Corn Avocado Black Bean Salad — A FRESH, easy, and HEARTY mixture of corn, black beans, and avocado is tossed with a tangy cumin lime vinaigrette. It’s incredibly filling thanks to the beans and avocado, and can easily be meal prepped!
Table of Contents
- Hearty Salad with Black Beans, Corn & Avocado
- Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad Ingredients
- How to Make Corn Avocado Black Bean Salad
- Tips for the Best Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve with Corn Avocado Black Bean Salad
- More Black Bean Salad Recipes:
- Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad with Cumin Lime Vinaigrette Recipe
Hearty Salad with Black Beans, Corn & Avocado
This black bean avocado corn salad has similar flavors to my Six-Layer Baked Taco Cups, but it’s even healthier. Plus, it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free!
This salad features hearty beans, juicy corn and tomatoes, and creamy avocado. There has to be some fat in a salad for me to feel full, and the avocado does the trick.
The cumin lime vinaigrette is zippy, tangy-yet-sweet, and like all homemade dressings, you’ll need to experiment and tweak it based on your palate and preferences.
It’s the perfect meal prep lunch or side salad to any Mexican-inspired feast!
Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad Ingredients
This is a super simple salad that really packs in Mexican-inspired flavors with minimal ingredients. Gather the following items:
Salad
- Canned black beans
- Tomato
- Avocado
- Frozen corn
Cumin lime vinaigrette
- Lime juice
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Cumin
- Salt and pepper
Want to Make This Vegan?
To make this salad vegan, use agave or a little maple syrup in place of the honey. Start with two tablespoons of sweetener in the dressing and add more as desired after tasting the cumin lime dressing.
How to Make Corn Avocado Black Bean Salad
This black bean avocado corn salad couldn’t be simpler to prepare! Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Prep all the salad ingredients and add to a large bowl.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the lime vinaigrette ingredients and stir to combine. Taste the dressing and add more salt and pepper as desired.
- Slowly drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to combine.
Want to Add Protein?
If you want a heartier salad, you can add grilled chicken to this black bean corn avocado salad. Shrimp would also taste delicious here!
Tips for the Best Black Bean and Corn Salad
Avocado: Make sure you’re using a ripe avocado in this salad. The avocado is the star of this salad, but you won’t want to eat it if it’s still hard!
Corn: I used frozen corn for this black bean avocado salad and added it straight to the salad. I didn’t cook it first or anything since I knew the salad would be sitting in the fridge for a few hours before I ate it.
Spice it up! If you like a little heat in your black bean salad, add some finely diced jalapeño to this recipe. Keep the seeds out if you don’t want too much heat, though!
Leftover dressing? You may not use all the vinaigrette, it just depends on your personal preference. If you have leftover dressing, store it in the fridge and use on other salads throughout the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making this corn avocado black bean salad 4 to 8 hours in advance and allowing it to remain covered in the fridge really helps the flavors marry beautifully. The avocado may oxidize slightly — although the lime in the vinaigrette helps prevent it — but I’m willing to sacrifice a slight color change for enhanced flavor.
Sure, use up whatever you have on hand!
Of course! You can toss whatever extra veggies you want into the salad. The cumin lime vinaigrette pairs well with just about anything.
Be my guest! Meal prepped or leftover chicken can be thrown in, as can grilled or sautéed shrimp.
What to Serve with Corn Avocado Black Bean Salad
This chunky salad is just begging to be scooped up with homemade tortilla chips! Or, pair the salad with one or more of the following:
- Salsa Verde Pepper Jack Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Pulled Pork Tacos
- Grilled Lime Cilantro Chicken
- Cheesy Beef Taquitos
- Loaded Vegetarian Burritos
- Ground Beef Taco Salad Bowls
Pin This Recipe
Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad with Cumin Lime Vinaigrette
This Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad is tossed with a tangy cumin lime vinaigrette. It's incredibly filling thanks to the beans and avocado, and can easily be packed for lunch.Â
Ingredients
Salad
- one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium ripe tomato, diced (Roma or vine-ripened)
- 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and diced for garnishing
- 3/4 cup frozen corn (I rinse it straight from the freezer and add it; I don’t cook it)
Cumin Lime Vinaigrette
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey (agave or maple syrup may be substituted and should to keep salad vegan)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
Make the salad
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; set aside while you make the vinaigrette
Make the Vinaigrette
- Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously (or in a small bowl and whisk together). Taste dressing and make tweaks as necessary according to taste preferences.
Assemble the Salad
- Slowly drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to combine. You may not use all the vinaigrette depending on preference; extra vinaigrette will keep airtight for many days in the fridge.
Notes
Salad may be served immediately or up to 1 to 2 days later, noting that avocado will likely oxidize as time passes, even if salad is kept covered and airtight in the fridge so it may not be as visually appealing. However, I find the flavors marry beautifully after about 4 to 8 hours covered in the fridge, and am willing to compromise the slight color change of the avocado for the enhanced flavor
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 394Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 638mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 13gSugar: 19gProtein: 12g
More Black Bean Salad Recipes:
Skinny Mexican Bean and Corn Salad — Two kinds of beans, juicy corn and tomatoes, crisp peppers, and green onions are tossed in a lime-chili-cumin vinaigrette that’s perfectly light.
Chicken Avocado Black Bean Salad — A Mexican-inspired salad with tender chicken, black beans, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and more! EASY, ready in 20 minutes, HEALTHY, and packed with fiesta FLAVORS galore!
Avocado Black Bean Mexican Salad — EASY, ready in 10 minutes, and there’s so much FLAVOR from the lime-cumin-chili vinaigrette!
Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad — An EASY corn salad with black beans, zucchini, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, and more!! So much Mexican-inspired FLAVOR in every bite of this family favorite recipe that’s sure to be a hit!!
Vegetarian Burrito Bowl Salad — Your favorite burrito ingredients minus the meat and extra carbs to keep things HEALTHIER!! Ready in 10 minutes and keeps you satisfied but not stuffed! Great EASY lunch, dinner, or meal prep recipe!!
Originally published January 12, 2015 and republished June 4, 2021 with updated text.
I made this and it was so good! I only had canned corn, and I had to use it up. I also had some leftover cucumber cubes and chopped up some cilantro that I had on hand. I decreased the honey just a tad, added more cumin, since we love the flavor. We ate it over chopped romaine lettuce. It was delicious! You can add as much or as little of the dressing as you want. I will definitely make it again.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you were able to use what you had on hand and altered the proportions of things to your taste preferences and it turned out great!
This looks delish! What is considered a serving size for this salad?
It would depend on what else you’re serving it with, how hungry you are, etc.
1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 1/2 cups…it can vary.
Could you use canned corn rinsed/drained for this or is frozen best?
I’m not a fan of canned corn in general because I find it to be mushy but you could use it I guess…I’d stick with frozen or fresh personally. Enjoy!
Can’t wait to make this salad tonight!
I love cilantro so I’m going to add a little of that, and some chipotle powder for a little kick.
Thank you for the recipe!
I bet this would be great with some mango
COULD YOU ADD A LITTLE DICED RED ONION?
Yes, sure.
Delicious salad Averie. I roasted the corn and added cilantro. It was a huge hit at our spring fair! Thanks for sharing this recipe! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I bet the roasted corn was wonderful and I’m a huge cilantro fan and am sure that was perfect in it!
Avocado is so good you :)
Yum! I found this recipe on Pinterest and knew I would need to try it immediately! So fresh, so easy, and so healthy! I added some edamame because I had some needing to be used. It as so delicious! I’m also thinking of adding shrimp next time I make it. It’s such a versatile salad. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And yes super versatile and you can mix and match with most anything you have on hand!
oh yummy! <3 Looks amazing and healthy! I want to try it as soon as possible.. may be tonight! Thanks for sharing :)
xoxo
Edith
Oooh, yum! This is one of my favorite things on the PLANET to eat! And I totally fail every time I try to come up with my own recipe– will definitely be using this one next time the craving strikes :) Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and enjoy it if you make it – LMK if you do! :)
Looks delish! And healthy too! Can’t wait to try.
What a great salad! All the flavors we love. I think I’ll use up the leftovers on salad greens tomorrow. I made a big batch of the cumin vinaigrette to use on salads the rest of the week. It’s a nice change up from my usual balsamic dressing!
So glad you liked this one, Paula! And yes to making a big batch of the vinaigrette so you have extra for the rest of the week. Love it when I’m one step ahead like that going into the week!
Omg absolutely beautiful!!! I must make this! Thanks for sharing the recipe! XxOo
This looks delicious. Such a healthy salad option, and a perfect use for the avocado on my counter right now! Thanks for sharing:)
Such a yummy salad Averie! I love all the ingredients and so doing it tomorrow!!
Oof, SO true about sweets & treats from October through December. I’m sure dentists get just as many new patients as gyms in the new year! Even though it’s been cold (well, relatively speaking for NorCal anyway!), I’ve been craving salads way more than soup. This one looks really good with all of the tomato & corn!
Amen, Mexican food does my soul good after all the rich stuff I’ve had for … months now! Nothing beats avocado and lime. Love the cumin addition!
This looks really delicious, I love the lime, cumin and avocado, combo, it’s like a little bit of summer in January :)
That looks like the perfect lunch!
i couldn’t wait to check this out after seeing the title in my inbox last night! this is RIGHT up my alley. looks delish and healthy!
that vinaigrette sounds amazing. We call this texas caviar here in Houston but regardless of the name it looks great
I’ll gladly eat healthier, when healthy looks so delicious!!
This salad is full of things I love! I could eat this every day. I don’t really do the whole healthy thing in January but I always love a good salad. This is a keeper!
Thanks for saying hi, Jen! Glad to see you taking a small break from recipe testing, book writing, and slaving in the kitchen…ahhh I remember those days. Hang in there :)
This looks perfect!!!! I just bought a small bag of avocados. I love them.
In fact I like the other two ingredients a lot,but I love avocados.
Great dressing!
Thanks, Carol, and glad you have lots of avo on hand!
oh.my.gosh. This looks legit delicious! I can’t wait to make this tomorrow!!! I’ve tried so many times to make the perfect bean-corn-avocado salad, and I have a feeling this is going to be THE ONE. Thank you for all of your incredible recipes. You are a kitchen SAINT!
You are so sweet, and you’re welcome! Enjoy! :)
I am A-OK with healthy salads! This one looks fabulous Averie. Avocado anything has me swooning.
Cumin is my favorite spice on the planet. No joke :) I’m loving this salad!!
I love cumin too! That, and smoked paprika. I buy them 3 at a time and go through them fast!
So many of my favorite flavors in a single dish! YUM!
And thanks again for your thoughtfulness earlier :) xo
I love this salad but I am crazy about the vinaigrette!! Looks fabulous, Averie!
Thanks, Anna!
oh my gawd Averie . . this salad looks sooooo good. . and damn!!! I started a juice cleanse today. . ok, I know what I’m making at the end of this week!!!
No, the beginning. By the end of the week you can start drinking and eating garbage food…that’s my logic anyway :)
There is not one single thing in this that I would even think about changing. Literally, I love everything about it! LOVE all these flavors!
My family makes a version of this for almost every gathering, but it is heavier and more beany. I like the addition of avocado, because salads with avacodo >>>> salads without it!
This is your kind of salad. There’s nothing in it you could object to :) And seriously so filling and hearty and I made this a lonnnnnnng time ago but then with the holidays, no one wants to see bean salads. So…I held off til January-the-get-skinny-month :)
As a mom of two kids, I love anything that I can make ahead! This is definitely going to be in my rotation. My 1-year old could probably feed this to herself with a smaller amount of dressing. Win-win. Thanks!
Perfect little finger food for little hands :)
I hear those resolutions calling my name….actually I didn’t make any this year but my goal is healthier breakfasts and more salads. This looks simple and tasty.
Nom nom.
Pretty and pinned.
Happy Monday Averie!
I used to make something like this…and then I stopped. WHY? Thank you for reminding me about it – and this dressing is PERFECT!
Well here’s your little reminder :) Loved how light but flavorful this dressing was. Not gloppy LOL!
Craving….or caving. Either way. ;-)
I love salads like this! My body is definitely caving salads every day!
It looks so delicious. I will definitely try it. Thank you so much for sharing it.
This salad looks fantastic, Averie! I love adding black beans and corn into salads. And that vinaigrette sounds so flavorful! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
Love these flavor combos. And, isn’t it just so colorful and beautiful? This dressing is totally new and intriguing to me, I’ve got to try it! …. And I’ve missed so many of your salad recipes featured in the related posts, going back to try some of those too! Thanks Averie, have a great week!
I don’t post that many salads but over the years, I’ve accumulated a few and glad the related posts can breathe a little new life back into them!
My goodness that Cumin Vinaigrette sounds OFF THE CHARTS! I love how simple and easy this salad is…definitely something I need to balance out my cookie fest over the Holidays. Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and yes, this is the perfect balance to the cookie and fudge fest we all were on! ha!
This is totally my type of salad! As much as I love my lettuce, spinach, and kale, it is so refreshing to have a non-green salad!
This looks so healthy and filling without being heavy! We love these kinds of southwestern/Mexican inspired salads. The vinaigrette sounds just right–and I’m sure it would be great on green salads too! This is already on my “to make” list later in the week!
I thought you’d probably like this one :) LMK if you try it!