This is the kind of salad that earns a permanent spot in the meal prep rotation because it tastes even better after a little marinating time. It features romano beans, navy beans, chopped roasted broccoli, and a lemony nutritional yeast dressing that is punchy, sweet, and savory all at the same time. Serve this lemony bean salad alongside grilled tempeh for a complete and satisfying vegan spread.

The dressing is the reason you’ll make this salad again and again. Nutritional yeast gives it an intensely savory, umami-ish depth that pairs beautifully with the bright lemon and a touch of maple syrup for tangy-sweet balance. I make it in a jar and just shake it together. No blender required. Fair warning: this one really is for the lovers of nutritional yeast. The dressing tastes almost too intense on its own, but that’s exactly the point. Such a large volume of beans needs a little zest and oomph!

Roasting the broccoli rather than using it raw is worth the extra step. Twenty minutes at 400 degrees gives you slightly golden, tender florets with crisp edges that absorb the dressing in a way raw broccoli just can’t. Don’t skip the stems either. Diced up and roasted alongside the florets, they are tender and perfect in this salad.

I love using romano beans in this salad specifically. They are big, plush, and have a slightly nutty flavor that holds up beautifully against the bold dressing. If you’ve never cooked with them before, this is a great, simple introduction. Navy beans round things out with a softer, creamier texture for a nice contrast.

The vegan feta crumbled on top is optional but highly recommended. It adds a salty, briny finish that takes this from a good bean salad to a really great one. My current favorite is the Farm Boy store brand. It crumbles well and has a bit of tang.

Lemony Bean Salad with Roasted Broccoli (Vegan)

A hearty lemony bean salad with roasted broccoli and a savory nutritional yeast dressing that gets better the longer it sits. Two types of beans, optional vegan feta, and ready in about 30 minutes. Great for meal prep and even better the next day.

5 from 6 reader reviews

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

Roasted Broccoli

• 1 bunch broccoli (2 stems)
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Lemony Nutritional Yeast Dressing

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced with a Microplane
• 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons water

Salad Assembly

• 1 19-oz can (540 ml) romano beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 19-oz can (540 ml) navy beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ small red onion, small dice
• ¾ cup parsley leaves, chopped
• ⅓ cup crumbled vegan feta cheese, optional
• salt and pepper, to taste
• extra lemon zest

Notes

• There is no substitute for nutritional yeast in the dressing. If you don’t like nutritional yeast, this may not be the salad for you.
• Subbing one of the cans of beans for chickpeas works great! 
• For vegan feta, I like Farm Boy’s store brand the most. Naksika’s Garden and Violife are also good (but don’t crumble as well).

Instructions

Cut and roast the broccoli.

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Chop the broccoli into florets and also dice up the stems into 1-inch pieces (I trim the tough outer part first). Transfer broccoli pieces to the baking sheet and drizzle with the 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil. Season with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and then toss to coat. Spread the broccoli out and roast in the oven until tender and slightly browned, about 20 minutes.

While broccoli is roasting, make the dressing.

• In a sealable jar, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire, maple syrup, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and water. Close the lid and shake to combine. The dressing should taste quite intense and it will be on the thick side. Set aside.

Assemble the salad.

• Once cool enough to handle, chop the broccoli roughly and transfer to a large bowl.
• To the large bowl, add the romano beans, navy beans, red onion, parsley, vegan feta (if using), and all of the lemony dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
• Finish the salad by grating some extra lemon zest on top and grinding a bit more black pepper. Serve!

Author: Laura Wright

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Keyword: lemony bean salad, nutritional yeast dressing