Perhaps the best compliment this salad ever received was from one of my readers, who confessed to me, “I’m having an affair with this salad…please don’t tell anyone.” Another reader told me that she made this salad for a party, and later found one of her guests in her study, printing out copies of the recipe to hand out. It’s just one of those crowd-pleasing, make-ahead recipes that everyone loves. Whether I serve it with grilled chicken or as a dip with tortilla chips (highly recommend!), the bowl is always empty and the plates are always full.
What You’ll Need To Make Black Bean and Corn Salad
Step-by-step Instructions
Begin by cooking the corn. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn and simmer, covered, for about ten minutes, then cut the kernels off the cob. Next, chop the red onions, soak them in cold water for about ten minutes, then drain; this takes the sharp raw onion taste away. (If you’re a raw onion lover, feel free to skip this step.)
Rinse and drain the black beans.
Then make the dressing. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a mini food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top.
Toss and refrigerate for at least one hour or, preferably, overnight. The salad tastes infinitely better cold, especially once the flavors have a chance to marry and the vegetables soak up some of the dressing.
Black Bean & Corn Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette
Servings: 6 (as a side dish)Total Time: 30 Minutes, plus at least one hour to chill
- 2 ears fresh corn
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro (plus a bit more for garnish, if desired)
- 1 avocado
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1-2 limes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (2 peppers, not 2 cans; use smaller peppers and if they are all large, use only 1½)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and let cool.
Meanwhile, place the chopped red onions in a small bowl and cover with water. Let sit about ten minutes, then drain completely in a sieve and set aside.
Place the beans in a sieve; run under cold water to rinse well. Let drain completely and set aside.
Holding the cooled corn upright in a large bowl, cut the kernels off the cob in strips. Add the beans, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro.
Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor; process until smooth.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or, preferably, overnight.
Right before serving, slice the avocado in half. Remove the pit; using a butter knife, cut a grid in each half. Holding the avocado halves over the salad, use a spoon to scoop out the diced flesh. Toss the salad gently, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a squeeze of fresh lime to freshen it up). Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped cilantro if desired. Serve cold.
Per serving (6 servings)
Serving size: approximately 1 cup
Calories: 357, Fat: 20 g, Saturated fat: 2 g, Carbohydrates: 40 g, Sugar: 12 g, Fiber: 11 g, Protein: 9 g, Sodium: 306 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg
