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Ideal for a cookout side dish or an easy, wholesome lunch, this corn and black bean salad features sweet summer corn and a simple homemade dressing.

A white bowl filled with black bean salad containing corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and cilantro, with a wooden spoon resting inside.

Even though I live in the middle of town just off the main square, our city is surrounded by miles of corn fields.

It’s not so great when that corn contributes to the sticky feeling outside, but I don’t mind as much when we get lots of deliciously sweet corn on the cob in return.

We spend a lot of the second half of summer eating corn, from simple buttered corn to spicy sriracha glazed corn on the cob to this easy and satisfying corn and black bean salad.

Bean salads are perfect for any season (case in point: broccoli white bean salad) but are especially good in the summertime, when you just do not want to cook anymore, darnit!

This salad comes together easily, so you can toss it all together just before you head out to neighborhood cookout or right before lunchtime. Creamy, crunch, tangy, and sweet — this one’s got it all!

Ingredients for corn and black bean salad

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

Assorted ingredients for a Mexican-inspired dish, including lime, bell pepper, black beans, red onion, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, corn, cumin, garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes.

You’ll need:

Corn
Black beans
Bell pepper – I prefer to use red, which has the sweetest flavor.
Cherry tomatoes
Red onion
Avocado
Cotija cheese
Cilantro
Olive oil
Lime juice
Garlic
Cumin
Salt and pepper

If you are cooking your black beans from dried, you will need approximately 3 cups of cooked beans. Don’t forget to rinse the beans if using canned! This will help reduce the sodium content and give your final salad a better texture and flavor.

You’ll want an avocado that is ripe but not too soft. It should keep its shape when cut. If the avocado is too soft, it will get mushy in the salad once it is all mixed together. It still tastes great, just isn’t as attractive!

A bowl of black bean and corn salad with chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, avocado, and cilantro on a light surface, next to a wooden spoon, napkin, and fresh cilantro.

How to make this recipe

Make the dressing first. This allows the flavors to meld a little longer while you prep the rest of the recipe.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as you like, but keep in mind the beans and cheese will add some salt to the final salad.

A white bowl containing greenish liquid, a whisk, squeezed lime halves, and a white checkered cloth on a light countertop.

A cutting board with a partially cut ear of corn, a knife, corn kernels, an unshucked corn, and bowls of chopped vegetables and beans nearby.

Drain and rinse your black beans in a colander, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Cut the corn kernels from the cob. I prefer to do this by laying the cob down, holding firmly, and slicing along one side. Turn and slice until you’ve worked your way around the whole cob.

(I’ve tried the method with sticking the corn in a bundt pan, and I’ve found it actually makes more of a mess!)

You can save the corn cobs to make corn stock. It will work best if you have at least 4 cobs to make the stock.

A gray bowl contains diced red onion, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, black beans, corn, chopped red pepper, and crumbled cheese. A bowl of dressing and wooden spoon are nearby.

A gray bowl filled with a colorful salad of black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and herbs sits on a light surface with a wooden spoon and a cloth nearby. Squeezed limes are in the corner.

Add the corn to the mixing bowl, along with the bell pepper, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, cotija, and cilantro. If you prefer, you can save adding the avocado until after adding the dressing to prevent it from getting mashed.

Pour the dressing over the top (re-stir first if needed), and mix gently to coat all of the ingredients.

Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the fridge until ready to eat.

A white bowl filled with a colorful salad of black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, avocado, and cilantro, with a wooden spoon for mixing.

Recipe tips

This salad will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container, and give it a stir before serving to redistribute the dressing as needed.

For added heat, you can add a thinly sliced jalapeño, with or without the seeds.

You can substitute some or all of the black beans for kidney beans or white cannellini beans. Pinto beans would also work, but they are a bit softer and creamier.

I definitely recommend using fresh sweet corn for this recipe, but canned or frozen corn will also work. Rinse the canned corn well, and make sure any frozen corn is completely thawed and drained.

Serve this alongside any of your grilling favorites, like chimichurri chicken, bratwurst, or turkey burgers. It can also double as a dip with tortilla chips!

A white bowl filled with a black bean salad containing corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, avocado, and chopped onions, with a wooden spoon resting inside.

Easy bean salads like this one are a staple of summer. Make it today!

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