Quick Black Bean and Corn Salad

Name: Quick Black Bean and Corn Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: tex_mex
Ingredients: 1 cup black beans (dried, soaked overnight and boiled until tender, or 1½ cups cooked); 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, boiled and cut from the cob); 1 pcs tomato (medium, seeded and diced); 1 pcs bell pepper (medium, red, finely diced); 0.5 pcs red onion (small, finely chopped); 3 tbsp cilantro (fresh, roughly chopped); 3 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed, from about 1½ limes); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 pinch ground cumin; 1 pinch salt; 1 pinch black pepper; 1 pcs avocado (medium, ripe but firm, diced)

RATING

4.6/5(98)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

A fresh, vibrant salad that comes together in 15 minutes flat. Sweet corn, hearty black beans, and juicy tomatoes get a zesty lime dressing with a hint of cumin. Perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks, or a quick weekday lunch.

PREP

15m

COOK

SERVES

1 CUP

208 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep
Soak and cook the black beans.
Rinse 1 cup dried black beans and soak overnight in plenty of water. Drain, add fresh water to cover by 2 inches, and boil until tender, about 45-60 minutes. Drain and let cool completely. You should have about 1½ cups cooked beans.
TIPTo speed things up, use the quick-soak method: boil beans for 2 minutes, cover, and let sit 1 hour before cooking.
boil · ~4 min
Boil the corn.
Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the ear of corn and boil for 3-4 minutes until bright yellow and slightly tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Cut kernels from the cob.
prep
Dice the vegetables.
1.Seed the tomato and dice into small, even cubes.
2.Finely dice the red bell pepper.
3.Finely chop the red onion.
4.Roughly chop the cilantro leaves.
mix
Make the lime dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
mix
Combine the salad ingredients.
In a large bowl, add the cooled black beans, corn kernels, diced tomato, bell pepper, red onion, and chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing over and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
rest · ~15 min
Chill the salad briefly.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. This salad tastes even better after 30 minutes.
TIPDon't skip the rest — it makes a real difference in how the cumin and lime come through.
assemble
Add the avocado just before serving.
Right before serving, dice the avocado into small cubes and gently fold it into the salad. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
TIPAdding avocado at the last minute keeps it from browning and turning mushy.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
For maximum flavor, let the dressed salad rest 30 minutes in the fridge so the cumin and lime meld with the beans and corn.
2
Use freshly boiled corn on the cob for superior sweetness and crunch compared to canned or frozen.
3
If using canned beans, rinse and drain them well to remove excess sodium and tinny taste.
4
Seed the tomato before dicing to prevent the salad from becoming watery and diluting the dressing.
5
Add the avocado only at the last minute and fold gently to keep the cubes intact and bright green.
6
Make the dressing up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge — shake well before using.
7
Chop all vegetables to a similar small dice so every forkful has a balanced mix of textures.