Black Bean And Corn Salad Recipe The Best

Beans are on the short list of foods we use all the time around here. I keep all sorts of beans in my pantry at all times because I know that, in a pinch, I can turn them into a quick side dish, a hearty stew, or a satisfying bean salad (or today’s new black bean and corn salad) to serve a small crowd! Recently, I put together a post with a list of favorite bean recipes that are often on the dinner rotation. Then I picked up Joe Yonan’s new book called Cool Beans, and now I don’t think I’ll ever run out of ideas to use my pantry beans! This book is the ultimate guide to cooking with beans, the world’s most versatile plant-based protein! One of the recipes that immediately caught my eye is today’s black bean and corn salad recipe. At first glance, you get a Mexican or a Southwest black bean salad vibe, but when you look closely at the list of tasty ingredients– including fresh mint, lime juice, and even a little shredded coconut–you realize that Joe put such a unique and tasty spin on it! I made this bean salad recipe for my family a few days ago and we devoured it in minutes! It’s satisfying, bright and delicious, plus Mediterranean diet friendly!

Are black beans healthy?

The antioxidants, fiber, protein, and carbs make black beans some of the healthiest legumes and a nutrition powerhouse. They are satisfying and, thankfully, convenient and cheap. Most grocery stores will carry dry or canned black beans. And for a recipe like today’s salad, the canned variety are just fine, you do not need to cook the beans from scratch.

What do you put in black bean salad?

Like I said earlier, Joe put a cool spin on the typical black bean corn salad with a couple of unique, yet available ingredients. Here is what you need to make it:

Corn- you can use 2 ears of corn, which you can quickly cook in the microwave. Or, for a shortcut, start with 1 1/2 cup frozen corn, just follow the package instructions to cook.Poblano pepper- 2 small peppers or 1 medium pepper. These lovely peppers are a mild variety of chile peppers, so they’ll give a very slight spicy kick to this salad without overwhelming. And in this recipe, they’re roasted to charred perfection–so much flavor! I have also tried this recipe with red peppers and really enjoyed it. Black beans- I used 1 3/4 cups of black beans from a can. Just be sure to rinse the beans well and drain them before using in this recipe.Grated coconut– just 1/2 cup, and I used already grated/shredded coconut from frozen. Not a usual ingredient in a black bean salad or a corn salad, but it works so well! If you can, don’t skip the coconut!Fresh mint leaves- 1/4 cup is what Joe recommends for this recipe, but I went for 1/2 cup of mint leaves because I just loved how herby and fresh the salad tasted with a little extra mint! Plus I like the change from the usual cilantro used in most black bean corn salads.Cherry tomatoes- a good cup of cherry tomatoes, which you can slice into halves or quarters depending on their size.Dressing ingredients- 2 tablespoons of lime juice and just 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil the light, no-fuss dressing. Kosher salt- start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust to your liking

How do you make black bean and corn salad:

Ways to serve this bean salad!

As a hearty side next to your favorite protein. My mind went to grilled fish, baked salmon, lemon chicken, or even beef kabobs! Why not?!As a vegetarian lunch! This black bean salad is super hearty and can easily stand as lunch. Cook a cup of plain couscous and toss it in with this black bean and corn salad, adding a bit of lime juice and extra virgin olive oil. And if you’re up for some more flavor, add a little ground cumin and some crushed pepper flakes for heat! You can do the same with quinoa for a gluten free quinoa black bean salad!As a salsa to share Joe says, if you want to go in the direction of a salsa with this bean salad recipe, go for it! Add some heat using a seeded and chopped jalapeno or Serrano chile and grab your favorite chips to serve along (Tortilla chips are the obvious choice, but don’t put it past me to use pita chips instead)!

How long will it keep?

You can keep the leftovers of this black bean salad in the fridge in a tight-lid container for 2 to 3 days or so. Black bean corn salad: Step-by-step (print-friendly recipe below)