Fiery Black Bean Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing
This fiery black bean salad is a must-try. It is a delightful Mexican salad dish usually served on the sides with main-course dishes.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl or jar for dressing
- Medium saucepan (3-quart / 2.8L)
- Whisk
- Sharp Chef’s Knife
- Colander or fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic mashed to a paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 30ml, about 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 30ml
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet corn boiled, 165g
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced into 1/2-inch pieces, 150g
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper diced into 1/2-inch pieces, 150g
- ½ medium red onion finely diced, about 75g
- 1 small tomato finely diced, about 100g
- 1 ½ cups black beans pre-boiled, 270g (or one 15oz / 425g can, drained and rinsed)
- ½ medium ripe avocado cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 75g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil 15ml
- ¼ cup fresh coriander chopped, 10g
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper freshly ground
- 1 pinch salt to taste, for final seasoning
Instructions
Dressing Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the lime juice and salt.2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Peel the garlic and mash it thoroughly to make it into a paste, as you do not want to taste garlic bits in your salad.1 clove garlic
- Add mashed garlic into the lime juice along with the red chilli powder.1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Finally, add ground pepper and whisk all ingredients, gradually pouring olive oil.1 pinch ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Leave it aside to pour onto your salad later.
Salad Instructions
- Start by preparing the sweet corn and black beans.1 cup sweet corn, 1 1/2 cups black beans
- If using dried black beans, soak them in cold water for at least 1 hour before cooking (or use canned beans — see Notes). This soak time is not included in the prep time listed above.1 1/2 cups black beans
- Boil water in a medium saucepan with a bit of salt.
- Once the water is boiling, add black beans and sweet corn.1 1/2 cups black beans, 1 cup sweet corn
- Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the beans are tender but still have a slight bite and the corn is cooked through. Do not overcook — you want texture, not mush.1 1/2 cups black beans, 1 cup sweet corn
- Drain the excess water.
- Peel your avocado and cut the soft pulp into bite-size cubes.1/2 medium ripe avocado
- In a large mixing bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the drained beans and corn. Add the bell peppers, onion, and tomato. Hold the avocado and cilantro back for now.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 1/2 cups black beans, 1 cup sweet corn, 1 cup red bell pepper, 1 cup yellow bell pepper, 1/2 medium red onion, 1 small tomato
- Once you have added all the veggies, pour the dressing slowly, covering all parts.
- Take 2 spoons and give it a good mix making sure the dressing coats all veggies.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.1 pinch salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Gently fold in the cubed avocado and freshly chopped coriander. Serve immediately.1/2 medium ripe avocado, 1/4 cup fresh coriander
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate undressed salad components in separate airtight containers for up to 24 hours. Dressed salad keeps for about 2 hours before peppers soften and avocado darkens.
Freezer: Not recommended — avocado and raw vegetables do not freeze well.
Make-Ahead: Cook beans and corn, chop vegetables, and prepare dressing up to 1 day ahead. Store separately. Keep avocado uncut until serving.
Substitutions: Use one 15oz (425g) can of black beans (drained and rinsed) instead of dried. Swap cilantro for flat-leaf parsley if desired. Frozen corn works in place of fresh — thaw and drain before adding.
Pro Tip: Mash the garlic into a smooth paste with the flat side of your knife and a pinch of salt before adding it to the dressing — this creates a silky emulsion instead of sharp raw garlic bits in every bite.
Soaking Time: If using dried black beans, allow 1 hour of inactive soaking time before cooking. Use canned beans to skip this step entirely.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 7gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 559mgPotassium: 662mgFiber: 9gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1718IUVitamin C: 129mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
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