Mexican Bean Salad, a quick and easy 3 bean salad packed full of flavour, it's light and fresh but filling. Perfect for when it's too hot to cook.
Mexican Bean Salad
When it's too hot to cook meals need to be healthy, light and quick, with limited time in the kitchen and with the oven off. This 3 bean salad is packed full of flavour, it’s light and fresh yet filling. The dressing is also light and tangy and the red wine vinegar adds a little sweetness to it. The spices aren’t too strong so the kids can enjoy this too. A little heat goes a long way here. This bean salad is great on its own or as a side salad. Perfect for summer BBQs, picnics or for bringing to a potluck.
How to Make Mexican Bean Salad:
-
Cook the corn on the cob, boil it in a pan of lightly salted water for 10 minutes. Leave to cool then with a sharp knife strip off the sweet corn kernels.
-
Make the dressing, add the oil, lime juice, garlic, vinegar, seasoning and spices to a mason jar, close the jar lid tight then give it a good shake.
-
Add the beans, onion, peppers, avocado, lemon juice and cilantro/coriander in a large serving bowl.
-
Pour the dressing over the salad then mix well.
-
Serve with slices of jalapeño, lime wedges and some corn tortillas.
What to Serve with Mexican Bean Salad:
I serve this with some corn tortillas, lime wedges and jalapeño slices because I like more heat. You could serve this as a side dish to Vegetable Fajitas or with some falafel wraps. This salad is also great with some crusty white bread too, good for soaking up that dressing.
Can I make this ahead?
You could make this Mexican bean salad in advance if you need to, up to a day in advance is best. Keep it in the fridge covered and keep the dressing separate until you are ready to serve.
What Beans Should I Use?
I use a mix of black beans, red kidney beans and black-eyed beans. you can switch up the beans if you like though, butter beans are quite nice in this as are cannellini beans. I always use canned beans for this as I want it to be a quick and easy salad. You can, however, use dried beans if you want.
More Great Salad Recipes:
Mexican Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 corn on the cob
- ½ a large red onion chopped finely
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 small green jalapeño pepper finely chopped
- 1 14oz can black beans (400g UK can) drained and rinsed in cold water
- 1 14oz can black-eyed beans (400g UK can) drained and rinsed in cold water
- 1 14 oz can red kidney beans (400g UK can) drained and rinsed in cold water
- 2 ripe avocados skin and stone removed then chopped
- 1 small handful cilantro/coriander chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (50ml)
- 1 lime juiced
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbs red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 heaped tsp cumin
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- ½ lemon juiced
Instructions
- Cook the corn on the cob, boil in a pan of lightly salted water for 10 minutes. Leave to cool then with a sharp knife strip off the sweet corn kernels.
- Make the dressing by adding the oil, lime juice, garlic, vinegar, seasoning and spices to a mason jar, close the jar lid tight then give it a good shake.
- Place the beans, onion, peppers, avocado, lemon juice and coriander in a large serving bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad then mix well.
- Serve with slices of jalapeño, lime wedges and some corn tortillas.
Nutrition
*This Mexican Bean Salad was first published on June 21st 2017, it has now been updated with nutritional information, new tips and recipe notes.
This looks delicious! And I'm loving the addition of the fresh corn on the cob. Mmmm...
Thank you so much Ashley x
I love all of the flavors of this! What an easy salad to make for the summer!
Thanks Marlee, it's so good for Summer 😉
What a perfect side dish for a summer BBQ - Healthy and full of flavor!
Thanks Christine 🙂
Such a vibrant, pretty salad packed with so much flavor! I'm loving the sound of that dressing with the smoked paprika and cumin!
Thank you so much Amy x
So many great flavors! And I can think of so many ways to use it too, yum!
Thanks Kim x
Your mexican bean salad is a perfect summer side dish and I would definitely enjoy it when having barbecue! The weather in Europe is unreal at the moment, isn't it?
Thanks Julia x It's been crazy hot here, but today seems to have brought some cooler temperatures which is a nice relief 😉
This Mexican bean salad looks so colorful and delicious! It has been really hot where I live too so this will be a nice refreshing meal.
Thanks Jennifer x It's so good for hot weather 😉
This looks and sounds so insanely delicious! Loving all of the flavors in this - can't wait to try!!
Thank you so much Sarah, I hope you enjoy it x
My friend was telling me how hot it was in UK. This mexican bean salad sounds lovely, and served with grilled chicken a perfect dinner.
Thanks Shumaila x It's been so hot, but I think it may be easing off today 😉
This is the perfect dish for the weather we've been having, absolutely agree. I feel my appetite is often less when it is so hot, so light meals are ideal. Your salad is still full of goodness, is tasty, and the best bit, requires no cooking, so no horrible hot kitchen.
Thank you Helen. I feel the same when it's so hot, I just want light, easy meals 🙂