This fresh and versatile black bean, corn and avocado salad can be used for many things.  You can use it as a dip, a filling for a burrito, served over rice, tossed with quinoa, topping for a baked potato…well, you get the idea.  I personally like it as dip with tortilla chips.  I’m not a big fan of really spicy flavors so if you like things spicy then add in some jalapeño pepper or cumin.  This is a refreshing salad that celebrates all the taste of summer.  It’s quick to make and requires no cooking.  The hardest part is waiting to eat it since it needs to sit a while so all the flavors can come together.

 A couple of notes:

This is not a spicy or fiery black bean, corn and avocado salad.  If you like a lot of heat in your salad then add jalapeño pepper or cumin.  This salad is cool and refreshing – with a little lime kick from the vinaigrette.

Stripping corn from the cob is pretty straight forward, but if you haven’t done it before make sure you are cutting down – toward the bowl – away from yourself – so you don’t accidentally cut yourself.  You won’t need to cook the corn, just add it fresh to the bowl.

I used parsley since that was what I had on hand, but if you’re a big cilantro fan then that would make a great substitution here.

If you can, make the base of the salad (black beans, corn, red pepper, red onion, vinaigrette) and refrigerator over night.  This really helps boost the flavors in this salad.  Just add the tomato and avocado the next day when it’s ready to serve.  If you don’t have the time to marinate it overnight then let it sit at least 30 minutes before adding the tomato and avocado.

Add the avocado at the end and toss very gently so that it doesn’t fall completely apart.

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad

A fresh and versatile black bean, corn and avocado salad that can be used as a dip, fill a burrito, mixed with quinoa…oh, you get the idea.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 15 mins
• Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can of black beans
• 1/2 red pepper
• 2 ears of fresh corn
• 2 tbs minced red onion
• 2 tbs minced parsley
• 1 small tomato
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 lime – juiced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove minced or put through a press
• 5 twists of pepper
• 1 tsp honey

Instructions

1. Rinse canned black beans and add to a bowl.
2. Dice red pepper into medium size dice – about the same size as a black bean – add to the bowl.
3. Shuck corn – strip corn kernels off the cob with a knife – add to the bowl.
4. Mince 2 tbs of red onion and add to the bowl.
5. Mince 2 tbs of parsley and add to the bowl.
6. Whisk lime, olive oil, garlic, pepper and honey together and toss over bean and corn mixture.
7. Refrigerator for at least 30 minutes – preferably overnight.
8. When ready to serve, dice tomato and add to bowl.
9. Dice avocado and add to the bowl and gently toss to combine.