Black Bean and Corn Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette
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This make-ahead black bean and corn salad is a real crowd-pleaser. Bonus: it doubles as a dip!
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Perhaps the best compliment this salad ever received was from one of my readers, who confessed to me, “I’m having an affair with this salad…please don’t tell anyone.” Another reader told me that she made this salad for a party, and later found one of her guests in her study, printing out copies of the recipe to hand out. It’s just one of those crowd-pleasing, make-ahead recipes that everyone loves. Whether I serve it with grilled chicken or as a dip with tortilla chips (highly recommend!), the bowl is always empty and the plates are always full.
This recipe is similar to my popular Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette. The difference is that this version is dressed in a smoky and sweet chipotle-honey vinaigrette, similar to Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette. I think you will love both variations!
What You’ll Need To Make Black Bean and Corn Salad
In addition to the basics, the recipe calls for canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. These are small peppers (usually red jalapeños) that have been dried and smoked that come in a spicy, smoky tomato sauce. I love their flavor and am always looking for ways to incorporate them into recipes (see these baja fish tacos and these chipotle chicken quesadillas).
You can find them in the Latin section of most supermarkets. Once you open a can, you can transfer any remaining peppers to a plastic container and store in the refrigerator for at least a month. You can also freeze them.
Step-by-step Instructions
Begin by cooking the corn. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn and simmer, covered, for about ten minutes, then cut the kernels off the cob. Next, chop the red onions, soak them in cold water for about ten minutes, then drain; this takes the sharp raw onion taste away. (If you’re a raw onion lover, feel free to skip this step.)
Rinse and drain the black beans.
Then make the dressing. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a mini food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top.
Toss and refrigerate for at least one hour or, preferably, overnight. The salad tastes infinitely better cold, especially once the flavors have a chance to marry and the vegetables soak up some of the dressing.
Right before serving, add the avocado and gently toss. Enjoy!
you May Also Like
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
- Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken
- Baja Fish Tacos
- Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Guacamole
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Black Bean & Corn Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette
This make-ahead black bean and corn salad is a real crowd-pleaser. Bonus: it doubles as a dip!
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 ears fresh corn
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro (plus a bit more for garnish, if desired)
- 1 avocado
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1-2 limes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (2 peppers, not 2 cans; use smaller peppers and if they are all large, use only 1½)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and let cool.
- Meanwhile, place the chopped red onions in a small bowl and cover with water. Let sit about ten minutes, then drain completely in a sieve and set aside.
- Place the beans in a sieve; run under cold water to rinse well. Let drain completely and set aside.
- Holding the cooled corn upright in a large bowl, cut the kernels off the cob in strips. Add the beans, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro.
- Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor; process until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or, preferably, overnight.
- Right before serving, slice the avocado in half. Remove the pit; using a butter knife, cut a grid in each half. Holding the avocado halves over the salad, use a spoon to scoop out the diced flesh. Toss the salad gently, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a squeeze of fresh lime to freshen it up). Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped cilantro if desired. Serve cold.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: approximately 1 cup
- Calories: 357
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Sugar: 12 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 306 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this for a Memorial Day 2018 picnic and it was a huge success.
The onion and black beans go well together with the fresh corn.
The chipotle-honey dressing is amazing and the avocado adds a pleasing creaminess.
Highly recommended as a side or dip.
Have been loving your site for the past year! My daughter gave me your new cookbook for mother’s day!! Love this salad! Was wondering if I could add some kind of pasta to it to make it a meal for dairy-free eaters on buffet table? Thank Brina
So glad you like the recipes and the cookbook! While I think you could add some sort of cooked pasta to this, I think it may pair a bit better with rice. Hope that helps!
I was thinking of adding blackened shrimp to this- thoughts?
I think it would be a delicious addition!
This salad smells amazing and is delicious. Definitely a keeper!
Jenn, I just made this for my family coming into town. I used 2 chili peppers although i’ve generally made this with 1.5. I tasted and it will be too spicy for my parents. Can you tell me how I can tone it down? I still have plenty of ingredients, including a little leftover vinagrette. Thank you!
Hi Janet, I’d make another half recipe (of the whole salad) and omit the chili peppers from the dressing, then toss it all together. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
I made a couple changes to this that also turned out really good. I replaced the corn with diced mango and replaced the chipotle peppers with 1/4tsp cayenne and I got a lot of compliments!! I loved the mango in it.
Hi Jenn!
I moved in with my boyfriend and i have no knowledge about cooking! I randomly bumped into your website and i started to use your recipes because they were easy to follow and the ingredients were simple! I have been cooking for a month straight using your recipes and we all love it. I feel like a pro now! Thank you for sharing your recipes with the world! I will definitely be buying your book 🙂
Gloria, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes and that they are helping you to develop confidence in the kitchen! 🙂
I keep making this and everyone goes crazy! Thanks again Jenn for another great recipe!
I now make extra dressing just to have on hand for salads, it’s that good!
Olive oil worked great! I absolutely LOVE this salad…used fresh corn and followed your “sourcing savvy” suggestions from your book..also enjoy the “heads up” comments and “pro tips!!’..really made a difference…I’m recommending your book to all my friends and family….great job!! The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are a must for this recipe but I do think it causes the salad to look “dark.” I don’t know how to keep the bright color in the salad…Taste is off the charts but presentation not so much..any suggestions? Thanks.
Glad to hear the olive oil worked nicely! Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any way to avoid the dressing giving the salad a bit of a darker hue, but if you’d like to try a very similar salad that doesn’t call for the chipotles in adobo, you could take a peek at this one.
Can’t wait to make this salad tomorrow but will be using either olive or peanut oil. Which do you recommend? I did find the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce…I know this recipe will be a big hit, as are all your others!! Thanks.
Hi Wendy, I would suggest sticking with the vegetable oil if possible. That said, between olive and peanut oil, I’d probably go with the olive oil. Hope you enjoy!
I use avocado oil because it’s good for the body, and it works well 😉
Thank you Jen. Made this yesterday for a cinco de mayo party. It was a huge hit! I had several ask for your recipe. I eagerly gave your name and recipe to them. I did add 1 fresh chopped mango to it. I have made several of your recipes before receiving your cookbook 2 weeks ago. This was the first recipe I made directly from your cookbook. You are a very talented chef – keep those recipes coming. I am looking forward to working my way through your cookbook.
Glad you enjoyed this Donna and thanks so much for purchasing the cookbook!