Southwest Black Bean Salad (Printable Version)

Zesty black beans, corn, peppers, and cilantro mixed with lime vinaigrette for a vibrant dish.

# What You 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 Make:

01 - In a large bowl, mix black beans, corn, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, and cilantro. Add diced avocado if desired.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad mixture and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavors.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking, perfect for when you're exhausted but hungry.
  • The lime vinaigrette wakes up your taste buds in a way bottled dressing never could.
  • It tastes even better the next day as the flavors get cozy with each other.
02 -
  • If you dress it more than an hour before eating, the peppers start to weep and the whole thing gets watery, so treat it like a last-minute dish.
  • The cilantro quantity sounds aggressive but it's not, fresh herbs need confidence or they disappear into the background.
03 -
  • Cut your peppers and onions roughly the same size as the corn kernels so each spoonful feels balanced and intentional.
  • Let the dressed salad sit for a few minutes before serving so the flavors actually get to know each other instead of just existing in the same bowl.
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