Black Bean and Corn Salad

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This vibrant black bean and corn salad is the perfect dish for summer gatherings. It's light, colorful, and tossed in a zesty lime dressing. Plus, it's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.

When you see corn at the store, you know summer's right around the corner.

Hot days, iced drinks, being outside, time in the water... the magic that is summer. Good food is always at the forefront, and dishes like this black bean and corn salad are a must.

Ingredients

For the salad

• Corn - fresh, canned, or frozen (if frozen, thaw first)
• Black beans
• Bell pepper
• Red onion
• Avocado
• Cilantro

For the dressing

• Fresh lime juice & zest
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Raw honey
• Garlic powder
• Ground cumin
• Salt & pepper

How to Make Black Bean and Corn Salad

1. Make the salad. To a large bowl, add the corn, black beans, diced pepper, onion, avocado, and cilantro.
2. Make the dressing. In a small jar with a tightly sealed lid, add all of the dressing ingredients and shake until well combined.
3. Mix. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.

Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this black bean and corn salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

• No avocado? ➝ use pitted castelvetrano olives for a similarly creamy texture and buttery sweet flavor
• No cilantro? ➝ fresh basil or parsley will also work
• No red onion? ➝ use white onion or shallots
• Bell peppers ➝ red or orange work best

Helpful Tips

Dice everything small

This helps ensure that the flavor from the dressing spreads evenly throughout and also is more visually appealing.

Make ahead

This corn and black bean salad can be made the day before, just be sure to only add the avocado right before serving for the best flavor and texture. Once the avocado is added, eat within 1-2 days.

How to serve

This salad is great eaten as a side dish, but I also love serving it with chips for that added crunch factor.

More Healthy Salad Recipes

• Simple Butter Lettuce Salad
• Healthy Broccoli Salad
• Fennel Salad

Black Bean and Corn Salad

This vibrant black bean and corn salad is the perfect dish for summer gatherings. It's light, colorful, and tossed in a zesty lime dressing. Plus, it's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.

5 from 4 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Lindsey Jenkins

Ingredients

Salad

• 1½ cups cooked corn equivalent to 1 can
• 1½ cups black beans equivalent to 1 can
• 1 medium orange or red bell pepper, diced small
• ⅓ cup red onion, diced small
• 1 avocado, cubed
• ⅓ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

Dressing

• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (zest first)
• 1½ teaspoon raw honey
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• To a large bowl, add the corn, black beans, diced pepper, onion, avocado, and cilantro.
• In a small jar with a tightly sealed lid, add all of the dressing ingredients and shake until well combined.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated. Salt and pepper the dressed salad and toss again.

Notes

• How can you make this black bean and corn salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

• • No avocado? ➝ use pitted castelvetrano olives for a similarly creamy texture and buttery sweet flavor
  • No cilantro? ➝ fresh basil or parsley will also work
  • No red onion? ➝ use white onion or shallots
  • Bell peppers ➝ red or orange work best