- Updated on May 14, 2023
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If you’re looking for a hearty salad that’s as good the next day as it is today, this delicious black bean and corn salad is for you!
I know you’re going to love this black bean salad recipe because it’s such an easy salad to make.
It’s full of fresh ingredients (and you can really go to town and make it your own here) and the best part is there’s no cooking involved – unless you’re taking a kettle boiling class as a cook?
Some of my favorite recipes are ones that you throw together in under 10 minutes and can even be meal prepped for an entire week.
If you are looking for such new recipes then you can find 70 vegetarian recipes here.
Mexican food lovers, this is for you! This easy recipe definitely got those vibes, making it the perfect lunch or hearty side dish for any summer BBQ!
So, what’s in this black bean salad with corn I hear you cry, let’s find out!
What makes my black bean corn salad so amazing?
Of course, it all comes down to the fresh food that makes up the salad ingredients. Get ready to tickle your taste buds with this vegetarian feast.
Materials
First, let’s start with the main players,
beans
In this simple salad, I’m adding black beans, but you can also use red kidney beans if you want, they work just as well!
vegetables
It wouldn’t be the best corn salad recipe without corn kernels. Now you can have fresh corn straight from the cob or you can use canned corn there is not much to it.
After onions, I went for red onions and spring onions. I think they both add a unique flavor to the dish and a bit of crunch.
The garlic is there for another flavor hit, although you can leave it out if you want to inhale all your coworkers afterwards!
spices
If you like some heat, you’ll appreciate the chili flakes, but how much you add is up to you.
There’s also cumin and paprika so you know this salad is just going to be a taste sensation!
grain
Any good hearty salad has a grain to bulk it out. I chose couscous because it has a nice light and fluffy texture so it won’t be too hard on those hot summer days.
But I think quinoa works just as well.
We cannot forget the main ingredients of plenty of food, vegetable stock, lemon or lime juice and olive oil to finish the recipe.
How many calories are in this corn salad?
This is the perfect summer side dish 561 Calories and 18 grams of protein, it makes a great lunch option on those workout days.
Overall nutritional information for this my corn salad with black beans:
kcal 561kcal
sugar 84g
thick 19g
protein 18g
Health benefits
Only good things can come from eating fresh healthy ingredients like this salad.
I love a salad on a warm day, but the main health benefits for me are coming from the beans.
Beans are a great source of fiber and protein for vegetarians and vegans, and protein is so important to your diet. It helps you feel full, so you won’t be tempted to snack between meals.
This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight.
Protein can also help build muscle so if you have a daily protein goal, adding it to every meal is the way to go.
To help you eat more protein-packed meals I recommend downloading my free 7-Day Vegetarian High-Protein Meal Plan to get you started.
Then if you want a more regular idea, you can switch to a weekly vegetarian high protein plan.
How to make black bean salad?
Time required: 10 minutes.
This salad is really easy to make.
- Q. Time
Take a large bowl, add couscousand top with Vegetable stock So it just covers the grain. Cover the bowl with a cloth and keep aside for five minutes.
- add
to cut onion And garlicThen after five minutes, you can throw corn, black beans, cumin, PaprikaAnd Chili flakesand top with a zesty dressing olive oil And lemon juice.
- finish
Give it all a big mix and terminado!
Black Bean Corn Salad FAQs
No question is too bad for me! (sorry I couldn’t help)
You can easily store this Mexican dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can eat it at room temperature no problem, or you can eat it hot if you prefer.
It makes a great side salad any time of year, but it would work especially well at a barbecue or cookout.
You can pair it with a variety of other salads or you can eat it with some crusty bread.
You can make a big batch of this salad to eat throughout the week. This is a great make-add or meal-prep idea.
Black beans are high in fiber, vitamin B6 and folate, and are also low in cholesterol, making them a great ingredient to support heart health.
(Or another question you like to ask Google is “Why am I still eating corn?”)
If you’ve ever wondered why corn looks the same on the way out as it did on the way in, it’s because corn isn’t digested by the body.
It is high in cellulose which is an insoluble fiber so it doesn’t break down as it passes! (Who needed to know today? I’m not sure I did!)
You may ask, why eat corn if my body can’t digest it?
Even though it’s not broken down, the body can still absorb nutrients, and corn is high in vitamin C and antioxidants that help protect cells from cancer. So it is better to eat a small vegetable!
Variety of recipes
There are many ways you can jazz up your bean salad ideas.
- Various Vegetables: Why not throw in some red bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, or even some creamy avocado.
- Various Toppings: Why not add some fresh cilantro, tortilla chips or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce just to spice it up?
- Different crops: I mentioned quinoa earlier, but you can also try it with rice if you prefer – go with brown rice if you want to keep it extra healthy.
More recipes like this
For more recipes why not try:
Need a quick dish for a summer BBQ or just a quick post-workout lunch? Then try my delicious black bean and corn salad!
- 1 to be able to black beans (or kidney beans, 1 can = 15.5 oz = 435 grams)
- ½ to be able to sweet corn (1 can = 1.75 cups/ 15oz)
- 1 red onion
- 2 spring onion
- ⅓ the cup Instant couscous (Get the ‘just add water’ variety for quick results. Quinoa can also be used here if you have/like it)
- ½ the cup Vegetable broth
- 2 spoon olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 2 teaspoon Cumin, ground
- 2 teaspoon Paprika powder
- 2 teaspoon Chili flakes (Less can be more, so scale back if you don’t want it with a lot of kick)
- 1 cloves garlic (sliced; dry is also good)
-
prepare Vegetable broth with Boiling water. Then pour couscous In a large bowl. Don’t add too much water – the ideal water level should be just enough to cover the couscous. You can always add more as needed – again, excess water is much harder to remove.
Half a cup of vegetable broth, ⅓ cup instant couscous
-
to cut the spring And red onion Thinly slice in half.
2 spring onions, 1 red onion
-
to cut garlic (if you have one).
1 clove garlic
-
Drain and rinse beans And corn.
1 can black beans, ½ can sweet corn
-
5 After about five minutes the couscous should be ready, so discard the chopped onion, beans and corn.
-
add Olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika powder, chili flakes, optional raisin And give it all a good mix.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground, 2 tsp paprika powder, 2 teaspoons chili flakes, 1 handful of raisins
-
Ready!
nutrients
Easy Vegan High Protein Black Bean Salad with Corn
No. per job
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
So let’s all wish for warmer weather so we can all enjoy this easy Mediterranean salad on a flippin’ good barbie.
This is definitely in my top salads especially if I’m looking for something filling after a good workout.
Do you like to eat it as a meal or a side dish?