Black bean and corn salad with a tangy chili lime vinaigrette is the perfect summery salad. Loaded with fresh corn, black beans, avocados, and veggies it's perfect for your next BBQ or picnic lunch!
During the spring and summer, this black bean and corn salad is on repeat in our meal rotation, along with summer couscous salad, and refreshing quinoa black bean salad!
This salad has the perfect blend of flavors: sweet corn, spicy jalapenos, and a tangy chili lime vinaigrette. Plus, it's packed with plant-based protein thanks to the black beans!
Black bean and corn salad is a nourishing lunch that will power you all afternoon long! Best of all, it's vegan, gluten-free, and works great for meal prep with a few simple swaps.
reasons you'll love this recipe
- it's filled with healthy and refreshing veggies, but full of flavor and plant-based protein
- you can customize the ingredients based on what you have in the fridge
- with a few simple swaps, it can work for meal prep as well!
ingredient notes
- black beans - you can either use a 15 or 19 oz can, or you can cook your own in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop (hint- they are so much tastier when cooked from scratch!)
- corn - for this recipe, we highly recommend taking the time to use fresh corn. You just won't get the same flavor from canned corn. You can cook it up in the Instant Pot, on the stovetop, or even in the air fryer!
- veggies - we used cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, bell peppers, and cilantro. Switch it up for whatever you have in the fridge!
- chili-lime vinaigrette - this simple vinaigrette adds so much life to the salad! Made with lime, chili powder, garlic, and maple syrup for lots of zesty and spicy flavor
Step by step directions
Cook corn
Cook corn in the Instant Pot on the stove, or even in the Air Fryer! Once cooked, let the corn cool, then cut off the corn kernels.
Tip - our go-to way to cook corn this Instant Pot Corn on the Cob. It makes it so easy to prep the other ingredients while the corn cooks!
Combine veggies
Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, including corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, and avocado.
Vinaigrette
Shake together all ingredients for the vinaigrette, including olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice, chili powder, maple syrup, garlic, and salt.
Serve
Pour over the salad just before serving!
FAQ
Once you add the avocados and toss it in the dressing, this salad is best consumed within a few hours.
Yes it is! It is gluten-free and dairy-free as well.
Sure! You could also add in chickpeas, edamame, or quinoa to keep it vegan.
Storage + Meal prep
This salad is best consumed within a few hours of preparation and does not keep well once the dressing is added. However, you can meal prep it with a few tweaks! We recommend storing the salad in mason jars with dressing on the bottom. Layer it up in the following order:
- vinaigrette
- black beans
- corn
- bell peppers, jalapeno, onion
- tomatoes
Tip - Do not include the cilantro or the avocado, or add them just prior to serving.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn or around 2 ½ cups of cooked corn kernels
- 19 oz can of black beans drained & rinsed
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped; omit seeds to reduce heat
- ¼ red onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 avocados cubed
Chili Lime Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook corn - Cook corn in the Instant Pot on the stove, or even in the Air Fryer! Once cooked, let the corn cool, then cut off the corn kernels.
- Combine salad - Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, including corn, black beans, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and avocado.
- Vinaigrette - Shake together all ingredients for the vinaigrette, including olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice, chili powder, maple syrup, garlic, and salt.
- Serve - Pour over the salad just before serving!
Tips:
- vinaigrette
- black beans
- corn
- bell peppers, jalapeno, onion
- tomatoes
Nutrition Information
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