to consider are toasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, jalapeños, fennel bulb, lentils, and celery.

If you don't already have canned beans lining your pantry, you should consider keeping at least a few different types around. Black beans, kidney beans, and a white bean (such as cannellini, great northern, or navy) should suffice. Dried beans also come in handy to have around, especially in the colder months when you don't feel like dodging the elements to run to the grocery store. When the time comes to prepare the bean salad, make sure you have all of your ingredients gathered and your mise en place ready to go. This will ensure that you can assemble in no time and work cleanly, too. 

Once the beans are prepared, add them, along with your prepped ingredient, to a mixing bowl and mix well to incorporate the flavors. (If you're adding a dressing, make that separately according to the recipe instructions.) Most bean salads benefit from "chill time" once assembled, so don't be shy about wrapping your creation in cling wrap and putting it in the fridge for an hour or so to let it rest. 

Finally, all bean salads need a little top-seasoning loving. Be sure to taste your creation and season with salt and pepper appropriately. Add chopped herbs as a garnish, and voilà — a crunchy bean salad masterpiece is born.