Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This super easy corn and black bean salsa comes together in less than 10 minutes. It’s a colorful, healthy, and remarkably delicious fiesta in a bowl. Scrumptious as an appetizer or side dish.

I was at a party some time ago, and someone brought a shareable that had all kinds of deliciousness in it. Naturally, I wanted to know what it was and what was in it.

The person who made it called it Texas caviar and began to rattle off a laundry list of ingredients. She stopped midway and said she’d email the recipe to me instead. I can only guess that she realized it was entirely too complicated to list, much less remember. Or it’s possible she stopped because the expression on my face said it all, “holy crap, really, you used all of that?”

While I liked her dish a lot, there was no way I was going to remake it the way she described. I’m a believer that flavorful and tasty food doesn’t necessarily mean tons of ingredients or time in the kitchen. Instead of using all the added ingredients she reeled off like oil, sugar, and vinegar, I created this version focusing on what made the dish so good in the first place: beans and corn with crunchy peppers and onions.

There’s little prep work needed for this recipe. I use canned beans, corn, and green chilies to keep it as simple as possible. Chop the veggies and mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Super easy, right?

Because I usually have these items in the pantry, I’m armed and ready to make a batch whenever I get a hankering for Tex-Mex flavors or when friends stop by. It’s delicious as an appetizer and makes a wonderful side dish. The perfect choice for parties, potlucks, tailgating, and cookouts.

It’s a fiesta in a bowl!

Worry-Free Cooking

• You’ll need a mixing bowl along with an airtight container for storing in the refrigerator. I like to use my Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl with Lid. It’s so convenient to pop the lid on the bowl after mixing and toss in the fridge.

• While there’s minimal chopping needed with this recipe, you’ll still need a good Chef’s Knife and Cutting Board to chop up the onions, peppers, and tomato.

• This is a quick recipe that uses canned beans and corn, which means you’ll need a good can opener. I use this Zyliss Manual Can Opener because it’s sharp and turns so smoothly in my hand. Plus, I can toss it in my kitchen drawer and keep the clutter off the countertop. That a win-win for me.

Menu Planning

• This is a fan favorite at parties when served alongside a bowl of crunchy dipping chips. I prefer scoopable tortilla chips; but, hey, it’s your party. Pick your favorite chips and serve in platter like an Acacia chip and dip bowl or Avocado Bowl. Let the party begin!

• This salsa is so versatile. Try adding a heaping helping on a taco salad. It’s also the perfect topper for omelets, baked potatoes, cooked fish, and grilled chicken. It’s great for taco night or on a heaping bowl of rice with carnitas. In addition to a dip and a topper, it makes the ideal side dish for almost any Mexican-inspired meal. Delish!

• The longer this sets, the better it gets. That makes it the perfect make-ahead dish. Once you combine all the ingredients in a bowl, you’ll want to cover and let it rest in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

• Store fresh-made or leftover salsa in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. After that the tomatoes tend to get a little mushy.

Drink Pairings

• Beer is the ideal partner for chips and dip. While I’m not a huge beer drinker, I do like hoppy and unfiltered IPAs. Both pair well with this dish. A tall glass of Mexican beer like Modelo or Pacifico also pair nicely. Whatever you choose, be sure to serve Mexican style with a lime wedge and in a frozen cooling pint beer glass. ¡Salud!

• There’s nothing better than an ice-cold margarita with Mexican-inspired foods like this salsa. If you haven’t tried it yet, give Agalima Margarita Mix a try. It’s one of the best on the market, and it makes the perfect pairing for this salsa. And whether you’re serving it up frozen or on the rocks, keep your drinks colder longer with these new frozen margarita glasses.

• It wouldn’t be fair to leave wine lovers with nothing to drink with their chips and salsa. Sangria, either red or white, tops my list for a wine pairing. Tasty bottled options include Lolea Red Sangria or Lolea Sparking White Sangria. Freeze some bite-sized pieces of fruit to use as ice cubes when serving. Fun!

Helping Hand

• Beans are at the heart of this dish, so no skipping on this ingredient. Good substitutes for black beans are pinto or black-eyed peas. No matter which canned bean you use, you’ll want to make sure to drain completely. I don’t rinse the beans, though you can if you’d like.

• Fresh or thawed frozen corn are good substitutes for canned corn in this recipe. Leftover corn on the cob also works well. Remove kernels from the husk and toss into the bowl.

• I like creating a colorful salsa, which is why I used a yellow bell pepper. Green, orange, or red peppers work just as well.

• White onions are the crunchiest and offer the most pungent, yet sweet flavor for this recipe. I like them best; however, a red onion is the next best choice.

• Dried simply won’t do, so be sure to use fresh, chopped cilantro. Add more if you’re a diehard fan of this herb like I am. Or, of course, you can easily leave it out altogether if you’d like.

• You can easily substitute ingredients or add spices, like cayenne pepper, however your palette desires. Try adding diced mangoes or peaches for a refreshing fruity twist. I’ve even added cooked pasta and cut up grilled chicken to create a whole salad experience. Go ahead, be a little daring and get creative.

• For the best flavor, you’ll want to let the salsa sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to one hour. This allows all the ingredients to meld and the seasonings to intensify. Serving it cold is best.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Recipe by Annette (•‿•)

A super easy corn and black bean salsa that comes together in less than 10 minutes. This colorful, healthy dish has loads of beans, corn, peppers, cilantro, onions, and flavor. Delicious as a dip or as a side dish.

Course: AppetizerCuisine: Tex-Mex

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Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

0

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained

• 2 15-ounce cans whole corn kernels, drained

• 1 large bell pepper, chopped

• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 1/2 cup white onion, diced

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 4-ounce can mild diced green chilies

• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

• Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with cilantro.
• Serve and enjoy!

Grocery & Gourmet

• Agalima Margarita Mix is one of the best on the market, and it makes the perfect pairing for this salsa.
• Sangria like a Lolea Red Sangria or Lolea Sparking White Sangria tops my list for a wine pairing. Freeze some bite-sized pieces of fruit to use as ice cubes when serving. Fun!

Worry-Free Cooking

• Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl with LidView Details
• Miyabi 8-inch Chef’s KnifeView Details
• Gorilla Grip Cutting BoardsView Details
• Large Wood Slotted SpoonsView Details
• Zylis Manual Can OpenerView Details
• Chip and Dip BowlView Details
• Avocado Chip and Dip TrayView Details
• Frozen Cooling Beer GlassesView Details
• Frozen Margarita GlassesView Details

Have you tried this recipe? Tag @annettes.cooking on Instagram and hashtag it #annettescooking

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and star rating below. It’s always refreshing to hear how others like a recipe, find success with it, or tweak to suit. I’d love to hear from you!