Avocado Black Bean Salad

Name: Avocado Black Bean Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 15 ounce can Black Beans ((drained)); 15 ounce can Corn Kernels ((drained)); 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes ((halved)); 2 Avocados ((chopped)); 1 Cucumber ((chopped)); 1 Red Pepper ((chopped)); 1/2 cup Cilantro ((chopped)); Juice of 2 Limes; Salt and pepper

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This Avocado Black Bean Salad is as nutritious as it is flavorful! Featuring a rainbow of fresh produce, this salad is an excellent side dish or a hearty and healthy meal!

This salad is quick to prepare and can be enjoyed in 10 minutes or less. There is no cooking involved, so you can serve it as quickly as you can chop the vegetables.

Is Avocado Black Bean Salad Healthy?

Avocado black bean salad is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I am looking to whip up a big batch of healthy. The salad is comprised entirely of fresh produce, without being drenched in any fatty dressings. The dressing consists simply of lime juice, salt, and pepper. Simple, but yet incredibly flavorful.

If you like this fresh recipe, you will also want to try my black rice salad!

Ingredients you will need

Canned Black Beans - You could use dried beans instead, but they would need to be soaked and cooked.
Sweet Corn - Canned, fresh, or frozen all would work well.
Cherry Tomatoes - Grape tomatoes are a good substitute.
Avocados
Cucumber
Red Pepper - Or use any other sweet pepper.
Fresh Cilantro - You don't want dried cilantro, it makes a big difference.
Limes - Bottled lime juice works as a substitute.

How to Make it

Every kitchen has mixing bowls, but one of my favorite kitchen items is my extra large mixing bowl. Using a 5 quart, or larger bowl is great when you are tossing together large salads because they not only can hold the extra volume but also contain a deep enough well to prevent the food or liquid from escaping during a vigorous tossing and mixing.

There is no cooking involved to create this black bean salad. Simply cut up the ingredients, toss them in the bowl, and serve! Feel free to customize it by adding more or less of your favorite ingredients.

Does this need a dressing?

The lively splash of fresh lime is all that is needed for a dressing. However, if you would enjoy a vinaigrette-style dressing, add extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and plenty of black pepper with your lime juice. It isn't needed, but it is a fun twist!

Tips and Tricks

Add a few dashes of hot sauce to liven this salad up.
A ripe avocado should feel firm on the exterior but should have a little give when pressed.
You can use fresh garden tomatoes if they are in-season, however, you should chop them up and drain the juices.
Zest the lime for even more fresh flavor!

How to store leftovers

This salad is best enjoyed right away while it is at peak freshness, however, at times you will still have leftovers. Avocadoes will oxidize over time once they have been cut up, so it is best to remove any chunks from the salad being storing in the refrigerator.

I recommend storing this salad in an airtight container and simply cutting up more avocado when you decide to enjoy the leftovers. Otherwise, it can also be eaten without avocado.

FAQs

What do you eat with black bean salad?

This is great to eat on its own, simply with a fork. However, you can use tortilla chips and enjoy it like a fresh salsa. This also would make a flavorful taco filling.

Do you need to cook black beans?

Canned black beans are already cooked and able to be eaten. Dried black beans will be rock hard, and should be soaked in water and then boiled to soften.

Do dried black beans have to be soaked overnight?

Soaking dried beans will help soften them faster when boiling, but it is not required. You can skip the soak and simply boil them in water for a longer period of time.

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