Black Bean Salad
Published on June 02, 2023
Quick Summary
This easy and fresh Black Bean Salad with corn, avocado, tomatoes, red pepper, cilantro, and lime is always a crowd pleaser! Serve it as a salad or dip with tortilla chips!
One of my favorite things about summer are all of the BBQ’s, parties, potlucks, and picnics. I feel like our neighborhood is a lot more social during the summertime.
One of my favorite recipes to make during the summertime is this Black Bean Salad. It is my go to because I love it and because EVERYONE loves it. It is always a crowd pleaser! And the best part? It only takes minutes to make!
You can serve it as a salad or even as a chip dip, kind of similar to Cowboy Caviar. I love scooping this salad up with salty tortilla chips!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
I also love this salad because it is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free, making it a great salad to share with everyone! It is colorful, healthy, and super fresh! This easy salad has all of my favorite ingredients in one bowl.
- Black beans– make sure you rinse and drain the black beans before you get started. You don’t want the liquid in the can in your salad or it will be soupy.
- Corn– I love using fresh sweet corn in this salad during the summertime. Cut the corn kernels off a large ear of corn with a sharp knife. You don’t have to cook the sweet corn, you can add it to the salad raw. If corn is out of season, you can use frozen corn or drained canned corn.
- Tomatoes– I use grape or cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. You can also use a large tomato and chop it, both work great!
- Red bell pepper– yellow or orange bell pepper work too!
- Red onion– I use red onion because I love the pop of purple, but green onion will work too.
- Cilantro– chopped cilantro really boost the flavor in this salad. If you are in the group that thinks cilantro tastes like soap, you could use fresh parsley instead. I love the cilantro flavor though:)
- Lime– Fresh lime juice prevents the avocado from browning and adds great flavor.
- Olive oil– just a little drizzle. You can also use avocado oil.
- Spices– I add chili powder and cumin. The chili powder doesn’t make the salad spicy, it just gives it a nice flavor. If you want to add heat to the salad, you can add diced jalapeño.
- Avocado– stir in the avocado right before serving so it doesn’t turn brown.
How to Make Black Bean Salad
- In a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, red pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, chili powder, and cumin.
- Stir to combine.
- Gently stir in the avocado and season with additional salt, if necessary.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve over a bed of lettuce to bulk it up for lunch or dinner. Add a drizzle of Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing.
- Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or Fritos. It makes a great appetizer for any party!
- Put the black bean salad inside of a quesadilla.
- Use the salad as a taco filling.
How to Store
You can prepare the salad in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just wait to stir in the avocado right before. Stir gently so it doesn’t get mashed up.
More Salad Recipes
Black Bean Salad
Equipment
- Salad Bowl (I LOVE my Williams Sonoma Pantry Serving Bowl)
Ingredients
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup corn, 1 large ear of sweet corn or 1 cup defrosted frozen corn
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1 ½ limes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, red pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to combine. Gently stir in the avocado and season with additional salt, if necessary. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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I loved this salad when I tried it at a potluck once, but I’ve never had the recipe to make it myself. Can’t wait to make this! 🙂 I love how it can be made ahead of time too.
I need to scoop some tortilla chips into this PRONTO!
great lettuce free salad, getting right to the good stuff, love it and thank yoiu
You are welcome!
Woohoo! Can’t wait to try this recipe! I always appreciate your blog posts and hope you have a great 4th! (Could you do a post on your neighborhood breakfast? Food and a history of your event? Sounds like fun!)
This looks AMAZING!! I know what we’re bringing to our group’s next potluck!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this – I have confidence even I can pull it off… 😉
Just found this and made this evening. Very tasty and great recipe. Two nights in a row of yours. Thanks!
Glad you are loving it!
Easy and tasty like I love!
I made this for potluck on the 4th. Gone in a flash! I put in extra avocado because — why not?! Really really delicious! Five stars * from me!
This looks awesome will make
This salad is so delicious! Have brought it to many potlucks and dinners and it’s always a big hit! It’s a summer staple!
Delicious! I didn’t have red onion or lime juice so I substituted yellow onion and lemon juice. Delicious that way too.
This was a yummy tasting recipe! Thanks!
I added a clove of fresh garlic but other than that, I followed your recipe. It was delicious!
Glad you liked the black bean salad!
This is delic – thanks so much!!!
4 WW smart points per 1 serving
Maybe a sprinkling of Cojita cheese would be yummy?!
YES! Love that idea!
Great Salad…I made it for a work meeting. Everyone loved it! We have several GF employees (plus Dairy Free) so I served it with GF tortillas. It was a huge hit…served in a Trifle Bowl and it looked amazing!
Thanks!
This was absolutely delicious! I ate it with a spoon the first day, then tortilla chips the next. My son and I both loved it!
It’s a good recipe. I prepared it for the 4th of July and I think it was a great healthy addition to the rest of the food served for the day.
I just want to add to my comment above that I didn’t use cilantro and lime juice. Instead I used parsley and lemon juice.
Love the adaptations you made! Glad you liked the black bean salad!
Love this. Made it for a summer block party tonight. I tossed the avocado in freshly squeezed lime juice and it didn’t really get brown, and used white onion because it’s what I had on hand. I didn’t really measure the spices – I’m lazy and didn’t want to dirty another spoon. It felt like a bit longer than fifteen minutes to prep – but I had a toddler running around my legs and demanding pieces of veggies. I will definitely make again.
Maria, I made this salad last night. it is so good. It is was to put together and the flavors were out of this world. I need heart healthy recipes with a beans and this was perfect. thanks so much. Wishing you and your family a wonderful summer. looking forward to more great things from you!
Great way to change the way we eat beans: delicious!!!!
Omgoodness! This salad was delicious!! One of the girls in my church brought it to an event and it was the hit on MY plate! It was soooooo good; I found out who brought it and hunted her down to get the recipe! I will be making this at the next BBQ I attend!
YAY! It’s one of my favorite easy salads!
Yummy! Loved it! Thanks
Fantastic recipe! I will definitely make it again.
Is it really 117 calories per 6 grams? is that like a teaspoon?
For 6 servings! 🙂
Just made this because I had all of the ingredients. It was really good and tasty. I don’t think I would change a thing!
Added a cucumber for a little more crunch but MAN. BEST SALAD EVER!
Great recipe! Served it with sweet chili salmon tacos
Just amazing. Everyone loved it. I never thought of adding cumin.
Best bean salad added cucumber and corn…1 jalapeno. Best served chilled and overnight in fridge. My go to for healthy carbs and oils. No chips just a spoon…its so filling.
Beyond delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
You are welcome!
Love, love, love this salad. I subbed the oil for veg stock just to be a little healthier and was just as great.
Very healthy salad recipe
This is very healthy salad recipe
Great flavors! I mashed the avacado and put it in the dressing. Beautiful simple salad. Thanks for the recipe!!
Yum!
This is so, SO GOOD! Made it for our family BBQ tonight and it was a hit. Thank you!!
Oh my goodness this is good! I plan to eat it with shredded chicken on soft tacos – if it makes it that far. Definitely a keeper recipe!
Made this last night and the husband and I LOVED IT!!! Only change I made was to add some shredded Cotija cheese on top of our individual servings (we love cheese!).
I am so glad it was a hit!
This has become a go-to in our house. My 19yo son (who now lives on the opposite coast) asked for it, and this is my 74yo mom’s new favorite salad. In fact, when covid ruined her taste and smell, this was her favorite thing to eat, because the flavors were bright enough that she could actually enjoy them. She’d make a bowl at the beginning of the week, and eat it all the time. She blames me for her new addiction. 😀
I *recommend* making it in advance to let the flavors meld. Delish! I also add a teaspoon of sugar and it makes all the diff.
Love this salad! Just made it for the first time today.
It’s a good one!
Delicious. Quick and easy summer salad. Very versatile.
This is a delicious recipe. Takes no time to put together and such wonderful flavour.
Such a great salad!
I made this salad and it was delicious I am in the process of making it again today. That’s how much I love this recipe.
I could eat it every day:)
Made this today for evening guests. Everyone loved the fresh flavor combinations, colors, and textures. Thanks so much!! Going to do it again tomorrow.
It’s such a good and easy salad. I am glad you loved it!