Bright, colorful, and bursting with flavor, this Black Bean and Corn Salad with Avocado is the perfect quick side or light lunch. Creamy avocado, fresh corn, hearty black beans, crisp red onion, juicy tomato, and a hint of spicy jalapeño, all tied together with zesty lime juice. It’s fresh, healthy, and ready in minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy and versatile – All of the ingredients in this dish are healthy and packed with nutrients.
- Bursting with flavor – Fresh ingredients are used for the absolute best flavor.
- Quick and easy – Ready in just 10 minutes with no cooking so you can have a delicious dish ready with minimal time and effort.
This recipe was originally published in March 2016 and updated in September 2025 with new photos and easier-to-follow instructions to make it more user-friendly.
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Ingredient Photo
Ingredient Notes
- Black Beans: Canned black beans are super convenient and perfect here. Just drain and rinse before using.
- Corn: I like frozen corn for this salad, but canned corn works great too.
- Avocado: Fresh is best, but I’ve also used frozen cubed avocado when there wasn’t an avocado to be found at the grocery store, and it worked okay.
- Onion: Red onion is our go-to since they’re not cooked, but feel free to use your favorite variety.
- Tomato: A small Roma tomato is perfect. Just scoop out the seeds and the “mushy part,” as my husband calls it.
- Jalapeño Pepper: I remove the ribs and seeds to keep the spice level mild, but leave them in if you like extra heat.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice gives the best flavor, but bottled will work.
How to Make It
Here’s a quick look at the steps with photos. You’ll find the full list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.
Rinse and drain the black beans. Chop the avocado and finely dice the onion, tomato, and jalapeño. Juice the limes.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, top with the lime juice and toss to combine.
Serving Suggestions
This Black Bean and Corn Salad with Avocado makes a fresh and flavorful side dish for so many meals. Try serving it with Fish Tacos for a light and zesty combo, or pair it with Baked Chicken Tacos or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas for a hearty weeknight dinner.
It also goes great alongside a warm and comforting Beef and Bean Taco Salad Casserole. No matter which way you serve it, this salad brings a pop of freshness to the table.
Is black bean and corn salad healthy?
Yes! This salad is packed with nutrients—fiber, potassium, iron, protein, and vitamin C. The fat comes mostly from avocado, which is the heart-healthy “good fat” our bodies need. It’s a light, fresh side dish that pairs especially well with Mexican food or fish.
Want to learn more about the health perks of avocados? Check out this article from Well-Being Secrets.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. While the salad will still taste good the next day, the avocado may brown and the texture can change. For the freshest look and flavor, store the salad without the avocado and lime juice, then add freshly cut avocado and the lime juice just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! I use a jalapeño without those little white lines (they usually mean more heat) and remove the ribs and seeds. Combined with the other ingredients, it has always turned out mild and perfect for those of us who don’t love too much spice.
Kind of. For the best look and texture, chop and mix everything except the avocado and lime juice, then add those just before serving. I’ve also stored leftovers in the fridge and eaten it the next day, the avocado browned a little, but it still tasted great.
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Black Bean and Corn Salad with Avocado
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 cup black beans
- ¼ cup red onion
- 1 Roma tomato
- 1 jalapeño
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the black beans.
- Juice the limes.
- Chop the avocado and finely dice the onion, tomato, and jalapeño.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, top with the lime juice and toss to combine.
This is one of my favorite salads. I know what you mean about avocado. It is so hard to get the perfect one but once it’s ready got use it then 🙂
I grew up in Southern California and we had an avocado tree in the back yard! I think that is why the ones I buy at the store, here in the middle of the US (Kansas) just aren’t anywhere near the quality of those. Thanks for stopping by!
I love a good salad, this sounds delicious!
Thanks for stopping by!
One of my favorite salads – yum 🙂 And I love that you share the nutrition info!
Thanks, and thanks for dropping by.