Mexican Bean Salad (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
The ingredients list for this recipe is a little long. Fortunately, though, everything is inexpensive and easy to find.
The handful of simple steps also makes up for the lengthy ingredients list.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- The beans. Beans are a staple of any bean salad, whether it’s Mexican bean salad or three-bean salad. You just can’t have a bean salad without the beans. You use black beans, kidney beans, and cannellini beans for this recipe. They add plenty of protein, fiber, and flavor.
- The veggies. Extra veggies include red and green bell peppers, red onions, and frozen corn kernels. The veggies give the dressing the perfect balance of sweetness and savoriness. They’re also where most of the color comes from: yellow, green, red, and purple. Finally, the onions and peppers add the perfect amount of crunch.
- The liquid ingredients for the dressing. You need several liquid ingredients for the dressing. These include red wine vinegar, olive oil, and lemon and lime juices. Use freshly squeezed juices for the brightest and best flavor. As you can guess, this part of the dressing is tart and tangy. Don’t worry, though; the seasonings will help tame it.
- The fresh flavor. No Mexican recipe is complete without cilantro. That’s where all the fresh, earthy flavor comes from, and this recipe isn’t the same without it. I typically use a little more than the recipe requires just because I love it.
- The seasonings. For seasonings, you use salt and black pepper, of course. But you won’t stop there! You also need some crushed garlic, sugar, and cumin. Don’t leave out the sugar, either! It works with the corn to add a bit more sweetness to the overall dish.
- The heat. Finally, you end with a dash of hot sauce and a bit of chili powder. You can go heavier or lighter on these ingredients to suit your tastes. Remember, though, that hot sauce adds more than heat. It’s also pretty tangy, so keep that in mind if you add extra.
See? It doesn’t look so bad when you put it like that, does it?
How to Make the Best Bean Salad
Making this salad is one of the easiest things you’ll ever do in the kitchen. Here are the steps:
1. Gather the ingredients and prepare the veggies. Before you get started, take out everything you’ll need.
Then, drain and rinse the beans and chop the peppers and onions.
If you use frozen corn, you won’t need to cook it. Instead, simply ensure it’s fully thawed before making the salad.
2. Make the salad. Once everything is prepped and ready, make the salad.
You do this by combining the beans, peppers, corn, and onions.
3. Make the dressing. You need a separate bowl for this step. Start by adding all the liquid dressing ingredients first.
Then, mix in the cilantro and all of the seasonings. Combine everything well.
4. Combine the two. Pour the dressing over the bean salad. Toss and stir everything, and be sure it’s all well-coated.
More is better than less here. You can’t over-mix these ingredients.
5. Refrigerate. Pop it in the fridge for about an hour.
6. Serve and enjoy! Remove the salad from the fridge and serve it cold.
You can enjoy it by itself as a side salad or as a chunky dip.
Don’t forget the tortillas and other dippers if you go that route.
