Dense Bean Salad Dubai Chocolate (Printable Version)

Bold blend of legumes, nuts, and cacao for a rich Middle Eastern-inspired salad.

# 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:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, black beans, and cannellini beans.
02 - Add diced cucumber, red onion, red 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 emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture and toss to evenly coat.
05 - Fold in roasted pistachios and sprinkle cacao nibs or cocoa powder over the salad, mixing gently to distribute without overpowering.
06 - Let the salad rest for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld, then serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy and complicated, but you're really just tossing things together in twenty minutes.
  • The cacao is barely there, just enough to make people say "wait, what is that?" and then crave another bite.
  • It gets better as it sits, so you can make it ahead and feel like you planned something.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans; starchy water makes the dressing separate and the whole salad fall flat.
  • Pomegranate molasses is worth hunting for, but if you genuinely can't find it, a good balsamic works in a pinch.
  • Add the cacao slowly and taste as you go, because one extra teaspoon can tip the whole thing from elegant to confused.
03 -
  • Use genuinely good olive oil, because it's one of the few things you taste directly and it makes a noticeable difference.
  • Toast your own pistachios from raw if you can; they taste brighter and more alive than pre-roasted versions.
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