Black Bean Salsa

Transform canned beans into Black Bean Salsa, an easy recipe guaranteed to please. It’s fresh, colorful, and delicious, and it might just be your new favorite party recipe.

When I first began dabbling in the world of the culinary arts, I found a recipe for black bean salsa on a can of Bush’s brand canned beans.

Over the years the recipe has evolved, but Black Bean Salsa and I continue to feed people at all the parties that matter. It’s super easy to make, everyone loves it, and now this cherished recipe can be yours, too.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Black beans: 1 ½ cups cooked beans can be substituted for the 1 can (that’s about ½ cup dried beans before cooking). You can use any type of canned or cooked bean instead of black.
• Corn: 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) frozen corn, thawed, may be substituted for the canned corn. To substitute fresh corn, bring a medium pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add 2-3 ears of corn and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Submerge ears in a large bowl of ice water. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob.
• Bell pepper: Substitute any color of pepper you prefer.
• Onion: Red, white, yellow, green, sweet, or even shallots will do; dice and stir in whatever you have on hand.
• Cilantro: If you or someone you are feeding has an aversion to cilantro, consider fresh parsley instead. Mexican oregano is also tasty here.

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a large bowl, add beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).

2. Stir to combine, then cover and chill until serving time. Serve with tortilla chips or grilled meats.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes 8 appetizer-size portions, but the recipe is easily doubled or tripled to feed more.
• Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make ahead: All the ingredients can be prepped a day in advance and tossed together 1 hour before serving time.
• Sweeter: For a similar recipe with a little sugar in it, try Cowboy Caviar.
• More mix-ins: Fold in chopped avocado, diced jalapeño or serrano chiles, or a dash or two of hot sauce, if desired.
• Serving ideas: Tortilla chips are a classic choice, but anything from pita chips and crackers to bell pepper wedges and cucumber slices also taste amazing. Or try this dip as a condiment: spoon it over grilled chicken, steak, or pork.

Bonus bean recipes

Appetizer Recipes

Cowboy Caviar

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Black Beans (Copycat)

Salad Recipes

Three Bean Salad

Side Dish Recipes

Slow Cooker Calico Beans

Black Bean Salsa

Transform canned beans into Black Bean Salsa, an easy recipe guaranteed to please. It's fresh, colorful, and delicious, and it might just be your new favorite party recipe.

4.95 from 59 votes

ReviewPrint

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings 8 servings

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Mexican

Calories 185

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed (see note 1)
• ▢ 1 (14 ounce) can corn drained (see note 2)
• ▢ 1 medium tomato diced
• ▢ 1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and diced (see note 3)
• ▢ 1/2 cup red onion diced (1 small, see note 4)
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (see note 5)
• ▢ 1/4 cup olive oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ tortilla chips for serving

Instructions 

• In a large bowl, add beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Stir to combine.
• Cover and chill until serving time. Serve with tortilla chips or as an accompaniment to grilled meats.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Black beans: 1 ½ cups cooked beans can be substituted for the 1 can (that’s about ½ cup dried beans before cooking). You can use any type of canned or cooked bean instead of black.
2. Corn: 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) frozen corn, thawed, may be substituted for the canned corn. To substitute fresh corn, bring a medium pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add 2-3 ears of corn and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Submerge ears in a large bowl of ice water. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob.
3. Bell pepper: Substitute any color of pepper you prefer.
4. Onion: Red, white, yellow, green, sweet, or even shallots will do; dice and stir in whatever you have on hand.
5. Cilantro: If you or someone you are feeding has an aversion to cilantro, consider fresh parsley instead. Mexican oregano is also tasty here.
6. Yield: This recipe makes 8 appetizer-size portions, but the recipe is easily doubled or tripled to feed more.
7. Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
8. Make ahead: All the ingredients can be prepped a day in advance and tossed together 1 hour before serving time.
9. Sweeter: For a similar recipe with a little sugar in it, try Cowboy Caviar.
10. More mix-ins: Fold in chopped avocado, diced jalapeño or serrano chiles, or a dash or two of hot sauce, if desired.
11. Serving ideas: Tortilla chips are a classic choice, but anything from pita chips and crackers to bell pepper wedges and cucumber slices also taste amazing. Or try this dip as a condiment: spoon it over grilled chicken, steak, or pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 409mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 288IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 2mg

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