Easy Black Bean and Corn Salad
When I need a quick crowd-pleasing dish that doesn’t require any cooking, my first go-to is this simple Black Bean and Corn Salad recipe.
Whether it’s for a family gathering or picnic, I can pull this together in a matter of minutes and know that everyone is going to love it.
We love this bean and corn salad because it’s…
- Super simple to make
- Doesn’t require any cooking
- Amazingly flavorful
- Veggie-packed
- Oil-free
- Simply delicious
How to make black bean and corn salad
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
The fresh cilantro and fire-roasted tomatoes are what make this vegan summer salad taste so good. There’s just something about the combination of flavors that excites the taste buds.
If using canned black beans, drain and rinse them before using. To do this, I pour them into a colander and rinse them under warm water.
Next, place the frozen corn in the colander and run the kernels under warm water to defrost. There is no need to cook them.
Dice the purple onion and chop up the cilantro. For the lime, I recommend using a citrus zester to zest it before squeezing out the juice for this recipe. When it’s whole, it is much more firm and easy to zest.
Now, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Stir together thoroughly. The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, but I love balsamic and actually use a little more.
This dish is a perfect summer salad for picnics, and we eat it all year round. It can be served as a cold bean salad or heated up if preferred. We even like to serve it as a black bean corn dip with my homemade tortilla chips.
It tastes even better after marinating in the refrigerator for a few hours (or the next day).
Fire-roasted tomatoes
The ingredient list for this recipe calls for either fresh diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes. I love to use fire-roasted tomatoes because they add such a terrific flavor.
The term fire-roasted used to scare my husband because he is not a fan of anything spicy. It’s important to note that it does not mean that they are spicy or hot.
They have simply been grilled or roasted to bring out that deep rich flavor that lends itself well to this recipe. It’s the same process used to make roasted red bell peppers. So delish!
If you are in an area of an Aldi store, they have a brand of fire-roasted tomatoes that is organic and very inexpensive. Here in North Carolina, we can purchase a 15-ounce can for less than $2.
When we switched to a whole food plant-based diet (WFPB), this black bean corn salad recipe was one of the first that we tried. It is so simple to make and can be ready in minutes. We love to eat this bean salad with homemade corn chips or even serve it in a wrap!
How to make homemade tortilla chips
Need a healthy chip? Homemade corn tortillas are SO easy to make. Simply use regular corn tortillas. Slice each one into 8 slices using a pizza slicer. Arrange on a baking sheet and spritz with a water bottle. Sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 5-7 minutes until crispy and golden brown. These are the healthiest tortilla chips and are delish!
Tips for making this black bean corn salad
- If using beans from a can, drain and rinse well. Black bean juice can make this dish less appealing visually.
- Allowing this recipe to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving really enhances the flavor.
- Keeps in the refrigerator for 5-7 days in an airtight container
The original recipe comes from Ann Esselstyn in Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.
Other easy no-cook recipes
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
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Black Bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed well (or 3 cups cooked)
- 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes 15 oz
- 1 package of frozen corn 16 oz., thawed by running under warm water in drainer
- 1/2 purple onion diced
- 1 can of water chestnuts drained and rinsed 8 oz
- bunch cilantro chopped (1/4 cup or more)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- zest from 1 lime
- 3 + tablespoons balsamic vinegar to suite your taste
- Salt and garlic powder to your taste
Instructions
- If using canned black beans, drain and rinse them before using them. To do this, I pour them into a colander and rinse under warm water.
- Next, place the frozen corn in the colander and run the kernels under warm water to defrost. There is no need to cook it.
- Dice the purple onion and chop up the cilantro.
- For the lime, I recommend using a citrus zester to zest it before squeezing out the juice for this recipe. When it’s whole, it is much more firm and easy to zest.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, but I love balsamic and actually use a little more.
- Stir together thoroughly and serve.
- This tastes even better after a few hours (or next day) after marinating in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- If using beans from a can, make sure to drain and rinse well. Black bean juice can make this dish less appealing visually.
- Allowing this recipe to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving really enhances the flavor.
- Keeps in the refrigerator for 5-7 days in an airtight container
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Ingredients:
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed WELL
1 can fire roasted, diced tomatoes
1 package of frozen corn (16 oz.), thawed by running under warm water in drainer
1/2 purple onion, diced
1 can of water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
bunch cilantro, chopped
juice and zest from 1/2 lime
3+ Tbsps. balsamic vinegar, to suite your taste
Salt and garlic powder, to your taste
Combine all ingredients in large bowl and serve. Taste even better after a few hours (or next day) after marinating in refrigerator.
Do you drain the diced tomatoes? I make something like this with fresh tomatoes and I also add chopped cukes and celery.
I use both the tomatoes and juice. Your additions sound yummy!
Love this dish.
This would make a great burrito or wrap filling!
Have cooked with water instead of oil for years…really works well.
Added a jalapeño and took it to a party with tortilla chips, it was the first dip go e…
That’s awesome!
How long will this last? Trying to find some ideas that I can make ahead for the week.
This should last in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days in an air-tight container. It’s such a great dish, and I hope you enjoy it.
Do you use whole or sliced water chestnuts? I couldn’t tell from the photo. Either way I assume you would quarter them to be the same size as the corn and beans? Thanks.
I use sliced water chestnuts and usually cut them a bit smaller. However, I have just left them sliced before, and the dish was still great.
In Black bean corn salad with fire roasted tomatoes, do you drain the fire roasted tomatoes or do you put the whole can in?
Hi Diane- No need to drain the fire-roasted tomatoes for this recipe. The juice helps enhance the flavor.
This is good. I made it a couple of days ago (except I didn’t have any real lime to zest, and I used dried cilantro). Honestly, I like it a lot better heated up! I love simple, so this is a win for me.
Hi Abby- I love hearing that! Serving it heated is a great idea.
Just amazing! I took this to a family picnic today, and it was a big hit! I had people asking for the recipe. I even heard someone say in the food line how good it was!
Hi Diane- That’s awesome! I love surprising people at family reunions with this one too. So glad to hear that it was a hit!
Yummy! I’m subbing lentils for 1 can of beans…just for fun.