Corn Black Bean Salad with Red Peppers & Shallots

Meal Suggestions

Main dishes: Serve over a bed of lettuce or mixed greens for a southwestern-inspired salad (cilantro-lime dressing or an avocado ranch are great dressing options that are on theme). Add to a burrito bowl with lettuce, quinoa or rice, and other veggies such as lettuce and tomatoes. Use as filling for wraps (with or without other ingredients) with tortillas and salsa or salad dressing. These options would be great with steak, shrimp, chicken, or tofu.

 

Use the salad for a protein-packed breakfast: Makes a great side for scrambled eggs, add to a breakfast burrito or a breakfast quesadilla.

 

Side dish pairings: Makes a healthy side dish or topping for tacos, enchiladas, or burritos. This is also an easy dish for group gatherings and barbecues as a side for grilled ribs, burgers, or chicken. Use as a dip with tortilla chips.

Substitutions & Variations

This recipe is incredibly simple and versatile. On occasion, I will add lime juice, chili powder, salsa, avocado, and/or diced fresh jalapeños for a punchier salad with more variety.

Bean Alternatives: Don’t have black beans on hand? Other beans will taste great even if it is a different flavor/texture profile. Pinto or any white beans will be creamier and milder. Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) will be firmer and nuttier. Kidney beans are the most similar to black beans.

 

Canned corn can be used for convenience. Be sure to drain and rinse. Lower the amount of added salt since canned corn might have added sodium. Grill corn on the cob and cut off the kernels before adding to the salad or pan-sear frozen, fresh, or canned corn in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes to add more smokiness.

 

Switch out your veggies (or add more) – green peppers would reduce the sweetness of the salad. Shallots can be replaced with red onions, green onions, or white onions – if you are concerned about the assertiveness of raw onion, soak in cold water for 5 minutes and drain then add to the salad. Add extra veggies (before or after cooking) like halved grape/cherry tomatoes, or diced cucumber.

 

Shortcuts

You don’t have to cook this recipe! Just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve. The flavors won’t be as robust, and the oniony flavor will be stronger (consider reducing the amount of shallot by half) but it will still be good. Just give the corn time to thaw if using frozen.

 

Troubleshooting / Prevention

The salad is too runny: Make sure to drain excess liquid from the beans and corn if using canned corn. If there is excess ice around the frozen corn, put the corn in a strainer and run under lukewarm water until all of the ice crystals are gone and drain excess water.

 

The salad is a bit bland: Taste! Taste! Taste! If the salad tastes bland or flat – you are probably short on acid (lime juice) or salt. Taste as you go and add a bit of one or the other (remember you can always add but you cannot take away), taste, and add more if needed. Fresh-squeezed lime juice is preferred for the brightness it provides. Add more of any other spice such as paprika if you want more sweetness or smokiness, chile powder if you want more heat, or garlic if you want more umami or savory notes.

 

To ensure uniform appearance and optimal eating experience, chop all vegetables to roughly the same size as the corn kernels and beans. This creates better flavor distribution and visual appeal.

 

Cilantro is difficult to handle: Wash and dry the herbs well in advance. Wet cilantro leaves stick to fingers and don't distribute evenly throughout the salad. If you dislike cilantro, substitute fresh parsley for a similar fresh herb flavor.

 

Make Ahead

This can be made up to 3 days in advance – cook as normal and refrigerate until either serving cold or reheating. Alternatively, you can just mix all of the ingredients together except the avocado (if using) and refrigerate (see shortcuts). Add the avocado just before serving. The additional time will allow the flavors to meld too!

 

Storage & Leftovers

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Can be reheated or eaten cold. Additionally, the salad can be frozen (cooked or uncooked) for up to 3 months. Simply pull from the freezer and heat or allow to thaw in the refrigerator.

 

Substitutions & Variations – Shelf-Stable & Frozen Ingredients

Everything used in this recipe can be frozen or from the pantry! Corn can be purchased frozen, and it is really easy to freeze shallots and red peppers – simply slice (you can dice from frozen slices) or dice, lay flat on a cookie sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours and pour into a freezer safe container or zippered bag (or lay flat in the zippered bag in the freezer). All the ingredients can be used straight from the freezer. Avocados and jalapeños can be frozen the same way.

 

Instead of fresh cilantro – dried or freeze-dried cilantro can be used (start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste). Fresh cilantro can also be frozen and used straight from the freezer.

 

Bottle lime juice can be used but a better option is to freeze lime slices and thaw, then juice. If you forget to pull out the limes to thaw, pop into the sauce pan while heating to thaw quickly. Pull the lime slices out of the pan before they cook completely and juice.

 

Substitutions & Variations – Keto-Friendly

Replace the corn with diced green beans (fresh or frozen) and the black beans with black soybeans. Healthy fats can be a delicious addition by adding seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds), cheeses, bacon, or hard-boiled eggs.

Safety Tips

When handling jalapeños, wear disposable nitrile gloves or wash your hands immediately after handling to protect your skin from capsaicin, the compound that causes burning sensations. Avoid touching your face or eyes during preparation and thoroughly wash hands and surfaces afterward using dish soap to remove capsaicin oils. Don’t use your bare hands to remove the pith and seeds (I know this from experience…not fun to have burning thumbs for a couple of days) - I use just a normal spoon to scoop out the seeds and scrape out the pith. If you do get a burn, remedies like soaking hands in milk or applying a baking soda paste can help soothe the irritation.