Vegan Bean Salad Recipe with Jackfruit (Quick + Easy)

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• A healthy vegan bean salad recipe
• A vegan spin on Insalata di Tonno e Fagioli 
• A perfect vegan bean salad recipe for summer and al fresco dining
• Beans, beans and more beans
• Humble origins
• What beans to use in this vegan bean salad recipe         
• Roasted red peppers are a must
• Trending recipes on the blog
• Vegan bean salad recipe with jackfruit (Vegan Insalata di Tonno e Fagioli)

Tasty vegan bean salad that is nutrient-dense, full of flavour and easy to prepare. This is THE vegan bean salad recipe (vegan Insalata di Tonno e Fagioli) you will make now and forever!

A healthy vegan bean salad recipe

Beans come in all shapes and sizes and are an excellent addition to lots of incredible meals as well as being the star of the show by themselves. In the Mediterranean, which can boast some of the healthiest cultures in the world, there is wonderful produce from luscious fruit and vegetables and nutrient-dense healthy olive oils to amazing seafood and of course beans. In Italy, beans are a staple and showcase some exceptional dishes that are not only simple but full of flavour and nutrition. Tuscany has a tradition with their famous bean stew and here we have put our take on another classic, a Mediterranean vegan bean salad.   

A vegan spin on Insalata di Tonno e Fagioli 

Tonno e Fagioli is a classic Italian tuna and bean salad eaten up and down the country. It showcases cannellini beans with sweet pepper, celery and onion topped with meaty tuna. For our take on this tasty vegan bean salad recipe, we have introduced some firm jackfruit simply seasoned with some umami-rich nutritional yeast in place of the tuna and my goodness does it work. 

The texture of jackfruit is often described as meaty and is commonly used in place of meat in many vegan recipes. Vegan “pulled pork” with BBQ sauce or shredded jackfruit with hoisin sauce and pancakes makes a classic Chinese starter something to die for. When squeezed to reduce the moisture content and some of the fruitier flavours, then grilled, this jackfruit firms up and tastes just amazing. 

A perfect vegan bean salad recipe for summer and al fresco dining

With our best-ever vegan bean salad we go one step further and pack in as many varieties of beans as we can get our hands-on. Thankfully many shops provide a can of bean salad already. Beans are an excellent source of protein for anyone who doesn’t consume animal proteins. They are also very simple to prepare even if not bought in tins as they just need to be soaked. 

A can of beans is healthy and nutritious and can feed a family in minutes. With a firm texture that compliments soupy sauces they make hearty filling stews whilst at the same time not sitting in your stomach, they are the ideal food to eat all year round. This vegan bean salad recipe of course is perfect for summer and al fresco dining. Simply add a zesty and herby dressing and you are good to go.

Beans, beans and more beans

Well, they are eaten all over the world and just in the Mediterranean. They are so tasty they make English baked beans a classic for breakfast, Chinese black bean sauce a memorable Asian dish, Mexican refried beans, pinto and kidney beans for an amazing chilli and French cassoulet wouldn’t be the same without them and so on. All these hearty bean dishes and predominantly from warmer climates which is great as beans make wonderful partners for salads too.

Humble origins

Beans are a resilient legume and can grow in a wide range of climates and because of this tolerance they are an easy pulse to grow and would have been cultivated in large numbers to feed workers who would not have been able to afford much more. Some of the best dishes in the world come from humble origins. Known centuries ago as peasant food dishes like Tonno e Fagioli, Ribolitta and a simple bean salad have stood the test of time and become not only family favourites but restaurant favourites too.

What’s more, is that there is no rule on how to make this salad, some like to include bread like another classic Tuscan dish called Panzanella, others use certain beans or like us you can fill it to the brim with any bean you can find. Another bean added to our best-ever bean salad is an edamame bean which is a young soybean and incredibly healthy. This Asian staple also inspired us to give the dressing a little Asian influence too by adding some soy sauce and sesame oil to a classic honey mustard dressing with fresh herbs that would traditionally be drizzled on this salad. However, experiment yourself with different additions but follow this easy recipe for a nutrient-dense meal that hopefully will see you making this flavoursome Italian vegan bean salad time and time again.

What beans to use in this vegan bean salad recipe         

Beans are classified as legumes along with peanuts, peas and lentils. They are the seeds grown in a pod from the flowering plant of the Fabacea family. 

There are many varieties and many are known by different names in different countries and also by different names at different stages of their growth.

For this recipe, traditional Italian beans are used such as Borlotti, Butter beans and Cannellini Beans. Here is a list of beans to choose from. 

Borlotti Beans: a type of cranberry bean bred in Italy. It has a brownish colour and slightly nutty flavour

Butter Beans: a fully grown lima bean that as per its name has a buttery taste, a great addition to soups and stews.

Cannellini Beans: A classic bean used in Italian cooking, sometimes referred to as a white kidney bean it is full of nutrients and works well cooked in a soup or equally mashed or made into fritters.

Haricot Beans: are also known as Navy beans, Boston bean or white pea bean. They are a staple in baked beans as they absorb loads of flavour. The flageolet bean is a small haricot bean.

Pinto Beans: meaning “painted” in Spanish this refers to its pink striped appearance. They are great in refried bean dishes and stews alike.

Soybeans: are the fully formed white bean that makes tofu. The young bean is an Edamame Bean and is typically eaten straight from the pod. These beans are complete proteins and a great addition to this Mediterranean bean salad.

Kidney Beans: These red-coloured beans score the highest on the ORAC score (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) which is how potent their antioxidant capabilities are. This means that kidney beans are one of the healthiest ingredients out there.

Garbanzo Beans: also known as chickpeas, these beans are most commonly known as the ingredient in Hummus and are high in dietary fibre. Simply toasted however with a dressing is a great snack by itself.  

Roasted red peppers are a must

These are amazingly sweet and add vibrancy to any salad. They are easy to buy in a jar but also very easy to do yourself. When you firm up the jackfruit in this vegan bean salad recipe just put some sweet peppers next to them and grill on high heat for fifteen minutes (turning halfway through) so that the skins blister. Then seal them in a freezer bag so that they steam. This is so the skins are then really easy to peel off. Voila! Some delicious peppers that you can use in antipasti or in addition to loads of different dishes. Just remember to slice them and remove the seeds.

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