Description
A vibrant and zesty Cowboy Bean Salad featuring black beans, corn, fresh vegetables, and a smoky chipotle-lime dressing. Perfect as a light meal or a flavorful side dish, this salad pairs wonderfully with Mexican and Southern cuisine favorites.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 400g/14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 400g/14 oz can corn, drained (or 1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed)
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), diced into 1cm/1/3″ pieces
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3/4 cup coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
- 250g/8 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered (or 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced)
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (or American Chili Powder)
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Shake Dressing: In a jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil, chipotle powder, cumin powder, sugar, minced garlic, black pepper, and salt. Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is well blended.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, place the rinsed black beans, drained corn, diced red capsicum, diced avocado, diced red onion, chopped coriander, and quartered cherry tomatoes.
- Toss with Dressing: Drizzle the shaken dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss everything together to ensure an even coating of the dressing over the salad.
- Serve or Store: Serve the salad immediately for the freshest flavor or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Before serving after storing, you might want to squeeze a little more lime juice to freshen up the flavors.
- Serving Suggestions: This salad works beautifully as a light meal on its own or as a side dish. It complements beef, fish, prawns, pork, and chicken dishes exceptionally well. Try it piled on tacos, burritos, enchiladas, nachos, fajitas, or alongside Southern-style pulled pork, barbecue ribs, and fried chicken for a flavorful boost.
Notes
- Note 1: Rinsing and draining canned black beans removes excess sodium and starch, improving texture and taste.
- Note 2: Using fresh tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes is a fresh alternative; just ensure they are deseeded to avoid excess moisture.
- Note 3: Chipotle powder adds a smoky heat; substitute with American chili powder for milder flavor.
- The salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; avocado may brown slightly, so consider adding it just before serving if making ahead.
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving brightens and refreshes the salad flavors after refrigeration.
