Tex-Mex Zucchini Bean Salad! It’s the perfect make-ahead dish for weeknights or picnics, offering a colorful, nutritious bowl that shines as a standalone meal or as a vibrant side.
Hearty, healthy, and brimming with plant-powered goodness, this Tex-Mex Zucchini Bean Salad delivers big flavor in every bite. Loaded with protein-packed beans, crisp bell peppers, zesty onions, and tender zucchini, this salad stays satisfying without weighing you down. The star is a bright, aromatic dressing infused with Mexican spices—think chili powder, smoked paprika, and a squeeze of lime—that ties the veggies and beans together.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
This bean salad is so tasty, and it shines in so many meals. We loved it wrapped up with fluffy rice and quinoa for a satisfying midday bite, where the crisp veggies and creamy beans play off the nutty grains beautifully.
It’s incredibly versatile, naturally gluten-free, and endlessly adaptable with any favorite add-ins—jalapeños for extra heat or chopped cilantro for a bright finish. So easy to make, so creamy and fresh in texture, and absolutely delicious—you’ve got to give this one a try!
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Tex-Mex Zucchini Bean Salad is hearty and delicious. It’s full of tasty beans, bell peppers, onions and zucchini all coated with a tasty dressing filled with aromatic Mexican spices.
- Spices: You can easily ramp up the spices if you wish.
- Zucchini: Cut the unpeeled zucchini lengthwise, into 4ths or 8ths, largely dependent on the diameter of the zucchini, then cut into ¼-inch thick slices.
- Tenderness of the Zucchini: The zucchini is lightly cooked. Get the pan hot so that the zucchini starts to sizzle as soon as it hits the pan, sprinkle with sea salt. Start the timer as soon as the zucchini begins to sizzle, remove at the 4 or 5-minute mark and place onto a plate to cool. Do not let the zucchini sit in the pan or it will continue to cook. Most family members enjoyed the zucchini at the 4-minute mark as the zucchini was just a hint tender but still retained its full integrity. You do not want the zucchini to start to break down.
- Two Vinegars: We used two vinegars as each brings a different note to the dressing making the flavors more complex and tasty.
- Serving Ideas: We absolutely LOVED this dish inside a wrap. It is a great potluck or picnic salad as well.
- Amount of Sea Salt: Our family was totally divided over the amount of sea salt that was needed to season this dish. We suggest starting on the lower end and building from there. We also noted that the saltiness of the dish appeared to increase as it sat, so adjust accordingly.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered air-tight container.
As with most salads, this bean salad does not freeze well.
Pantry Products:
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Large skillet
- Whisk (or fork)
If you try this tasty salad, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Tex-Mex Zucchini Bean Salad
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 4-5 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 Minutes
- Yield: 8 Cups 1x
- Method: Stovetop
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Hearty, healthy, and brimming with plant-powered goodness, this Tex-Mex Zucchini Bean Salad delivers big flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Skillet Ingredients:
- 1 medium (10 oz.) zucchini, unpeeled, diced *
- Sprinkle sea salt
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 red bell pepper, small dice
- 4 to 6 green onions, sliced
- 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 – [ 15.25 oz. can ] corn, drained
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (+/-)
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika (+/-)
- 1 ½ teaspoons regular chili powder (+/-)
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika (+/-)
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder (+/-)
- Pinch 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
- Pinch to 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
Instructions
- Place all the Dressing Ingredients into a small bowl, stir well until smooth and emulsified, refrigerate until ready to dress the bean salad.
- Place the diced zucchini into a large skillet, sprinkle with sea salt and sauté over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, then immediately remove from the skillet and onto a plate to prevent further cooking and set aside to come to room temperature.
- Place all the Salad Ingredients into a large bowl, including the room-temperature lightly-sauteed zucchini, mix well, then pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, and gently mix until the salad ingredients are thoroughly coated. Serve as a bean salad or inside a wrap.
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Products Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Equipment Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Servings: 6 to 8 (makes 8 cups)
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