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Black Bean Salad with Corn, Avocado & Lime Vinaigrette

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This make-ahead and festive black bean salad is a huge crowd-pleaser. Perfect for a summer cookout!

Spoon in a bowl of black bean salad with corn, avocado, and lime vinaigrette.

This black bean salad recipe was sent to me by one of my readers (thank you, Ellen!). It’s a huge crowd-pleaser and one of the most popular recipes on my website. The salad is ideal for entertaining because you can make it ahead of time — in fact, you should because it gets better and better the longer it sits. Try pairing it with my grilled tequila lime chicken and cornbread for a delicious (and easy!) Southwestern-themed cookout. Or, for an appetizer spread, serve it tortilla chips for scooping and chicken quesadillas.

What You’ll Need To Make Black Bean Salad with Corn, Avocado & Lime Vinaigrette

ingredients for making black bean salad

The avocado should be added right before serving to prevent the flesh from browning when exposed to air. If you’re unsure of the most efficient way to prepare an avocado, see my step-by-step guide on how to cut an avocado.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Begin by cooking the corn in boiling salted water.

boiling the corn

A few minutes is all it takes — you want it super crisp. Refresh the corn under cold water to stop the cooking process.

refreshing the corn under cold water

Place the corn on a clean dish towel set over a cutting board, then use a serrated knife to cut the kernels of the cobs. (The dish towel both dries the corn and prevents it from bouncing all over the place.)

Corn cut from a cob next to a knife.

Next, rinse and drain the black beans.

rinsing black beans for black bean salad

Combine the corn and black beans with the remaining ingredients, except for the avocado.

black bean salad components ready to toss

Toss and chill until ready to serve.

black bean salad tossed with vinaigrette

Before serving, dice the avocado and add to the salad. It’s important to add the avocado at the last minute to keep it from turning brown.

adding diced avocado to black bean salad

Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. You may find that it needs a bit more salt or a squirt of lime juice, as the flavors tend to mellow in the fridge.

tossed black bean salad ready to serve

That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!

Spoon in a bowl of black bean salad with corn, avocado, and lime vinaigrette.

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Black Bean Salad with Corn, Avocado & Lime Vinaigrette

This make-ahead and festive black bean salad is a huge crowd-pleaser. Perfect for a summer cookout!

Servings: 6-8
Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 2 Hass avocados, chopped

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Serving size: 3/4 - 1 cup
  • Calories: 464
  • Fat: 24 g
  • Saturated fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 52 g
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Fiber: 15 g
  • Protein: 13 g
  • Sodium: 591 mg
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • This is a follow up comment. The ladies at the lunch loved the salad and the hostess quietly asked if she could keep the small amount of leftover. So no breakfast for me tomorrow. If anyone is on the fence about making this try it. This time I used less oil and preferred it.

  • I am making this for a summer ladies lunch. Today was the trial run. I have 2 questions. 1. Do I have to share it? 2. May I have any leftover for breakfast?
    My only change was to use lemons because limes are out of season and too spendy. This was very simple to make and absolutely delicious.

    • LOL – hope everyone enjoys it as much as you did! 🙂

  • Hello!
    I was wondering on average how long does this salad sit well in the refrig? By the way, your cookbook and especially website is out of this world!! Almost all the recipes I make is a hit with my family! Thanks again!

    • Leftovers will last for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. And so glad you like the recipes!

  • Love from first spoon! I’ve made this salad twice. Flavor combination is perfect, no adjustments needed. And the last but not the least great thing about this salad is that it is very nutritious and can make a wholesome meal on its own. Thank you author!

  • Delicious salad! I made it once and my family loved it. Definitely going to make it again!

  • I’ve made this recipe many times and it’s always a hit. If I’m not making it for a large group, I generally leave out the avocado, because I don’t like when the avocado turns brown. I often make this recipe to snack on throughout the week, and have even put it in omelettes. I just came back to this recipe to print it out for yet another friend.

  • This salad is so delicious, and a definite summer staple. It also doubles as a great topping for tacos or with chips, which makes it versatile too. Always love a healthy, fresh recipe for summer BBQ’s. Thank you!

  • Delicious salad/side or appetizer. I think it would be best with less sugar and might try adding cumin next time.

  • This has become one of my summer favorites! Corn fields abound here in Idaho and this dish gives me another way to use fresh corn. And I love any recipe that is a fix-ahead winner and this one is! I do reduce the olive oil and lime juice to 5 tablespoons each.

    It pairs perfectly with the Honey-Lime-Siracha Skewers. It’s a family favorite.

    This salad is good leftover too and makes a great salsa with chips!

  • So good!! I served it alongside grilled brats on toasted ciabatta rolls – my husband’s favorite, but he raved about the salad! I did use frozen corn as a shortcut and I’m sure fresh would be better, but it was delicious!!
    The hits just keep coming from Once Upon a Chef! Thanks Jenn!!

  • Absolutely delicious, followed the recipe exactly and everyone loved it .

  • This recipe is so delicious. Just perfect now as it is sweet corn season.

  • We’ve been eating a lot of black bean salads lately, but this one is hands down our favorite. Not only is the combination of flavors and textures almost perfect, it also eliminates the need to make the dressing separately. I double the recipe because this salad just seems to get better over time.

    • — Richard Abramson
    • Reply
  • Excellent black bean salad

    • — Anette Mysliwiec
    • Reply
  • So yum!

  • I made this for a 4th of July party. It was delicious and very pretty. The fresh corn makes this dish special. I liked your idea of using a kitchen towel when cutting the corn off the cob. I also used that same towel to dry and inspect the black beans before adding them to the salad.

  • This was delicious! I used frozen corn (2 cups) since that’s what I had and to save a bit of time. I also substituted out sugar for agave. Otherwise I followed the recipe to a t. I would not add or take anything away. It was perfect! 🙂

  • This salad is absolutely delicious…huge hit with the whole family!

    • Thanks, I was wondering how much frozen corn to use in place of the fresh corn! And I would skip or sun out the sugar as well.😊

      • You’ll need about 1-1/2 cups of corn. Hope you enjoy!

  • We made it with tomatoes, extra garlic, half the cayenne, and Splenda in place of sugar. It was DIVINE!!! Will make it again and again. Serving it with grilled steaks for my son’s birthday dinner next week!

    • — Debi Kozlowski
    • Reply
  • I just saw this recipe on your website, I’m actually making a similar version of
    this today, the only substitution I have is, 1 can of Hearts of Palm in place of the
    avocado. As everyone says, its always a popular dish and requested often.

    • — Cathy Venegoni
    • Reply
  • This black bean and corn salad is so delicious. No matter whom I serve it to, it is a winner. Have received many requests for this salad recipe and to bring to a party. And, I always say you need to subscribe to ONCE UPON A CHEF because Jen has the best recipes and I have never been disappointed in any of them. I use this salad as a side dish or a main dish for lunch. If I don’t have any avocadoes, it is still fabulous. Thank you Jen for so generously sharing your recipes! They have truly made me a better home cook.

  • Finally made this last week, it was delicious. I had some Vaquero beans from Rancho Gordo that I cooked up and added some of the adobo from the chipotles for an added kick. This recipe is now in my do again file, thanks Jenn.

  • Made this salad for the second time as it was such a hit with my family. I only used one chipolte pepper as I was not sure if 2 would be too spicy for my kids. It was perfect. Super fresh and a great summer salad. The combination of the cilantro and the corn, beans and avocado are great. Oh and soaking the onions seems to take some of the heat out of them, but they still retain the flavour. What a great trick.

    • This salad is totally addictive. I just love it. Perfect with a barbecue. So much lovely crunch.

  • This is a great summer salad and can be tweaked by adding other things. I added some finely chopped radish which made a nice crunch (jicama would be good, too), and I added finely chopped jalapeno. We enjoyed the hint of heat and thought it made the salad more interesting.

  • Very good, but it needed a little more flavor, so I added ground cumin and that made it great. Didn’t have fresh limes or shallots, so I substituted Roses Lime juice (not adding the recipie’s sugar and part of a blanched red onion. Also added about a cup of blanched green beans cut into one inch pieces. Will make again with these modifications.

    • — Ron in Salem, Oregon
    • Reply
  • I am about to make this recipe for the third time. It is fabulous. My husband, who is no foodie, raved about it. I do add some chopped citrus grilled chicken to make it a complete meal. I love that you can make this ahead and it is very healthy. Great as leftovers, too.

  • I’ve been making this salad for years. It’s simple, colourful and super tasty 😋
    Goes well with chicken or I add brown rice or pearl barley to make it into a whole vegetarian meal.

  • Hello Jenn,
    I am making your Black Bean and Corn Salad. My family LOVES this recipe!!
    But I am not able to find any fresh corn on the cob. So I am wondering what your suggestion for using frozen corn would be?
    Hope to hear from you soon as we are having the salad tomorrow. YIKES!
    haha
    Many Thanks,
    Sandy

  • I’m having my daughter’s field hockey team over for a team dinner and am wondering if this is a weird salad to have in the fall. Is this more of a summer salad?

    • — Michelle Parker
    • Reply
    • Hi Michelle, the fresh corn makes this a bit more summery but you can serve it all year round because you can sub in frozen or canned corn during the cooler months. So I don’t think it’s weird and I bet a bunch of hungry girls will happily eat it! 🙂

      • Oh My Gosh!
        I just asked you this question and now I see an answer!
        Thank YOU!

      • Traders Joe’s has a frozen roasted corn that’s excellant in this recipe.

    • Hi Jen

      I LOVE all your recipes and this is my favorite summer alternative to lettuce salads. I am making it for a special dinner tonight and I accidentally bought Italian parsley instead of cilantro. Will that work?

      • Sure — it will have a slightly different flavor but will still be delicious! 🙂

  • Amazing!! I cut the sugar (fresh sweet corn) and I only used 2 tlbs of oil!! One of the best dips, salads, or garnishes for tacos I have ever had!!! I brought it to a Labor Day party and it was a hit! Thank you.

    • Really yummy and even better if you add some feta as well!

  • AMAZING!
    It was my first time ever making a salad like this & I used it to meal prep at work (I’m a nurse so I usually work 3-in-a-row) & this was great even the 3rd day!
    I did use red onion instead of shallots, 6 instead of 8 tablespoons of olive oil, & left out the sugar and it was STILL. SO. GOOD!

    Can’t wait to make it again next week. 🙂

    • Exactly how many minutes should I boil the corn to get the right crispness.

      • Hi Marcia, I usually cook my corn by bringing a pot of water to a boil; once it boils I turn off the heat, put the corn in and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the salad!

  • This recipe is easy and delicious. Yes, like another reader said I would definitely eat this salad for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

  • I plan to double this recipe but have 3 orange bell peppers and 1 red bell pepper. Should I go get more red bell peppers? I’ve made this before (it’s perfect as is) and don’t want to mess with the flavor.

    • Hi Santiago, Orange bell peppers will work nicely; no need to go to the store. Enjoy!

  • Hi Jenn,
    I don’t care for cilantro. Any suggestion? Would basil work?
    Thanks
    Diana

    • Hi Diana, I think parsley or basil would work nicely. Hope you enjoy!

  • This salad is delicious (loaded with flavor), strikingly beautiful, & a great take-it-to-a-picnic choice. My suggestion is to make sure to use quality canned beans (Goya, Bushes Best – does anyone have another recommendation?). I did this the first time I made it & the salad was perfection. The next time I used an off-brand: brownish, soft, mushy beans that made the entire salad look like mud & although the taste wasn’t compromised, it was a mess to look at. Thank you Jenn, for your wonderful recipes.

  • Dear Jenn,
    Last week I made this salad for the first time and my family loved it. Two nights later I paired some of my leftover rotisserie chicken from Costco (pulled apart, sprayed lightly with olive oil, and broiled just a few minutes) with the corn and black bean salad (warmed up, but not heated for one minute in the microwave) and served it to my family with a small, corn tortilla , the sliced avocado and chopped tomatoes. I heated the tortillas briefly in our electric skillet which was placed in the center of the table, and then we all made our own “tapas-like” creations. My family had great fun making these and eating them together – and everyone pronounced them delicious!

    • Love that idea, Laula. Thank you for sharing!

  • What does it say about me that I want to eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

  • We are hosting a baby shower for 30 at lunch time and are serving brats and 3 salads. If people just take a spoonful of this salad do you still think it serves 6-8? Thinking it might be more like 12?

    • Yes, Ann, if you think people will be taking very small portions, I think you could get 12 servings out of it. To be safe though, you could make 1.5 times the recipe. Hope the shower is nice!

  • This salad is amazing!! I made this for a family BBQ and atleast 5 people went homemade with the recipe in hand! Quick and easy to make, especially that you can make it the day before!

  • I make this salad when we have company over or when I need to bring a dish to a bbq. It is truly a crowd pleaser. I usually follow this recipe exactly as written but one time I was out of cayenne so I sprinkled some Cholula Hot Sauce to replace it and it worked. I’ve also been out of shallots and replaced them 1:1 with red onion and it was great. Thank you Jenn!!!

  • Absolutely delicious! I made it exactly as described (I was a bit heavy handed with the fresh lime 🙂 and will definitely add it to our regular rotation. Added your pan butter shrimp as a dinner addition.

    • I have made this recipe several times and absolutely love it. It’s great as a side salad or as a chip dip, but I often use it in chicken or shrimp tacos and it’s amazing.

  • Good fresh corn is not yet available, so I used frozen steamed until it was just crisp tender. I also added 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes as my garden is producing masses daily.

    This dish has become a fridge staple and our go-to summer snack . Thank you so much!

    Oh, and it’s excellent spooned into fish tacos too. The hot flaky fish and crunchy cold salad with just the right touch of acid is a divine combo.

  • This is absolutely delicious and as you stated I’ve already been asked to share the recipe!
    Along with being so fresh tasting it is very attractive on the table.
    I’ve made it in advance for a weekend with a vegan guest, and for a summer barbecue!
    Only changes made were to substitute cherry tomatoes for the red peppers.
    Thank you very much for your wonderful recipes.

  • If anyone is still on the fence in making this…please don’t hesitate!! It is an absolutely delicious salad!! It’s flavor town in your mouth!!
    Thank you Jenn, for once again, an absolutely delicious recipe! Might I add, I doubled the recipe, just for my family of 5 and it was gone in less than 2 hours!! They couldn’t get enough of it!!
    Kudos Jenn!!!

  • Excellent side dish! Very flavorful, quick and yummy! I accidentally forgot to buy fresh corn so I used frozen corn that I cooked up instead. It was still amazing!

  • I have been making this dish multiple times for almost every summer outing including my children’s birthday parties. This dish is perfect the way it is, did not need alter it. Each time I make it, I always get asked for the recipe.

  • I will be making this on a Friday, but wont be able to serve it until Sunday, since we will be out of town and arriving home Sunday with company arriving as well, can not prepare it the day before because of time . Would it still be good and flavorful from being in the refrigerator for 2 nights?

    • — Grace Brumback
    • Reply
    • It will still be delicious, Grace – just give it a taste before serving. You may need to adjust the seasoning a bit as the flavors tend to mellow. And, of course, wait to add the avocado until the last minute.

      • Thanks will do!

        • — Grace Brumback
        • Reply
    • This was awesome! I did change some minor things.

      1. I oven roasted the corn.
      2. I added a very thinly sliced jalepeno (seeds and all)
      3. I added the spices to the olive oil and lime juice and whisked instead of just mixing it all in at once.

      Big hit! I will make this every chance I get.

  • Absolutely amazing!
    Everybody loved it.
    Served it with the tequila lime chicken recipe.
    Delish!
    Thank you

  • This is my all time favorite salad which I always make for pot luck dinner. Whenever I bring to party, it’s gone in a sec! It’s very easy and very flavorful. It’s something that I can make ahead too.

  • I love bean salads and this one is my all time favorite. It makes a lot. Salad tastes great for days, although I only add avocado to the portions served so it stays fresh.

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