This fresh Black Bean Salad has everything you want in a salad. 

It’s hearty, easy to prepare, and so flavorful that it’s hard to stop eating it once you’ve started. It’s the perfect option to bring to a summer party or you can make it ahead of time for an easy meal prep lunch. 

black bean salad served on two colorful plates and topped with avocado chunks.

This black bean salad recipe can be served on its own as a side dish or topped with your favorite protein for a complete meal. 

You can also serve it with tortilla chips for a flavorful party dip!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The key to any good-tasting salad is using fresh ingredients. For this one, you’ll need red onion, corn, fresh cilantro, red bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes. 

If you’d rather not cut corn kernels off the cob, you can use 1 cup of frozen corn kernels, instead. Just let them thaw on the counter while you chop everything else. 

Canned black beans make this recipe fast and convenient, but you can also use home-cooked beans if you prefer. You’ll need roughly 3 cups for this recipe. Check out my Instant Pot Black Beans tutorial if you’d like to cook them in the pressure cooker. 

ingredients for black bean salad arranged on a cutting board. ingredients for black bean salad arranged on a cutting board.

How to Make the Best Black Bean Salad

In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, lime zest, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir briefly.

Detoxinista Tip

Be sure to zest the lime before you slice it in half and juice it. It’s harder to zest it after it’s been sliced or squeezed. I hold a Microplane upside down on top of the fruit to collect the zest easily. 

lime zested and added to bowl of dressing for salad.lime zested and added to bowl of dressing for salad.

Add the diced red onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, corn, drained black beans, and cilantro to the bowl of dressing. Toss well, then season with an additional salt, to taste.

Start with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt at a time, and continue to add it until the salad tastes flavorful. 

a note on salt

The amount of salt you use will vary based on the size of your veggies and your personal taste buds. When I use Real Salt brand I’ve seasoned this salad with up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt total. White table salt and kosher salt will both taste different, so the type of salt you use matters, too! When you add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt at a time, you can taste test and adjust the flavor as you go.

black bean salad veggies stirred together in a large bowl.black bean salad veggies stirred together in a large bowl.

If you plan on serving this black bean and corn salad right away, you can slice a ripe avocado and add that on top. Since avocado will brown over time, it’s an ingredient that is best added shortly before serving. 

You could also top this salad with crumbled feta cheese, instead. (In that case, you won’t need quite as much salt.)

black bean and corn salad added to 2 glass storage jars. black bean and corn salad added to 2 glass storage jars.

Looking for more summer salad ideas? Try my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, the best Lentil Salad, or refreshing Greek Salad for more options. 



  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional; omit for mild flavor)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
  • 1 small red onion , diced
  • 1 red bell pepper , chopped and seeds removed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes , quartered
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels (see notes)
  • 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans , drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro , chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado , pit removed and sliced

  • In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, zest, olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well to mix.

  • Next, add in the diced red onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, and fresh cilantro. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the top, then stir well.

  • Taste the salad and adjust any seasoning to your liking. Depending on how large the bell pepper and red onion are, you may want to add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt or more to bring out the flavor. Once you’re happy with the flavor, top it with the sliced avocado and serve right away.

  • If you’re making this ahead of time, don’t add the avocado until just before serving to prevent any browning. The salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. (I think it tastes even better the day after you make it!)

Nutrition information is for roughly 1 cup of salad, assuming you get 8 cups total from this recipe. (You may end up with more than that.) This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Corn Note: You should get 1 cup of corn kernels by cutting it off of 2 cobs of fresh corn. You can also use drained corn from a can or thawed frozen corn for convenience.

Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 606mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg

If you try this Black Bean Salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.

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