South of the Border Black Bean Salad

When it comes to recipes that’ll satisfy your stomach as well as your wallet, turn to bean salads! Wholesome and delicious, bean salads are an easy way to add fibre, protein, and veggies to your diet. They’re also easy to make ahead of time, meaning recipes like this black bean salad are ideal for weekly lunches, backyard BBQs, summer picnics, or friendly potlucks. 

This black bean salad recipe is full of summer produce, like corn, tomatoes, and bell peppers. The combination of fresh veggies gives this salad a beautiful look as well as a more balanced flavour. (While we like using fresh corn in this recipe, frozen or canned corn is also totally fine, just be sure to drain it first.) A crowd-pleasing recipe that won’t break the bank, this black bean salad is easily customizable to suit an array of diets. We’re sure it’ll become your new summer go-to! 

 

What You’ll Need for This Black Bean Salad Recipe

Black Beans: For a black bean salad, you of course need black beans! Our canned beans are organic and non-GMO, as well as gluten-free. High in fibre and low in sodium, black beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein – perfect for those following a meat-free or plant-based diet. Be sure to drain and rinse your beans before using so your salad isn’t soupy. 

Corn: Bringing natural sweetness, a crisp texture, and a pop of colour, it’s corn! Fresh corn is ideal, but we’ve used our frozen Organic Whole Kernel Corn in this recipe. If neither fresh nor frozen corn is available to you, canned corn is fine. Like the black beans, be sure to drain the canned corn before using. 

Bell Pepper: For a juicy crunch and a touch of sweetness and colour, we used a bell pepper. Choose whatever colour you like best, whether it be red, orange, yellow, or green (we’ve opted for orange in this recipe). 

Tomatoes: Juicy, fresh, and a little sweet, tomatoes add vibrancy and vitamins to this black bean salad recipe. We’ve chosen Roma tomatoes here, but grape or cherry tomatoes also work well. Slice them in half before adding to this salad for a more manageable bite. 

Red Onion: Providing this salad with some pungency and sharpness is red onion. We like red onion for the contrasting colour, but you can also use chopped shallot or green onion for a slightly more delicate flavour. 

Jalapeño: Give your black bean salad a bit of a kick with the addition of minced jalapeño pepper. If you’re spice-averse, you can skip this ingredient. However, if you can handle the heat, we recommend keeping it in for a little something extra. 

Cilantro: Beautifully herbaceous, chopped fresh cilantro helps lift this salad and boost the flavour. If you’re part of the population who finds cilantro to taste like soap, you can swap it for chopped fresh parsley or leave it out altogether. 

Cheese: We love the creaminess that comes from adding cheese to this recipe. We’ve chosen our Cow and Goat Feta Cheese, which is made locally and offers a creamy, tangy bite. You can also try our authentic Cotija Cheese in this black bean salad recipe, too! Made in Quebec, it’s salty, tangy, and crumbly. Although cheese isn’t required, we like the additional umami it provides. Opt for a plant-based variety, like our Vegan Feta-Style Cheese Alternative. 

Pumpkin Seeds: For an unexpected bit of crunch, we’ve chosen to add dry roasted pumpkin seeds to this black bean salad. Pumpkin seeds are a source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids that make them a nutritional powerhouse. Not an ingredient you usually find in bean salads, it’s a matter of taste if you’d like to include them or omit them. 

Chili Lime Dressing: While you can absolutely make your own salad dressing from scratch, at Farm Boy we have a wide array of salad dressings made with simple ingredients, ready for you to enjoy. Our Chili Lime Dressing is tangy, fresh, slightly sweet, and just a little spicy. It’s made in Ontario with real ingredients like sunflower oil, apple cider vinegar, jalapeño pepper, cane sugar, lime, garlic, and spices. 

 

Additional Mix-Ins for Black Bean Salad

Lime: In addition to the lime in our Chili Lime Dressing, you may want to add an extra citrusy punch to this black bean salad recipe. Fresh lime juice and zest will do the trick! Zest and juice one lime and add to the rest of the ingredients before gently tossing together. 

Avocado: Whether you’re following a plant-based diet or not, fresh avocado adds a wonderfully creamy element to this dish. Pit, peel, and chop the avocado before using. Don’t add the avocado until just before serving this salad, to avoid it going brown.  

Tortilla Chips: Looking to add even more crunch? Tortilla chips are a great way to incorporate additional texture. Made locally with real corn, our gluten-free tortilla chips can be served on the side for dipping or crushed up and added directly to the salad. Like the avocado, we recommend adding the chips until just before serving so they can maintain their crisp crunchiness without veering into soggy territory. 

 

How To Serve Black Bean Salad

More than just a salad, this recipe is surprisingly versatile in its uses. While we love enjoying it as-is, you can serve this black bean salad in any of the below ways. (They’re also a great way to make use of any leftovers!) 

• Use inside tacos, burritos, or quesadillas. Treat this black bean salad as a filling for your favourite tacos, burritos, or quesadillas. Throw in some added protein like grilled chicken, extra shredded cheese, and salsa and enjoy! 

• Serve with greens. Transform this black bean salad into a taco salad! On a bed of mixed greens, add a scoop of this salad and drizzle with some of our Chipotle Mayo Spread for some extra creamy spice. 

• Spoon over grilled fish or chicken. For a pop of flavour and colour, serve this bean salad over grilled fish or chicken, similar to how you might pair these proteins with a chunky salsa. (Our chef-made Pineapple Salsa would also be delicious.) 

• Mix into rice or quinoa. For the easiest grain bowl ever, serve this black bean salad recipe alongside or on top of cooked rice or quinoa. For maximum convenience, pick up a pack of our Organic Brown Rice & Quinoa, which cooks in the microwave in one minute! 

• Add it to lettuce wraps. Looking to lower your carbs? If tortilla wraps aren’t your thing, this bean salad also works beautifully inside lettuce wraps for a fast, refreshing, and nutritious lunch that’ll actually keep you feeling full. 

• Pile on top of nachos. We love nachos piled high with cheese, but we love nachos even more when they double as a wholesome dinner. Use any of our Tortilla Chips as the base for sheet pan nachos and load them up with this black bean salad before shredding more cheese and baking until melted. Endlessly snackable and totally shareable, it’s a low-maintenance meal the whole family will enjoy. 

• Toss into a breakfast burrito. For a protein-packed breakfast, add a scoop or two of this black bean salad to your morning breakfast burrito. Paired with scrambled eggs and melty cheese, it’s portable, flavourful, and a delicious way to start the day. 

How to Store Black Bean Salad

One of the best things about this black bean salad recipe is that it can be prepared in advance. While you can serve it immediately, you can also allow it to chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before serving. Simply store it in an airtight container to retain freshness and flavour. Remember: if adding in items like fresh avocado or crushed tortilla chips, you’ll want to include them just before serving, to preserve their texture and, in the case of the avocado, prevent browning. 

If you have leftover black bean salad, you can keep it the same way: in an airtight container in the fridge. Stored this way, this salad should keep for up to four days. However, the flavours may mellow a bit in the fridge. To wake them back up to all their refreshing, zesty glory, simply add an extra squeeze of lime juice or sprinkle of salt.  

 

More Bean Salad Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more bean salad recipes? Check out any of the dishes below! 

Mediterranean Bean, Kale, and Quinoa Salad 

Herbed Tuna and Chickpea Salad 

Mediterranean Barley and Chickpea Salad 

Quinoa and Veggie Jar Salad 

Chopped Italian Salad 

 

More Southwestern-Inspired Recipes from Farm Boy 

Looking for more Southwestern-inspired recipes? Check out any of the dishes below! 

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas 

Nacho Fries 

Scrambled Egg and Chorizo Breakfast Tacos 

Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas 

Ground Beef Taco Bowl 

Tex-Mex Egg Boat Bake 

Turkey Chili 

Wild Mushroom Tacos