Three Bean Cold Soak Salad
Canned beans traded for dry ones, soaked in vinaigrette while you walk.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 4 oz
- cal / oz
- 130
- protein
- 18 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 5 min
- water
- 350 ml cold
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Cold soak
- No cook
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Canoe / raft
- Bikepacking
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Eat in the bag
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dehydrated kidney beans | 1/3 cup | instant or home-dried from a tin, or flaked |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated cannellini or white beans | 1/3 cup | |
| Freeze-dried cut green beans | 1/4 cup | |
| Dried bell pepper flakes | 2 tbsp | red and yellow if you have both |
| Dried minced onion | 1 tbsp | stands in for the red onion |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Dried parsley and dill | 1 tsp each | |
| Olive oil | 1 1/2 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Apple cider vinegar | 1 tbsp | small leakproof bottle |
| Dijon mustard | 1 tsp | a takeout packet works |
| Honey or sugar | 1 tsp | sugar keeps it vegan |
| Salt and black pepper | 1/4 tsp salt, several grinds |
Method
- At breakfast, tip the dry bag into a leakproof jar and add 350 ml of cold water. Seal it and shake.
- Let it sit at least four hours. Beans need the time; the peppers and green beans are done well before that.
- Pour off any water still standing on top. There usually is some.
- Add the oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. Seal and shake again until the dressing coats everything.
- Salt and pepper to taste, then eat straight from the jar.
The original is a picnic salad built on three tins and a fridge. Tins are dead weight and the fridge does not exist out here, so the beans go in dry and the water goes in at breakfast. Four hours of walking does the rehydrating for free.
The dressing goes in last, after you drain. Add it early and the oil coats the beans before the water gets in, and you end up with dry centers. Vinegar and mustard also slow rehydration, which is the same problem from the other direction.
Packing
All the dry goods go in one bag at home. The oil, vinegar, and mustard ride in the lid pocket so a leak stays contained.
Variations
- A foil packet of tuna turns it into a full dinner and adds about 20 g of protein.
- Skip the honey and use sugar to make it vegan.
- A pinch of chili flake or smoked paprika covers for the missing fresh onion bite.
https://blog.9jakitchen.com/three-bean-salad-ultimate-fresh-easy-recipe