Salad featuring Black Beans and Corn

This Corn and Black Bean Salad is packed with crunchy vegetables, tasty spices, and fresh cilantro, all mixed in a tangy lime dressing, making it an ideal summer side dish or dip!

Here’s a lively and refreshing salad that’s perfect for summertime and takes only around 10 minutes to prepare! This corn and black bean salad features a delightful mix of crunchy corn, black beans, diced bell peppers, red onion, avocado, and fresh cilantro, all combined with a zesty lime vinaigrette. Not only is this salad great for serving a crowd, but it can also be enjoyed as a dip, making it perfect to serve with crispy tortilla chips for an ultimate summer appetizer!

What You’ll Adore About This

• Fresh and Tasty – you’ll love the combination of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors in this corn and black bean salad!
• Quick and Simple – this salad can be whipped up in a mere 10 minutes using easy-to-find pantry essentials.
• Flexible – this salad is ideal for meal prepping, picnics, or a quick lunch, and can serve as a side dish, be added into tacos or burrito bowls, and tastes delicious as a dip with chips.
• Nutritious – loaded with plant-based protein, fiber, and plenty of veggies, this is a healthy vegan side dish that the entire family will appreciate!

Ingredients Required

• corn – fresh, frozen, or canned corn will all work well in this recipe, just choose what’s easiest for you! You can even grill or roast fresh corn on the cob for that fantastic charred taste.
• black beans – canned black beans not only make this salad more filling but also serve as a fantastic source of fiber and potassium.
• bell pepper – I chose a vibrant red bell pepper for this salad, but feel free to use any color you prefer. Mini sweet peppers would also be great in this dish.
• red onion – adds appealing color and crunch to the salad! You can substitute with white onion or green onions if a red onion isn’t available.
• avocado – brings creaminess to the salad along with several health benefits! Opt for a semi-firm avocado, as overly ripe ones may become mushy in this salad.
• cilantro – I adore the flavor of cilantro, so I tend to add a generous amount; however, if you don’t enjoy this herb, you can switch to parsley or basil.
• limes – these give a fresh and tangy flavor that truly brightens up the salad. Be sure to use fresh lime juice as bottled versions can taste bitter. If limes aren’t available, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar can be used.
• garlic – who can resist garlic?! If you lack fresh garlic, you can swap in ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
• olive oil – I prefer using a high-quality olive oil that doesn’t have to be pricey; just ensure it’s cold-pressed and organic for optimal flavor.
• spices – I included a mix of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and a hint of red pepper flakes for added heat.

Steps to Prepare Black Bean and Corn Salad

Here’s the deal, this summer salad is incredibly simple to prepare and you can have it ready in only 10 minutes! Just follow these three straightforward steps:

1. Chop veggies. Just dice up your bell pepper, jalapeño, onion, and avocado, drain and rinse the black beans, and combine everything in a large bowl along with the corn. Also, finely chop a handful of cilantro and mix that in as well.
2. Prepare lime dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, garlic, and spices (I used a blend of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt).
3. Combine, combine, COMBINE! Drizzle the lime dressing over the black beans and chopped vegetables, mix thoroughly, and you’re done! Sprinkle extra cilantro on top of the salad before serving as a garnish. This salad tastes best when chilled, so cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until you’re ready to serve.

Variations

• Make it creamy – while the avocado contributes creaminess, you could further enhance it by stirring in a bit of Greek yogurt or mayo.
• Add cheese – crumble in some cotija or feta cheese for an extra tang.
• Spice it up – adding chopped jalapeño is optional, but it does increase the heat! You could also include cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce in the dressing.
• Introduce some sweetness – while I love the zesty and tangy flavors in this salad, you could also add a tablespoon of honey, maple syrup, or another natural sweetener to the dressing for a sweeter taste.

Serving Ideas for Black Bean and Corn Salad

• As a side dish – this salad is a fantastic side with grilled chicken, steak, salmon, or burgers. We also relish serving this with tacos or fajitas.
• As a salad – enjoy it alone as a light and satisfying lunch option! Feel free to add extra protein to make it more filling.
• As a topping – use this salad on tacos, burritos, or rice bowls for added flavor, texture, and color. I also really like this on top of eggs!
• As a dip – serve this with your favorite tortilla chips for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack, similar to a corn salsa.

Preparation and Storage

This black bean salad is at its best when served cold, so I suggest covering it and chilling in the refrigerator for at least an hour prior to serving. Unfortunately, as this salad contains avocado, it will begin to brown and become mushy, so leftovers will last about 3 days in the fridge in a sealed airtight container. If you want this salad to last longer, feel free to leave out the avocado altogether!

Additional Summer Salads

I hope you all enjoy this Corn and Black Bean Salad, and if you love it as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!