This black bean avocado salad makes a great summer staple for lunches, picnics, potlucks and summer parties! Enjoy with a fork or scooped with tortilla chips.

Black Bean Avocado Salad

Hey hey, summer salad season is here!! And a bean salad is, in my opinion, one of the most perfect picnic foods. Make it in advance and store it the fridge. Eat it for lunch on a blanket or at a summer cookout or holiday party scooped up with tortilla chips! Side dishes like this are always crowd pleasers, and this one is vegetarian and vegan to boot.

This salad is definitely of the “party in my mouth” variety with black beans, avocado, peppers and a delicious dressing made with smoked paprika, lime juice, and a hint of cayenne. (Of course if you are really spicy you can add some garlic and red onion too!)

You’re getting a variety of nutrients from all the colors involved, including healthy fats from avocado and olive oil and protein in the beans. To amp up the protein even more, consider adding rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, or feta cheese.

Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

1 15 ounce can black beans
2 ears corn, cooked and kernels cut off or 1 can of corn
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, diced
2-3 limes, zested

For The Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest – be sure to zest limes before juicing them
1/2 tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

You can easily make this salad in advance, either saving the avocado for serving time or covering it with lots of lime juice to prevent it from turning brown. Keep the salad chilled until you’re ready to enjoy or transport to your party!

Step 1: Make the dressing

Zest and juice the lime first. Then add all of the dressing ingredients to the bottom of a large bowl and mix well. Season with any extra cayenne you’d like. You can also add a little minced garlic if you like!

Step 2: Prep Veggies

Rinse and drain the beans and halve the cherry tomatoes. Mince the cilantro. Dice the pepper. Cut the corn off the cob or drain if using canned.

Step 3: Combine all remaining ingredients in your dressing bowl and toss to combine.

Step 4: Allow to chill

Chilling for an hour will allow flavors to develop. But this step is optional!

Serve

Obviously I am team chip!!! But you can also make this as a great prep day salad and enjoy it for lunches. Or a side dish to grilled chicken, burgers, hot dogs, or skewered shrimp! And you know what I might do with the leftovers? Smash them into corn and bean burgers! I might have to give that a try….

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Black Bean Avocado Salad

This black bean avocado salad makes a great summer staple for lunches, picnics, potlucks and summer parties! Enjoy with a fork or scooped with tortilla chips.

Course Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword avocado, black beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes

Prep Time 15

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 15 ounce can black beans
2 ears corn cooked and kernels cut off
1 green pepper chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado diced
2-3 limes zested

For The Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest be sure to zest limes before juicing them
1/2 tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

Zest and juice the lime.
Make dressing in a large bowl with a whisk.
Prep the veggies: rinse and drain the beans and halve the cherry tomatoes. Mince the cilantro. Dice the pepper. Cut the corn off the cob.
Add beans, corn, tomatoes, pepper, cilantro, and avocado to the bowl and mix well.
Chill for an hour to allow flavors to develop. (Optional!)
Serve with tortilla chips!

More bean salad ideas:

I have a similar black bean salad recipe that is great for the Americana holidays: Red White and Black Bean Salad.
Check out this Tropical Bean Salad with Kiwi and Pineapple!
Orange Dill Bean Salad is a favorite if you prefer white beans.
And if you’re just here for the avocado, check out this Smashed Avocado Salad Dressing!
This black bean salad with corn and avocado has more of a dip feel with its creamy dressing: Scooped Up Party Dip.

Black Bean Avocado Salad