Black Bean & Corn Salad

This easy salad comes together quickly and works as a side dish, a great topping for tacos, or as a last-minute appetizer with tortilla chips. Think of this as a medley of the most exciting parts of a vegetarian burrito bowl—unadulterated by rice—and hyped up by a little honey-lime action. If you're looking for a summer salad that is bright and light but also filling and flavorful, look no further.

How To Make Black Bean & Corn Salad

INGREDIENTS

• Black Beans: Black beans have a creamy texture and earthy flavor that pairs very well with the brightness of the corn, cherry tomatoes, and other fresh summer veggies.
• Avocado: Avocado helps to add another creamy element while also adding a bit of sweetness. It's a great, nutritious way to add some extra depth to this salad, but obviously, if you aren’t a fan of avocado, feel free to skip it here.
• Red Onion: Raw red onion is fantastic. It adds a bit of sharpness that cuts through the sweet and creamy elements without being overpowering. They are milder than other onion varieties which makes them the best choice for using raw.
• Jalapeño: I like a little bit of heat and think the earthiness of jalapeños is perfect in this bright summer side, but if you don’t like things spicy, feel free to skip the pepper here. If you like even more heat though, keep some of the seeds in when prepping your jalapeño—that’s where most of the heat comes from.
• Corn: For ease, I’m calling for frozen corn here, but if you are making this salad while corn is in season, feel free to use fresh corn instead! Either way, the kernels brings a bright, sweet pop of color, flavor, and texture that really make this salad stand out.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are sweet and bright. They really stand out in a great way in this salad full of different textures and flavors.
• Cilantro: In my opinion, cilantro is a must. It brings a clean, fresh, almost minty bite to the salad mixture that really ties things together; however, I’m also aware that cilantro is controversial… so if you really hate it, feel free to skip the cilantro here.
• Garlic: I’m not using a ton of garlic here, just one clove, so it isn’t overpowering, but instead adds an aromatic background to the dressing. Be sure to chop the garlic finely so you don’t end up with any big chunks in the dressing.
• Lime Juice: Nearly any good dressing needs some acidity, and this is no exception. The bright, acidic lime juice adds a bit of a punch to the dressing and helps to brighten up all of the fresh veg in the salad mixture.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: The dressing for this salad is super simple, so I am keeping the base as simple as possible with extra-virgin olive oil. Use your favorite brand, our check out our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
• Honey: Some honey is going to bring sweetness to the dressing and thicken it up a bit as well. The natural sugars in honey pair beautifully with the assortment of vegetables in the salad mixture.
• Ground Cumin: Cumin adds some warmth to the salad that really ties everything together.
• Cotija: Cotija is a really lovely Mexican cheese that is similar to feta is texture and flavor, but slightly saltier. If you can’t find Cotija, then feta or even Parmesan are great substitutes.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This is a super simple salad. Start off by combining black beans, avocado, red onion, jalapeño, corn, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro in a large bowl and toss it all together until well mixed.

Then, in a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking together garlic, lime juice, olive oil, honey, and cumin and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add this dressing to the bean and corn mixture and toss to combine so that the dressing evenly coats the entire salad.

Sprinkle in cotija cheese and toss the salad again to incorporate it, then taste and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Salad variations. For a vegan version, simply skip the cheese and you're good to go! Sensitive to heat? Feel free to leave out the jalapeño, or only put in half. The best thing about this salad is how versatile it is, so get creative with it!

What To Serve With Black Bean & Corn Salad

This salad is super versatile in that it is great on its own as a side, as a dip for your favorite tortilla chip, or as a topping. Personally, I love to add this salad to grilled chicken street tacos, your favorite burrito, or our copycat Chipotle burrito bowl.

Storage

You can make this salad up to one day in advance. If making more than an hour ahead of time, I prefer to wait on adding the avocado to keep it fresh and green for the salad.