Black Bean and Corn Salad

This Black Bean and Corn Salad recipe is loaded with crisp veggies, delicious spices and fresh cilantro, all tossed together in a zesty lime dressing making it the perfect summer side dish or dip!

Here’s a bright and refreshing salad perfect for the summer that only takes about 10 minutes to throw together! This black bean and corn salad is made with a delicious combination of crisp corn, hearty black beans, chopped bell peppers, red onion, avocado, fresh cilantro all tossed together with a zesty dressing. Not only is this Mexican-inspired salad one of my favorite recipes to serve a crowd, but it also doubles as a dip so feel free to serve with some salty tortilla chips for the ultimate summer appetizer!

Why You’ll Love This

• Fresh and flavorful – you are going to love the mix of sweet, zesty and savory flavors in this black bean and corn salad!
• Quick and easy – this simple black bean salad recipe easily comes together in just 10 minutes with minimal pantry ingredients.
• Versatile – this easy salad is great for meal prep, picnics or a quick lunch and can be served as a great side dish, added to tacos or burrito bowls and tastes great served as a dip with chips.
• Healthy – packed with plant-based protein, fiber and tons of fresh produce for a healthy vegan side dish the whole family will love!

Salad Ingredients

• corn – fresh, frozen, or canned corn will work great in this recipe, whatever is easiest for you! You could even grill or roast the fresh corn kernels right on the cob to get that delicious charred flavor.
• black beans – not only do canned black beans make this salad hearty and more filling, but they are a great source of fiber and potassium. You could also use pinto beans.
• bell pepper – I used a colorful red peppers in this salad, but feel free to use any color you’d like. Mini sweet peppers would work great in this simple salad too.
• red onion – adds a nice color and crunch to the salad! You could also use white onion or green onions in this recipe if you don’t have a red onion.
• avocado – this adds some creaminess to the salad along with some nice health benefits! Try to use a semi-firm avocado as TOO ripe may become mushy in this salad.
• cilantro – I LOVE the taste of cilantro leaves so I’m pretty heavy-handed, however if you’re not a fan of this herb, feel free to use chopped parsley or even basil.
• limes – these add a nice fresh and tangy flavor that really brighten up this whole salad. Make sure to use fresh limes as bottled lime juice can have a bitter taste. If you don’t have any limes, lemon juice would work as well as apple cider vinegar.
• garlic – I mean, who doesn’t love garlic?! If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you can substitute a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• olive oil – I like to use a goodextra virgin olive oilthat doesn’t have to be expensive, just make sure it’s cold-pressed and organic for the most flavor. You could also use avocado oil.
• spices – I used a combination of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little spice. You’ll also of course need sea salt and black pepper.

How to Make Black Bean and Corn Salad

Here’s the thing, this summer salad is SO easy to make and you’ll have it ready in just 10 minutes! You only need 3 simple steps:

1. Prepare veggies. Simply chop your bell pepper, jalapeño, onion and avocado with a sharp knife, drain and rinse the black beans, and toss everything together in a large bowl with the fresh sweet corn. You’ll also want to give a handful of cilantro a good chop and mix that in as well.
2. Make lime dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings (I used a mixture of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt).
3. Mix, mix, MIX! Drizzle the lime dressing over the black beans and chopped vegetables, stir well and that’s it! Sprinkle additional cilantro over top of the salad before serving as a garnish. This salad definitely tastes best chilled, so cover and keep in the fridge for at least an hour, or until ready to serve.

Variations

• Make it creamy – the addition of avocado in this salad helps with the creaminess, but you could make it even creamier by mixing in a little Greek yogurt or mayo.
• Add cheese – crumble in some cotija cheese or feta cheese for a tangy kick.
• Make it spicy – adding in some chopped jalapeno is completely optional, but it does kick up the spice! You could also add in a little cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce into the dressing.
• Add some sweetness – I really love the tangy, zesty flavors in this salad, but you could also add in a tablespoon of honey, maple syrup or other natural sweetener to the dressing for a touch of sweetness.

How to Serve Black Bean Corn Salad

This 10-minute recipe is a great way to serve a crowd and can be thrown together last minute for a healthy lunch or side dish. Here are some ways to serve this flavorful black bean salad!

• Side dish – this simple recipe makes the perfect side dish with grilled chicken, steak, salmon or burgers. We also love serving this alongside tacos or fajitas.
• Salad – enjoy this all on its own as a light and satisfying main dish for lunch! Feel free to add in some extra protein to make this more filling.
• Topping – spoon this salad on tacos, burritos or rice bowls for extra flavor, texture and color. I actually really love this over eggs too!
• Dip – serve this with your favorite tortilla chips as a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack similar to a corn salsa.

Prepping and Storage

To Store: This black bean salad tastes best served cold, so I recommend covering this and chilling in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Unfortunately since this salad has avocado in it, the creamy avocado will start to turn brown and mushy so leftovers will only last about 3 days in the fridge in a sealed airtight container. Feel free to omit the avocado altogether if you want this salad to keep longer!

To Serve: After storing this easy black bean salad in the fridge, make sure to let it come to room temperature a bit before serving as it will loosen up the dressing and be easier to toss.

More Summer Salads

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