This black bean and corn salad is a fresh mix of black beans, corn, red peppers, jalapeno and avocado, all tossed in a zesty cilantro lime dressing. An easy salad that’s the perfect side dish for any meal!

Black bean salad is full of different flavors and textures, and makes a great side dish. You can even serve it as a dip for chips or as a topping for grilled meats or fish. This salad is perfect with entrees like grilled pork chops, shrimp kabobs or baked chicken wings.

A bowl of black bean and corn salad loaded with avocado and red pepper, garnished with fresh cilantro.

I love this time of year when all the fresh foods come into season. One of my favorite dishes to make is this black bean and corn salad. With fresh avocados, red peppers, corn, and jalapeno, it feels like a veggie lover’s dream.

This is one of my favorite summer salads along with watermelon salad, strawberry spinach salad and burrata salad.

Black Bean and Corn Salad Ingredients

To make this black bean and corn salad you will need two cans of black beans, corn kernels, a red onion, a red bell pepper, an avocado and a jalapeno pepper. For the dressing you will need cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper.

A bowl of beans, corn, diced red peppers, minced jalapeno, red onion and avocado.

How Do You Make Black Bean and Corn Salad?

To make this black bean salad, start by mixing together in a large bowl black beans, corn, diced red bell pepper, diced avocado and minced jalapeno. In a second bowl make the cilantro lime dressing by whisking together chopped cilantro leaves, olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together for delicious dish.

Black beans, corn and assorted vegetables topped with cilantro lime dressing.

Tips For The Perfect Salad

  • Gently toss your salad with dressing to keep all the ingredients in good shape.
  • I prefer to juice my own limes for this recipe instead of purchasing lime juice. If you juice your own limes, look for limes that are a little soft so that they have a lot of juice.
  • You can make this black bean salad up to a day in advance. However, you’ll want to leave the avocado out initially, and then add it in with everything else once you’re ready to serve so the avocado doesn’t turn brown an mushy.
  • This recipe contains one jalapeno. If you’re looking for a mild taste, remove the jalapeno seeds and ribs before you mince the pepper. If you love your spice, leave the seeds and ribs in and enjoy that extra kick of heat!

Quick Tip

Look for a firm, but ripe avocado so that you can dice the avocado without it getting mushy.

A bowl of black bean and corn salad with a serving spoon in it.

Recipe FAQs

How do you make black bean and corn salsa?

It’s actually pretty easy to convert black bean and corn salad into salsa. It’s all the same ingredients, you’ll just want to chop them up finely. Whether turned into a salsa or left as is, it’s delicious served on the top of tacos, with tortilla chips, or over a piece of grilled chicken breast.

Is black bean and corn salad vegetarian?

This black bean and corn salad is vegetarian. You can even enjoy this salad as a vegetarian main dish. If you remove the honey, it’s also a vegan dish. Between the protein in the beans and the healthy fat in the avocado, this is a salad that will keep you full for a long time.

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A serving bowl of black bean salad with corn, peppers and avocado.

Flavor Variations

This black bean and corn salad recipe makes a delicious salad that the whole family will love. However, you can change the flavors to suit your taste!

  • Garlic: Add some extra flavor to your salad adding a teaspoon of minced garlic to your dressing.
  • Veggies: You can add your favorites veggies like sliced green onions, diced cucumbers, diced tomatoes or add diced celery or carrots for extra crunch.
  • Grains: You can make your salad more hearty with cooked grains like quinoa or farro. You could also serve this salad with rice on the side.
  • Cheese: Top your salad with cotija cheese, feta cheese or shredded cheddar cheese.

I love that this dish is full of so many flavors and textures. Not only that but it’s fresh and healthy which hits the spot for the warmer months. It’s the perfect summer dish because it can become more than just a side dish, it can be anything you want it to be!

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5 from 136 votes

Black Bean and Corn Salad

AuthorSara Welch
A bowl of black bean and corn salad loaded with avocado and red pepper, garnished with fresh cilantro.
This black bean and corn salad is a fresh mix of black beans, corn, red peppers, jalapeno and avocado, all tossed in a zesty cilantro lime dressing. An easy salad that’s the perfect side dish for any meal!
Time
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time11 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Serves 6

Ingredients 

  • 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups corn kernels fresh, frozen or canned
  • 1/4 cup red onion minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 avocado peeled, pit removed and diced
  • 1 jalapeno ribs and seeds removed, then minced
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Place the black beans, corn, red onion, red bell pepper, avocado and jalapeno in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper.
  • Pour the dressing over the beans and vegetables and toss gently to coat. Serve.

Notes

  1. Look for a firm, but ripe avocado so that you can dice the avocado without it getting mushy.
  2. Gently toss your salad with dressing to keep all the ingredients in good shape.
  3. I prefer to juice my own limes for this recipe instead of purchasing lime juice. If you juice your own limes, look for limes that are a little soft so that they have a lot of juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 870IU | Vitamin C: 35.9mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2.6mg

Hello! I’m Sara!

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5 from 136 votes (86 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Ok, I’m really not a cilantro fan. What would you suggest I use instead of the cilantro?

  2. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe. Made it just as the directions said and added celery. The family loved it as a side dish. Will definitely make this recipe frequently over the summer.

  3. 5 stars
    Excellent salad. I added finely minced celery and tomato, a clove of finely minced garlic. I marinated in the fridge for a few hours. The avocado makes it perfect.

  4. 5 stars
    This was so good! I used pinto beans cause hubby doesn’t like black beans and a green pepper cause that’s what I had. It was delicious! I will make the dressing by itself to serve on taco salads.

  5. Thank you for this! About how many days do you think it will keep (without dressing or avocado)?

  6. 5 stars
    Perfect for a summer cookout side dishes. With all the compliments, I felt like a master chef. The recipe is perfection as written. No changes needed!

    1. 5 stars
      Even if you use avocado, it will be okay because of the lime in the dressing prevents the avocado from turning black. It actually marinated together quite beautifully!

  7. I made this for three people. I halved the black beans and corn, kept everything else the same and also added 1 small clove of garlic, finely minced. It is delicious! Surprisingly filling, too. We ate it with grilled chicken wings, wonderful!
    Next time, I’ll dice the red onion a bit finer, maybe add a bit more jalapeno but those are my preferences.. The beauty of this recipe is that it is so versatile and lends itself well to small modifications according to one’s personal tastes.
    Thank you!

  8. What do you think about adding quinoa to this? I was thinking a grain to bulk it up a little for a potluck tomorrow. Do you think it would detract from the dish?

  9. Does the dressing keep the avocado from turning brown? I’m taking this to a tailgate & will have to mix everything up before I leave my house. Just want to make sure the avocados will remain fresh & green.

  10. 5 stars
    Great recipe! I used only one can of beans and added small shrimp. Yum! Lemon juice with EVOO for the dressing worked great especially with the avocado in there. Goes great into the cooler for boat trips using corn scoop chips. Thank you!!
    For some reason my iPad will not register the star rating. Five stars from Panama City Florida !!!!!

    1. 5 stars
      Soooo yummy, this complemented my Salmon very well. I did not include the bell peper only because the kids dont like it. I love getting complements on my dishes 🙂

  11. 5 stars
    Made this with fresh, grilled corn and it was outstanding. My only change was subbing white onion for purple – I find the white to taste a little more mild sometimes, but I’ll bet the purple is prettier! I’ll be making this again, no question. Perfect side dish for the southwest grilled chicken breasts we had for dinner.