The TikTok-sensation ‘Dense Bean Salad’ is making people stock up on canned beans.

Canned bean dishes have long been a favorite, not just for meal preppers or those looking for a shortcut in the kitchen. Although cooking and soaking dried beans is a viable choice, opening a can and giving it a quick rinse is far more convenient—and retains nearly all the nutritional benefits.

A popular TikToker, Violet Witchel, uses canned beans daily to meet her nutritional goals. With 2.7 million followers and counting, she preps what she calls a 'dense bean salad,' claiming that eating it every day ensures she gets sufficient protein. Here’s how this salad comes together—and how you can adapt it with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

What is a Dense Bean Salad?

The original dense bean salad post has amassed over 10.6 million views and features an assortment of meats, vegetables, and legumes. Witchel begins by chopping a shallot, flat-leaf parsley, and two bell peppers. She then adds four fresh basil leaves and an entire container of cherry tomatoes halved. Pepperoni, sliced smoked chipotle chicken, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and mixed mozzarella balls complete the foundational ingredients.

The next step is crucial: the beans. For the original recipe, Witchel uses a can of white beans (cannellini) and a can of chickpeas. The dressing is made by combining sundried tomato oil, garlic-infused olive oil, white wine vinegar, pizza seasoning, sea salt, and mustard.

Witchel swears by the key step of blending the dressing with a milk frother, which gives it a uniquely creamy texture. The finished salad is portioned and stored in deli containers. Witchel proudly claims that it stays fresh and delicious throughout the week. Even better, it’s designed not to spoil quickly if made as instructed.

How to Personalize Your Dense Bean Salad: Variations

Witchel shares multiple variations of the dense bean salad on her TikTok and posts the recipes on her Substack. Just last month, she introduced an enchilada-inspired dense bean salad with chickpeas and black beans, which has already garnered 3.4 million views.

She also offers recipes for spicy chipotle chicken, tzatziki grilled steak, Buffalo chicken, and spicy cashew slaw dense bean salads. For each, she swaps the beans and dressing but sticks to essential ingredients like onion and herbs. Here’s how to make your own based on your cravings or what you have on hand in the pantry.

Step 1: Choose Your Protein

Some dense bean salads call for more preparation of protein, while others use cold cuts or pre-cooked meats. If you have the time, consider grilling chicken your favorite way. If not, take a cue from the original recipe and use pepperoni or sliced turkey.

Step 2: Dice an Onion and Bell Pepper

Witchel often incorporates a range of onions in her dishes, such as shallots, red onions, or even pickled red onions. If you’re unsure, simply chop a red onion and place it in a large bowl. Then, chop one or two bell peppers to give the salad more texture. If bell peppers aren't to your taste, feel free to substitute with other vegetables like cucumbers or carrots.

Step 3: Add an Herb

Choose an herb that complements the theme of your salad. For instance, cilantro goes wonderfully with spicy chipotle chicken, while basil pairs perfectly with the pizza-seasoned dressing from the original recipe. Chop the herb and mix it in. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste to avoid overwhelming the salad.

Step 4: Pick Bonus Ingredients

This step allows you to get creative and truly enhance the flavor profile of your salad. The original recipe suggests adding artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella balls. If you prefer simplicity, opt for a cheese and pair it with two other vegetables, such as grilled corn and avocado.

Step 5: Include Beans

Two cans of beans are the perfect amount to complete the recipe and ensure you have enough for the week. You can use two cans of the same bean, but for added health benefits, mixing different types of beans is a great idea (or as Witchel humorously calls it, 'bean-efits'). Popular options include chickpeas, cannellini beans, butter beans, black beans, and kidney beans.

Step 6: Make Your Dressing

Witchel has a variety of flavorful dressing recipes, most of which begin with olive oil or red wine vinegar. She then adds seasonings and other ingredients like mayo or mustard, and uses a milk frother to achieve a creamy consistency. If you're short on time, a store-bought dressing can be enhanced with a bit of mustard and a quick frothing. After tossing everything together, store it for the week. If you want some variety, enjoy the salad plain, or serve it on a tortilla, crusty bread, or with tortilla chips.