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The most refreshing side dish, this Black Bean Salad integrates fresh corn, bell pepper, avocado, onions, and a cilantro lime dressing for a big burst of flavor! Pair it with your choice of main dish for a complete meal.
Packed with fresh ingredients like bell pepper, red onions, green onions, garlic, and optional avocado, this zesty black bean and corn salad is a bombshell of flavor and nutrients.
This easy salad can be employed as a great side dish, condiment, or as dip for chips and dip! That’s versatility!
It requires basic ingredients and 10 minutes or less to toss together. Plus, it can easily be customized to fit your palate!
Ideal for warm weather, this no-cook side dish is served cold for a breath of fresh air.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for black bean salad.
Ingredients for Black Bean Salad:
Canned Black Beans: The main star of the show, we need one can of black beans. They contribute plant-based protein, fiber, and make the tastiest side!
When using black beans cooked from dry instead of canned black beans, use 1 and ⅔ cups.
Canned Corn: Contributing little juicy pops of sweetness, corn kernels level up the flavor profile. Canned corn or frozen corn both work great.
Red Onion and Green Onion: Red onion brings a subtle heat and big onion flavor, where green onions add creamy onion flavor. I love adding both! Skip one or the other if you prefer.
Red Bell Pepper: Bell peppers provide a sweet and slightly smoky flavor, which adds a big burst of freshness to salad recipes. Use any color you like here!
Cherry Tomatoes: Bursts of juicy tomato goodness compliment beans and corn magically! I recommend using grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes so that they stay firm and don’t fall apart when stirred.
Jalapeño peppers (optional): Enjoy a little heat? Add a finely chopped jalapeño. For less spice, remove the insides and seeds prior to chopping the jalapeño. Or, omit it altogether.
Avocado (optional): Creamy avocado enhances the experience by contributing richness and soft texture. When adding avocado, do so just before serving for the best results. Avocado oxidizes over time so it’s best when served fresh.
Dressing Ingredients:
Avocado Oil: Every great dressing begins with an oil. Avocado oil is my favorite because it has a neutral flavor and a dose of omega 3 fatty acids. Olive oil works great too!
Fresh Lime Juice: A little acidity goes a long way in making this salad magical! Lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar work too.
Garlic: A little garlic goes a long way in leveling up the flavor. Feel free to add more if you’d like.
Cilantro: Do you love it or hate it? Fresh cilantro gets finely chopped and mixed into this amazing side dish in order to add a pop of herby flavor.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper.
Recipe Customizations:
- Omit the cilantro or add fresh mint, fresh parsley, basil leaves, or fresh herbs of choice in its stead.
- Swap the black beans for canned garbanzo beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, etc.
- Omit the corn.
- For a touch of sweetness, add 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Want to make it more substantial? Chop one large or two small sweet potatoes, roast them, and add them into this easy black bean salad recipe.
- For a southwestern or Mexican flair, add 2 teaspoons of chili powder to the dressing.
- The zesty lime dressing combined with the zippy ingredients creates a tasty healthy dish!
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make black bean salad!
How to Make Black Bean Salad:
Mix together the ingredients for the black bean salad dressing in a small bowl or a measuring cup. Set aside until ready to use.
Drain the can of black beans into a colander and rinse the beans under cold water. Shake the colander to remove any excess water, and transfer black beans to a large large bowl. Repeat this step for the canned corn.
Chop the red onion, green onion, and jalapeno, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the beans and corn.
Pour the salad dressing into the mixing bowl and toss well to coat all of the ingredients.
If adding, gently fold in the diced avocado just before serving.
Serve black bean salad with your main dish, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This salad tastes even better the next day after the ingredients have had time to marinate.
What to Do With Black Bean Salad:
I love serving black bean salad as a simple side dish to any main dish. It goes great with Chipotle Chicken, BBQ Tri Tip, Grilled Chicken Thighs, Grilled Salmon, and more.
Use it as a condiment for burgers or sandwiches to add a little flair! Love chips and dip? Serve it with tortilla chips for a refreshing appetizer.
I enjoy adding this easy black bean salad to my burrito bowls for extra flavor and a refreshing element.
The next time you’re looking for a cooling, refreshing side dish, whip up this quick and simple black bean salad recipe!
If you’re looking for veggie-forward side dishes, check these out!
More Side Dishes:
- Easy Cowboy Caviar
- Fried Plantains
- Sesame Garlic Sauteed Bok Choy
- Italian Salad
- Mediterranean Green Bean Salad
Enjoy this simple black bean corn salad recipe alongside all your summer meals!
Black Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans
- 1 (7-oz) can corn
- ½ cup finely red onion, chopped
- ½ small red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 stalks green onion, chopped, optional
- ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 avocado, diced, optional
For the Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 Tbsp lime juice, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic
- ½ cup fresh cilantro , finely chopped, optional
- ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mix together the ingredients for the black bean salad dressing in a small bowl or a measuring cup. Set aside until ready to use.
- Drain the can of black beans into a colander and rinse the beans under cold water. Shake the colander to remove any excess water, and transfer black beans to a large large bowl. Repeat this step for the canned corn.
- Chop the red onion, green onion, and jalapeno, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the beans and corn.
- Pour the salad dressing into the mixing bowl and toss well to coat all of the ingredients.
- If adding, gently fold in the diced avocado just before serving.
- Serve black bean salad with your main dish, and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
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Delicious!!
Thank you, Colleen!
This is a wonderful recipe. I made it for Mother’s Day dinner and it was such a hit. It pairs beautifully with chicken, hamburgers, brats and chips. It is so colorful and healthy, and delicious! This recipe serves 8 easily. There weren’t any leftovers so I got the ingredients to make another batch for myself.
Wahoo! I love hearing all of that, Mary! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! xo