Cowboy Caviar Black Bean Corn (Printable Version)
Fresh black bean, corn and vegetable salad with a zesty lime cumin dressing, ready in 20 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - ½ small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
06 - 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Beans & Corn
07 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned, drained)
→ Dressing
10 - ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
12 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, diced red and green bell peppers, finely diced red onion, chopped jalapeño, and fresh cilantro.
02 - Fold in the drained and rinsed black beans, black-eyed peas, and corn kernels. Toss gently to distribute evenly without mashing the beans.
03 - In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey or agave, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper until the dressing is emulsified and well blended.
04 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable and bean mixture. Toss everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or lime juice as needed.
06 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
07 - Serve chilled as a dip with tortilla chips or spoon it onto plates as a standalone salad.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane on hot days when the thought of turning on a stove feels like a personal attack.
- The lime cumin dressing is the kind of thing that makes people ask for the recipe, and you can decide whether to share it or take the secret to your grave.
02 -
- If you dress the salad and serve it immediately it will taste flat, because the beans and vegetables need time in the fridge to absorb the lime and cumin before they become irresistible.
- Adding avocado too early turns it brown and mushy, so fold it in right before serving if you want that creamy element.
03 -
- Let the dressed salad sit out at room temperature for ten minutes before serving because the flavors bloom and taste brighter when they are not ice cold.
- Double the dressing recipe and keep half in a jar in the fridge for salads all week, because you will want to put it on everything.