It’s hearty, easy to prepare, and so flavorful that it’s hard to stop eating it once you’ve started. It’s the perfect option to bring to a summer party or you can make it ahead of time for an easy meal prep lunch. This black bean salad recipe can be served on its own as a side dish or topped with your favorite protein for a complete meal. You can also serve it with tortilla chips for a flavorful party dip!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The key to any good-tasting salad is using fresh ingredients. For this one, you’ll need red onion, corn, fresh cilantro, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes. If you’d rather not cut corn kernels off the cob, you can use 1 cup of frozen corn kernels, instead. Just let them thaw on the counter while you chop everything else. Canned black beans make this recipe fast and convenient, but you can also use home-cooked beans if you prefer. You’ll need roughly 3 cups for this recipe. Check out my Instant Pot Black Beans tutorial if you’d like to cook them in the pressure cooker.
How to Make the Best Black Bean Salad
In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, lime zest, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir briefly. Add the diced red onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, corn, drained black beans, and cilantro to the bowl of dressing. Toss well, then season with an additional salt, to taste. Start with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt at a time, and continue to add it until the salad tastes flavorful. If you plan on serving this black bean and corn salad right away, you can slice a ripe avocado and add that on top. Since avocado will brown over time, it’s an ingredient that is best added shortly before serving. You could also top this salad with crumbled feta cheese, instead. (In that case, you won’t need quite as much salt.) Looking for more summer salad ideas? Try my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, the best Lentil Salad, or refreshing Greek Salad for more options. If you try this Black Bean Salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
