Description
A fresh and vibrant Black Bean and Corn Salad that combines zesty lime dressing with colorful vegetables, black beans, and creamy avocado. This nutritious and easy-to-make salad is perfect as a light lunch, side dish, or party appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 small garlic clove (grated)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Salad
- 1½ cups cooked black beans (drained and rinsed)
- Kernels from 2 ears fresh corn (left raw, about 1½ cups)
- 1 red bell pepper (stemmed, seeded, and diced)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (plus more cilantro leaves for garnish)
- ½ to 1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and diced, or 1 serrano, sliced)
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 3 tablespoons Cotija cheese
- 1 ripe but firm avocado (pitted and diced)
- 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the fresh lime juice, avocado oil, grated garlic, ground cumin, sea salt, and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper until well combined. This dressing will provide a zesty and flavorful base for the salad.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: To the bowl with the dressing, add the cooked and rinsed black beans, fresh raw corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, diced jalapeño (or sliced serrano), and diced red onion. Toss everything gently to evenly coat the vegetables and beans with the dressing.
- Add Cheese and Avocado: Carefully fold in the crumbled Cotija cheese and the diced ripe but firm avocado to the salad. These ingredients add creaminess and a mild tang, enriching the flavor and texture of the salad.
- Season and Garnish: Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding more salt or pepper. Finally, sprinkle the salad with extra fresh cilantro leaves and toasted pepitas if desired to add freshness and crunch. Serve immediately or chill slightly before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh raw corn for the best flavor and crunch; avoid canned corn for this recipe.
- Adjust the amount of jalapeño or serrano to control the heat level of the salad.
- To toast pepitas, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day without avocado; add avocado fresh before serving.
- Cotija cheese can be substituted with feta or queso fresco for a similar salty flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: black bean salad, corn salad, avocado salad, Mexican salad, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, no-cook salad
