Southwest Black Bean Salad (Print Version)

Zesty southwest salad with black beans, corn, peppers, and fresh lime dressing, perfect for light meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 1 medium avocado, diced (optional)

→ Lime Vinaigrette

08 - 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# How To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine black beans, corn, diced bell peppers, finely chopped red onion, and chopped cilantro. Add diced avocado if desired.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together fresh lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes with zero cooking, so it's perfect for those days when heat is the last thing you want.
  • The lime vinaigrette is tangy enough to make every bite interesting, and the flavors get even better if you let it sit.
  • It works as a side dish, a light lunch, or stuffed into basically anything that needs filling.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the canned beans well, the salad becomes this thick, starchy mess that tastes more like paste than salad, so don't rush that step.
  • Adding the avocado at the end matters because stirring it into the vinaigrette right away turns it into sad mush instead of creamy chunks.
  • The longer this sits, the better it tastes, so if you're making it for guests, prep it an hour or two ahead.
03 -
  • Keep the salad and dressing separate if you're making it more than an hour ahead, then combine them just before serving so everything stays crisp.
  • If your avocado isn't quite ripe, add it to the salad just before you eat it instead of mixing it in, so it doesn't turn brown.
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