Bean Mushroom Spinach Salad – A delicious salad from a can of beans

Recipe for a warm bean, mushroom spinach salad with a juicy dressing

I love making and eating salads. But I understand why some people don’t feel the same way.

One common reason? A low tolerance for raw vegetables. But here’s the thing—salads don’t have to be raw.

You can build a delicious salad with cooked, sautéed or oven-roasted ingredients and serve it warm instead of cold. Ingredients like beans, mushrooms, spinach (not baby spinach), broccoli, zucchini, and beetroot work beautifully in cooked salads.

They’re also great for meal prepping—store them in the fridge, then toss in a handful of this and that to create a hearty, gut-friendly salad your microbiome will thank you for!

Don’t miss: Easy ways to meal prep for summer salads

bean mushroom spinach salad

In this recipe, “beans” refers not to green beans but to the dried legumes commonly used in Indian cooking. Traditionally, these beans are soaked overnight and pressure-cooked to make dishes like curries or sundal.

For a long time, the only canned beans available in India were baked beans—a staple in hotel breakfast buffets. Now, gourmet supermarkets and online stores like Amazon offer a wider variety, though most are imported. Brands like Urban Platter have started selling India-made canned beans, mainly rajma and chickpeas.

The Indian obsession with ‘fresh’ cooking makes people frown upon canned foods. But canned beans are a perfectly good option to stock up in your pantry for a quick hummus or soup or salad.

I do have a recipe for a delicious 5 ingredient green bean salad, if you came here looking for that kind of bean salad. 

Why stock up on canned beans

1. Convenience:  No soaking or long cooking required. Just open, rinse, and use! When it comes to healthy eating, we have to find ways to make it easy.
2. Nutritious: Packed with protein, fibre and essential nutrients like iron and folate.
3. Long shelf life: This lasts for years, making it a reliable pantry staple.
4. Versatile: Great for quick meals like soups, salads, curries, and dips.

Just rinse them well to reduce excess sodium, and you’ve got a powerhouse ingredient ready to go.

Some canned beans I like

Costena black beans (product of Mexico) for use in Mexican cooking, especially chilis, quesadillas, tacos

Urban Platter canned fava beans for use in Middle Eastern dishes (product of China)

Cirio borlotti beans (product of Italy) for use in salads, soups

PIN THIS BEAN MUSHROOM SPINACH SALAD RECIPE AND TRY IT!

This recipe brings together hearty borlotti beans from a can along with simply sauteed mushrooms and spinach. Smoked paprika gives a touch of smokiness to the salad. The lemon juice-maple syrup and olive oil dressing gives the salad a juiciness that will make you go back for more.

Do try out this beans, mushroom and spinach salad and let me know how you liked it.

Bookmark: 80+ vegetarian salad recipes on this blog, for free.

Bean mushroom and spinach salad

A warm salad perfect for a hearty dinner served with a sliced of toasted sourdough

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Salad

Cuisine: global vegetarian

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• 400 g canned beans drained
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 200 g oyster mushrooms
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Dressing

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup or honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp cheddar cheese diced or grated
• 3 tbsp walnut pieces toasted

Method

 

1. To prepare the bean, mushroom and spinach salad, in a pan, heat 1-2 tsp of olive oil. Saute garlic on a medium flame. Then add washed and drained spinach leaves. Saute until wilted. Keep aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp olive oil (this works best in cast iron). Saute chopped mushrooms on high heat until golden.
3. Add mushrooms and drained beans to the wilted spinach. Sprinkle smoked paprika and toss well.
4. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over bean mixture.
5. Garnish with walnuts and cheese. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

1. Use any dried beans in the usual soaking, cooking and draining method instead of canned beans.
2. Button mushrooms can be substituted instead of oyster mushrooms.
3. Recipe can be made dairy free by omitting cheese. 

Check out 80 plus tried and tested vegetarian salad recipes

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