Southwest Black Bean Salad (Printable)

Vibrant black beans, corn, peppers, and cilantro dressed with tangy lime vinaigrette for a fresh side.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, mix black beans, corn, diced red and yellow bell peppers, chopped red onion, and cilantro. Add diced avocado if using.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until well blended.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
04 - Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, no cooking required, which means you can make it on the hottest days when your kitchen feels like an oven.
  • The flavors actually improve if you let it sit, so you can prep it the night before and taste something even better the next day.
  • It's genuinely filling enough to be lunch but light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour before eating unless you want the vegetables to start releasing their water and becoming soggy.
  • If you add the avocado too early, it'll brown and fall apart, so save it for the last possible moment before serving.
  • The spices in the vinaigrette might seem subtle at first, but they become more pronounced as the salad sits, so taste before you add more salt.
03 -
  • If your limes feel hard, roll them on the counter before cutting to break down the inside membranes and get more juice out of each one.
  • Making this ahead for a gathering is smart because the prep work happens in your quiet kitchen instead of scrambling at party time.
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