April 22, 2013

Mexican Bean Salad

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This easy and healthy mexican bean salad is fantastic for picnics and potlucks! With two kinds of beans, veggies, avocado and a dreamy lime chipotle dressing. Dairy free, gluten free and vegetarian with a vegan option.

A white bowl filled with Mexican Bean Salad with a silver spoon in the bowl.

This mexican bean salad was originally published in April 2013. The post has been updated as of May 21, 2019 with new photos, text and a revamped recipe.

Easy, classic and oh-so-flavorful, this southwest-inspired black bean salad is perrrrfect for all your warm weather needs!

Have a party? Potluck? Barbecue? This jazzy little number has got you covered.

Packed with both black beans AND kidney beans, along with a hefty sprinkling of crispy, crunchy, colorful veggies, it’s ready to please.

We have tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, cilantro, avocado! The gang’s all here.

And is tied together with the most dreamy honey lime chipotle dressing. A little tangy, a touch sweet, a bit smoky – i.e. the most excellent combination to take the salad from good to great.

But the best part? The whole thing can be made in advance and is delicious served either cold or at room temperature.

Hooking you up for gatherings of any kind or for a ready-to-go lunch.

Yep, we see you summer – and we’re so ready for you with our fresh and tasty salad!

A glass bowl filled with honey lime chipotle dressing with a whisk in the bowl.

How To Make Mexican Bean Salad

So, this healthy bean salad takes about 25 minutes to prep from start to finish. And is super simple to whip up! Let’s discuss:

Cook some corn in a skillet. Either fresh or frozen, we’ll sauté some kernels until tender and starting to brown.

Chop up veggies. Meanwhile, we’ll chop up plenty of fresh veggies and herbs, like tomatoes, bell pepper, avocado, green onion and cilantro.

Mix it all together in a bowl. In a large bowl, we’ll toss everything together, along with two kinds of beans.

Add the dressing. We’ll whisk together a few simple ingredients for our vinaigrette, then pour into the large bowl and toss to combine. And then, we eat!

A glass bowl filled with all the components for Southwestern Bean Salad with a wooden spoon in the dish.

Tips & Tricks

  1. First things first. While you can absolutely make this salad any time of the year, it is definitely best when you have good tomatoes – i.e. typically during warmer weather.
  2. As with all salad recipes, feel free to adjust the quantities of any of the ingredients to your taste.
  3. Now, let’s talk about the dressing. As written, there is a hint of that smoky heat from the chipotle peppers. But you can certainly adjust the amount to your taste.
  4. And finally, while this dish is fantastic freshly made, I actually think it gets better as it sits and the flavors have had a chance to meld and get all groovy together. So, if you have the time, let it chill out in the fridge for several hours before enjoying (see directly below for the best way to do this!).

Make Ahead Instructions + How To Store

This dish can be made entirely in advance with the exception of the avocado. Mix everything else together, toss with the dressing, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Right before serving, stir in the avocado.

The salad will keep like this for about three to four days.

A white bowl filled with Mexican Black Bean Salad with a silver serving spoon in the dish.

Additional Side Dish Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

This easy and healthy mexican bean salad is fantastic for picnics and potlucks! Packed with two kinds of beans, crunchy veggies, creamy avocado and a dreamy lime chipotle dressing. Gluten and dairy free, with a vegan option included!

Mexican Bean Salad

Yield: about 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

This easy and healthy mexican bean salad is fantastic for picnics and potlucks! With two kinds of beans, veggies, avocado and a dreamy lime chipotle dressing. Dairy free, gluten free and vegetarian with a vegan option.

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (quartered if large)
  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 large ripe avocado, diced

For the dressing:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey*
  • 2 teaspoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce**
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

For the salad:

  1. Add the olive oil to a medium-large skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add in the corn kernels and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, until tender and starting to brown. Add to a large bowl.
  2. To the bowl, add the bell pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, black beans, kidney beans and avocado. Toss gently to combine.

For the dressing:

  1. In a small bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the veggies / beans and toss gently to combine. Taste and season with additional salt / pepper as desired (I usually add more salt)!

Notes

*To keep this salad vegan - use pure maple syrup instead of the honey.

**If you are gluten free - please be sure to check the ingredients on your chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Some brands contain wheat!

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 339mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 7g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Side Dish
Dairy Free, Fourth of July, Gluten Free, Lunch, Recipes (ALL), Salad, Seasonal, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian
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