Black Bean and Corn Salad

This black bean and corn salad is flavorful, refreshing, and great for making ahead. It's a crowd-pleasing cookout side dish or a perfect summer lunch.

Black bean and corn salad

This black bean and corn salad recipe has been a lifesaver around here lately. Jack and I have been crazy busy over the last few weeks, so a satisfying-yet-healthy, tasty-but-packable salad has been exactly what we’ve needed. I’ve made it ahead for quick weekday lunches, prepped it in advance the morning before a cookout, and eaten the leftovers as an easy side dish with dinner the next day.

To be honest, I usually get tired of eating one thing over and over. But this black bean and corn salad is so flavorful and refreshing that I’m happy to have it on repeat. Sweet, crispy corn kernels play off earthy black beans and creamy avocado, jalapeño adds a kick of heat, and a zesty dressing makes it nice and bright. Try it once, and, if you’re anything like me, this black bean and corn salad will have a permanent spot in your regular rotation.

Black bean salad recipe ingredients

Black Bean Corn Salad Recipe Ingredients

Another great thing about this recipe? It’s easy to make! Here’s what you’ll need to put it together:

  • Black beans, of course! I recommend cooking your own for the best texture and flavor, but in a pinch, canned ones work too.
  • Fresh corn – It’s summer! Skip the canned corn and frozen corn. Instead, slice fresh kernels straight off the cob.
  • Red onion and red bell pepper – For a pop of color and crunch. Try to cut them to the same size as the corn kernels so that you can get a little of everything in each bite.
  • Cilantro – I stir finely chopped cilantro into the salad and sprinkle a few whole leaves on top.
  • Jalapeño – For heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with 1/2 pepper and add more to taste.
  • Cotija cheese – It adds richness and tangy, salty flavor. If you’re vegan, feel free to skip it.
  • Avocado – I love how its creamy texture contrasts with the crisp corn and diced veggies.
  • Toasted pepitas – These guys are optional, but they add a lovely crunch to this black bean corn salad. If you have some on hand, toss them in!
  • And the dressing – This mix of lime juice, avocado oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper fills the salad with bright flavor.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Hand using whisk to mix dressing at the bottom of a bowl

How to Make this Black Bean and Corn Salad

This recipe’s first step is making the dressing. I whisk it together right in the bottom of the bowl. That’s right – this black bean and corn salad is a 1-bowl recipe!

Black bean salad ingredients in a bowl

Then, I add the other salad ingredients: the black beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, and red onion.

Hands tossing salad in bowl with wooden spoons

Toss to coat before folding in the avocado and Cotija and seasoning to taste.

Finally, garnish the salad with a few cilantro leaves and the toasted pepitas. Enjoy!

Black bean corn salad on a plate

Black Bean and Corn Salad Serving Suggestions

This black bean salad makes a fantastic lunch. I love eating it with a generous side of tortilla chips as well as any leftover grilled veggies that we have hanging out in the fridge. It’s great over a bed of mixed greens, too.

Otherwise, serve this black bean and corn salad as a side dish. It pairs nicely with everything from cookout food (think veggie burgers and BBQ sandwiches) to tacos (see this post for my favorite recipes). If you want to get ahead, you can prepare it up to 3 days in advance. Just wait to add the avocado until the last minute. That way, it’ll still be nice and green when you eat.

Black bean and corn salad recipe

More Favorite Summer Salads

If you love this black bean salad recipe, try one of these salads next:

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Black Bean and Corn Salad

rate this recipe:
4.95 from 54 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
This black bean and corn salad is a delicious summer side dish or healthy lunch! It keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge, but if you're making it in advance, wait to add the avocado until right before you eat. Otherwise, it will start to brown.

Ingredients

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

For the Salad

  • 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
  • cup diced red onion
  • 3 tablespoons Cotija cheese
  • 1 ripe but firm avocado, pitted and diced
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas, optional

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice, avocado oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
  • Add the black beans, corn, red pepper, cilantro, jalapeño, and red onion and toss to coat.
  • Fold in the cheese and avocado and season to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and toasted pepitas, if desired.

Notes

I recommend cooking your own black beans for the best texture and flavor (canned beans can be kind of mushy), but in a pinch, canned ones work too.

 

57 comments

4.95 from 54 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Dottie
    11.05.2024

    5 stars
    Love it! Someone gave me a bucket of cooked black beans and I used itailan parsley as I didn’t have cilantro, no jalepeno, but I added heirloom tomatoes chopped and roasted whole ears of corn. It was gone in a blink of an eye!

  2. Liisa from thekindeditor.com
    10.20.2024

    5 stars
    Refreshing and delicious! I just used organic canned corn we had on hand, and I used half the amount of cumin because it’s not my favorite. I need to eat more beans, and this is a great side dish I’ll be using often!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.01.2024

      Hi Liisa, I’m so glad you loved the salad!

  3. Thais Ferrer
    08.26.2024

    5 stars
    Amazing! Thanks!

  4. Kim
    08.26.2024

    Can I make this salad ahead of time? How long will it keep in the refrigerator?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.28.2024

      Yep! Leave out the avocado (add it before serving) and it’ll keep 3 to 5 days in the fridge.

  5. Makenna
    08.16.2024

    5 stars
    This salad was so simple and delicious. It was perfect a perfect side dish for tacos

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      08.23.2024

      I’m so glad you loved it, Makenna!

  6. Cherelle
    08.04.2024

    5 stars
    Just made this with sprouted black beans and it’s delicious! Not sure if it will last until dinner time haha

  7. 5 stars
    Made this last night, it was so good! Added a cucumber as requested by my husband, fire roasted corn and canned beans. The flavors complement each other nicely

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      08.02.2024

      Hi Deborah, I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad! Love the idea of adding cucumber—that would be great here.

  8. Carol Love
    07.27.2024

    5 stars
    This salad was delicious! I will definitely make it again. I made cilantro-lime chicken with it. So good!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      08.01.2024

      Sounds like a great meal, Carol! I’m so glad you loved the salad.

  9. Camille
    07.27.2024

    When meal prepping this recipe for lunch, do you add the dressing in advance? I would think so to let flavors mingle but not sure if the avocado and beans get too mushy. I’ll likely be using canned beans due to time restrictions.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      08.01.2024

      Hi Camille, yep! I’d add the dressing in advance but wait to add the avocado until you’re ready to eat. It can become too soft and brown if you add it more than a few hours in advance.

  10. Kerri
    07.18.2024

    5 stars
    First time making this recipe. We loved it ❤️ Made exactly as directed, loved the raw corn and all other fresh ingredients. Did use canned beans as I didn’t have the time to cook. Thanks for the great recipe ?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      07.19.2024

      Hi Kerri, I’m so glad you loved the salad!

      • Christine talbot
        08.13.2024

        Very good recipe! I roasted the corn before combining. Quite tasty

  11. Jack
    07.03.2024

    4 stars
    Why is the corn raw ? Tje recipe is great but I fire roast the corn for amazing flavor profile

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      07.12.2024

      Hi Jack, roasted corn works here too! We like the simplicity and crunch of the raw corn.

  12. Lee Laurie
    07.02.2024

    5 stars
    Excellent salad for a summer cookout or to go with brisket or ribs.

  13. Rill Wright
    10.13.2023

    5 stars
    Best salad EVER! Flavors are vibrant and perfectly balanced. Don’t change a thing! We can’t go longer than 2 weeks without it. If you’re out of Cojita, Feta also works great. I’ve been enjoying this salad for over a year. Sorry it took me so long to rave about it. Jeanine, you’re a flavor genius and I just subscribed to your newsletter. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.15.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it and I hope you enjoy the newsletter!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.