Easy Corn and Black Bean Salad Recipe
This Mexican corn salad with black beans is perfection for us. It’s got so many awesome flavors and textures that whenever I make a corn salad like this, it disappears so quickly! It’s a spinoff of this Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad, but with grilled zucchini and red onions along with the grilled sweet corn. I added plenty of butter after shaving the corn off the cobs along with black beans, fire-roasted green chiles, lime juice, cilantro, and red chili flakes for a little kick, although you can omit them if you’re not into the kick part. We’re trying to milk every last drop of summer and this grilled corn salad is perfect for Labor Day weekend or end-of-summer (family) backyard barbecues. The Mexican corn and black bean salad is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and it’s vegan if you use a vegan buttery spread rather than real butter.
Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad Ingredients
To make this easy Mexican salad with black beans and corn, you’ll need:
Fresh sweet corn Zucchini Red onion Olive oil Unsalted butter Black beans Fire-roasted green chiles Lime juice Fresh cilantro Kosher salt Pepper Red chile flakes, optional
Recipe Variations
This corn and black bean Mexican salad recipe is ripe for experimentation and mixing and matching based on what you enjoy. Some recipe tweaks include:
Add bell peppers to the grill basket with the zucchini and red onion Add avocado (I would have but mine were all rock hard) Roma, heirloom, grape, or cherry tomatoes are juicy perfection here Incorporate grilled chicken for extra protein Add cayenne pepper or jalapeños with the seeds if you’re looking for more kick or up the red chile flakes Toss in diced cucumbers at the end to amp the veggie level Cotija cheese or queso fresco would be lovely
The sky is the limit with where you want to take this grilled corn and black bean salad with Mexican-inspired flavors!
How to Make Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad
It’s so easy to prepare this Mexican salad with black beans and corn! Here’s an overview of the recipe steps:
How to Serve Mexican Corn and Bean Salad
We eat this sweet corn salad by itself and are extremely content, but it would also be great with many of my grilled chicken recipes or Mexican recipes. The zucchini and red onions may likely take a few minutes longer than the corn, probably 10 to 12 minutes. Keep tossing them in the grill basket as they cook with tongs. You can also serve it over a bed of rice or tortilla chips, or use it to fill burritos or tacos!
Tips for Making Grilled Corn Salad
If you’re good at controlling the heat output on different sides of your grill, I suggest cooking the zucchini and red onions at a slightly higher temperature than the side with the corn on it. Don’t be afraid to add salt to this. I used about a tablespoon of kosher salt. I realize that sounds like a lot but there are six ears of corn, one jumbo or two medium zucchini, a can of no-salt added black beans, and more! It’s a lot of food to season and it’s really important to add enough salt, and also pepper, to bring this dish to life. The fire-roasted diced green chiles don’t make the salad spicy but simply add another subtle layer of flavor. I added about 1 tablespoon of red chili flakes. Now they do give the salad some kick, although still not spicy. If you don’t like heat, or are making this for a group of people who are sensitive to spicy foods, then add less or omit them all together.
What to Serve with Mexican Corn and Black Bean Salad
Since this Mexican corn salad with black beans is naturally vegetarian, it can be enjoyed as a hearty entree or as a side dish to your favorite Mexican dishes! Serve 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
More Corn Salad Recipes:
ALL OF MY CORN RECIPES! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Grilled Corn Salad with Chicken — An EASY salad that’s ready in 15 minutes and you won’t be able to stop eating it!! Tender chicken, juicy corn, crisp bell peppers and tomatoes, creamy avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime juice for the WIN!! Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad – An EASY and HEALTHY salad that’s ready in 10 minutes and you won’t be able to stop eating it!! Juicy corn, creamy avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime juice is a FIESTA in your mouth!! Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette – Everything tastes better with avocado! Easy, healthy and tons of flavor! Creamy Mexican Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad – A healthy easy salad that’s ready in 15 minutes and so flavorful! Corn, zucchini, cilantro, queso fresco and more are tossed in a delish creamy lime sauce! Sweet and Sour Zucchini Corn Salad – Packed with big, bold flavors and tons of crunch! Healthy, light, bright, and cheery! Skinny Mexican Bean and Corn Salad – Two kinds of beans, juicy corn, tomatoes, peppers, and more tossed in a light chili-lime-cumin vinaigrette! Healthy, easy, ready in 5 minutes, and loaded with flavor! Honey Lemon Shrimp and Corn Salad – Tender juicy shrimp nestled in a crunchy fresh salad and everything is coated in an IRRESISTIBLE honey lemon sauce!! An EASY and HEALTHY salad that’s ready in 10 minutes!!
