This Southwest Black Bean Corn Salad recipe is the perfect summer side dish! It's made with avocado and a creamy cilantro lime dressing.
This post has been has been sponsored by Kemps®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I wanted to create a sort of 'one size fits all' dish that could work as a side dish, salad, or appetizer for these types of events. The result was this Black Bean Corn Salad. It's titled 'salad' but really falls into each of these categories.
Summer days are now upon us here in Minnesota which means there are plenty of get-togethers in store. Get-togethers like this usually require guests to bring some sort of side dish, salad, or appetizer.
On the sweeter side of things you'll find plenty of Minnesota's most ubiquitous dessert - bars.
Sometimes, though, a light and flavorful savory appetizer is where it's at. That's where this Southwest Black Bean Corn Salad comes in.
It can be eaten as a dip with crackers or tortilla chips, as a topping on grilled meats like chicken breasts, or on its own. I love versatile dishes like this - especially when they contain fresh ingredients like corn, peppers, and avocado.
Any dish with avocado gets an A in my book! Or Kemps® Sour Cream which is a huge player in the delicious dressing that brings some serious flavor to this salad!
Jump to:
- Which Vegetables Are Best For Black Bean Corn Salad?
- How To Make Cilantro Lime Dressing
- How To Make Black Bean Corn Salad
- How Much Dressing Should I Add To This Salad?
- How Long Does This Salad Last In The Fridge?
- What To Serve With Southwest Black Bean Corn Salad
- Can I Cut This Recipe In Half?
- Southwest Black Bean Corn Salad
Which Vegetables Are Best For Black Bean Corn Salad?
This salad is full of very simple ingredients. All you really need to do is chop them up and toss them into a bowl.
One of the main ingredients in this salad is corn - You can use fresh corn on the cob or frozen.
Being that it's summer and one of the best things about summer in Minnesota is fresh sweet corn I went that route. The sweet corn can be boiled or grilled.
- Boil a large pot of water. Once the water is boiling add 3-4 ears of freshly shucked corn. Cover and reduce the heat to medium.
- After about 5 minutes remove the ears of corn and let cool completely.
- Once cooled, slice the kernels off with a knife and set aside.
- Dice one bell pepper - any color will do.
- But 1-2 avocados in half and then dice into smaller pieces.
- Drain and rinse 2 cans of black beans.
Next up is the dressing for this salad. I am a huge fan of dressings and sauces in general. One of the best ingredients to use for sauces and dressings is sour cream.
My favorite sour cream to use in all of these sauces and dips? Definitely Kemps® Sour Cream. This Kemps All Natural Sour Cream is fresh, natural, and local.
In fact, all of Kemps Sour Cream is produced from local family farms and Kemps is 100% family farmer owned!
This stuff is creamy and I love the tanginess of a good sour cream.
How To Make Cilantro Lime Dressing
- The dressing is so easy and can be whipped up in the food processor.
- Add ¾ cups Kemps Sour Cream, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, ½ tsp. honey, ½ tsp. cumin, 1 heaping cup of fresh cilantro, and ¼ tsp. of kosher salt to a food processor.
Pulse all of the ingredients together until completely combined. Feel free to taste the dressing and make any adjustments as needed.
It should be a little tangy with a slight hint of cumin flavor.
The cilantro really brings a nice fresh flavor to this dressing.
How To Make Black Bean Corn Salad
Toss all of the ingredients into a large serving bowl.
This includes the 2 drained and rinsed 15 oz. cans of black beans, sweet corn kernels, diced peppers, and diced avocados.
I told you this salad is easy!
Looking for more recipes with Southwest flavors? Don't miss these!
- Southwest Turkey Egg Rolls
- Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
- Turkey Rice Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Roasted Poblano Avocado Sauce
- Beef and Bean Enchiladas
- Shrimp Rice Bowls
How Much Dressing Should I Add To This Salad?
You can add as much or as little of the Kemps Sour Cream dressing as you like. Add a little for a lighter dressing and more for a tangier, creamier salad.
I added most of the dressing because I wanted the cilantro lime flavors to really shine through. I love the hint of cumin in this dressing.
Sour cream is a great option for dressings because it's lighter than mayo but still gives you that nice creamy texture.
I also love to use it in baked goods like cakes and scones but that's a recipe for another time.
Love summer salads? Check out these recipes!
- Mediterranean Potato Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Mint Pea Salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Spanish Potato Salad
- Marinated Tomato Salad
- Kohlrabi Coleslaw Salad
- Blue Cheese Coleslaw
How Long Does This Salad Last In The Fridge?
This salad lasts 3-5 days in the fridge stored covered in an airtight container. I would not recommend freezing this dish as it contains dairy.
It is best eaten fresh (or within a few days) as it lets all those fresh flavors shine through!
I picked up the ingredients for this Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salad at my local Cub Foods. Cub Foods is a great because its got everything you need.
I love walking straight into the produce section and being able to grab all the fresh ingredients I need for a salad like this.
What To Serve With Southwest Black Bean Corn Salad
I whipped up a big batch and snacked on it with tortilla chips, crackers, or raw veggies in addition to topping my grilled chicken with it (highly recommended!).
It's perfect with grilled dishes like these Southwest grilled burgers, Juicy Lucy burgers, and BBQ sweet potatoes.
I love it with breakfast dishes like this sweet potato hash and sweet potato breakfast bowls.
It's great with all kinds of Southwest meals like Chipotle chicken tacos, Barbacoa Tacos, and Air Fryer Fish Tacos.
If you like this dish check out this Grilled Corn Avocado Salad!
Can I Cut This Recipe In Half?
This recipe makes a large portion so it's perfect for gatherings. It serves a crowd but can definitely be cut in half for a smaller portion.
I'm not kidding when I say that this recipe is versatile. It's an all-purpose dish that celebrates what every Minnesotan looks forward to all year - Summer!
Looking For More Summer Salads? Don't Miss These!
Mediterranean White Bean Salad
Charred Corn Couscous Salad
BBQ Moroccan Eggplant Salad
Southwest Black Bean Corn Salad
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 3-4 cobs sweet corn fresh
- 2 cans black beans
- 1 bell pepper
- 1-2 avocados
For The Dressing:
- ¾ cup sour cream full fat
- 3 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp. honey
- ½ tsp. cumin
- 1 heaping cup cilantro
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt adjust to taste
- extra lime and cilantro for garnish optional
Instructions
- Shuck 3-4 cobs of fresh sweet corn.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet corn, cover, reduce heat to medium and boil for 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain and let the corn cool. Once it has cooled cut kernels off with a knife. Set corn aside. Alternately, prepare 1 bag of frozen sweet corn.
- Dice 1 large bell pepper.
- Drain and rinse 2 15 oz. cans of black beans.
- Cut 1-2 avocados in half. Dice the avocados into small pieces.
For the dressing:
- Add ¾ cup full fat sour cream, 3 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, ½ tsp. honey (or sugar), ½ tsp. cumin, 1 heaping cup of cilantro, and ¼ tsp. of kosher salt to a food processor. Pulse until completely combined. Adjust ingredients to taste.
- Add the black beans, corn, pepper, and avocado to a large serving bowl.
- Drizzle as much or as little of the dressing over the salad as you like. Toss to completely coat the vegetables in the dressing. Add more salt if necessary.
- Garnish with an extra squeeze of lemon and cilantro (optional).
Rob
Buy frozen corn kernels, much easier and better tasting!!!!
Kathy
Really Devine--changed black beans to just corn. Crushed blue tortillas into it.
Cut up & Tossed in grilled chicken pieces.
Used rotella spicy tomatoes in it..
Pure Heaven!
Christine
Hi Kathy - I love hearing how you switched things up. The grilled chicken is a great addition! Thank you so much for the feedback!