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Black Bean Salsa

Meggan Hill

• Updated

4.98 from 154 votes

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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.

Black bean salsa in a red square dish.

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.

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Black Bean Salsa Recipe

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for black bean salsa.

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 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, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
Black bean salsa ingredients in a bowl.
  1. Stir to combine, then cover and chill until serving time. Serve with tortilla chips or grilled meats.
Black bean salsa in a clear glass dish.

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.
Black bean salsa in a red square dish.

Bonus bean recipes

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Black bean salsa in a red square dish.

Black Bean Salsa

By Meggan Hill
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.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings (about ¾ cup each)
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Mexican
Calories 185
4.98 from 154 votes
ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, add beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, 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: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.004gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 409mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 288IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. This salsa is great! It’s summertime so I got to use all fresh vegetables. I added a couple chopped up chipotles (with a little adobo sauce) and some jalapenos. So fresh!5 stars

    Reply

  2. Have used this so many times to serve as something fresh along with rich food. It’s excellent on its own or as a ‘before’ along with a soft cheese and corn chips. The ease factor is ridiculous.

    Reply

  4. Great Salsa – would also recommend adding jalapeño, mango, avocado (not too ripe) and double the lime juice, cut back on the vinegar. I see the Beans, Red Onion, and Green Peppers as the backbone, and then you can mix and match whatever other veggies/ fruit you have on hand, – tomatoes, corn, pineapple, avocado, – extra cilantro, if you are a cilantro fan. And, cook the corn on the grill – so you get some blackened char – kicks it up a notch! Even better the next day when the flavors meld – great on fish, shrimp, or chips!5 stars

    Reply

    1. I appreciate your enthusiasm for this salsa, Ben! Thank you for the great tips! – Meggan

  5. This recipe is my absolute favourite! I cook up some brown rice, toss a scoop of warm rice in a bowl, top with shredded sharp cheddar, add a handful of mixed greens, a dollop of sour cream, slices of avocado, and a generous scoop of this recipe on top.. I garnish with crunchy pita chips or wheat thins… my three fussy children completely devour this, and it’s a family favourite! Thanks for this!❤️5 stars

    Reply

  6. Hey Meggan,
    I love the black bean salsa recipe. What are your thoughts on canning it in a hot water bath? I know it has enough acid but wondered if you know of anyone who has done it.
    Keep Smilin’,
    Laura

    Reply

    1. Hi Laura, happy to hear you love this recipe! I have limited experience with canning. Since beans are low-acid, it is likely this would need to be done in a pressure canner. If you’re wanting specifically to can this, I would look for another recipe that’s been developed specifically for canning. Sorry about that! Can’t be too careful when it comes to food safety. Take care! – Meggan

  8. Wow, what a quick and easy recipe that took my shrimp tacos to the next level! Thank you this is going to be a staple in this house for taco night or anytime we need a good salsa. Even the kids liked it, Thank you!5 stars

    Reply

  10. The dressing makes this recipe sing. I added a jalapeño pepper and added homemade black beans. I’ll definitely make this again!4 stars

    Reply

  11. Thank you for great ingredients (skip Cilantro) with a squeeze of Garlic and we’re good to go!! I’ve made salsa working in a Pub know one thought of changing it up. It was meant to be, today was the day that I got to come across a simple and healthy salsa and with Black Beans. Love the fact that it’s what I want and to taste. Again, thank you for my future go to Salsa for my Nachos and other things. Looking forward to getting fresh ideas for cooking as the weather starts to get colder. Our tummies thank you in advance!! :)

    Reply

    3. Hi Tammy, I don’t see why not! The vegetables may lose some of their crispness in the freezer. If you do freeze, make sure to leave some headspace for the salsa to expand into. Enjoy – Meggan

  12. This reciepe is so good my grandsons loved it. They said it is like what we ate in the Mexican restaurant.5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Shawn, I don’t have much personal experience with canning. I would say if you want to can this salsa, I would look for a recipe that has been tested for canning, and follow the instructions to a T. Best to be careful and watch out for food illness. Good luck! – Meggan

  14. This recipe is wonderful! It’s so colorful and fun! My husband loved it, too. I used it to make Fiesta Chicken in the crockpot and it was delicious. I have even shared the recipe with a few of my friends. THANKS!5 stars

    Reply

  15. Delicious I’ve incorporated this is a part of my healthy eating Also served it to friends who have it as well and asked for the recipe! Thank you so much!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Jenna, sounds great! I would probably drain them beforehand. It will have a different texture as canned tomatoes are usually less firm than fresh. If you do happen to try it, let me know how it turns out! – Meggan

  24. do you think this recipe can be canned? I love salsa with corn and black beans….and would love to can it to eat throughout the year.

    Reply

  25. Im confused.. it says to bake for 35 minutes….
    And choll and cover

    So what am i baking it at for 35 minutes?

    Reply

    1. Hi Tegan, it doesn’t say anywhere to bake for 35 minutes. There is a “cook time” listed of 35 minutes, but that is just the total time it takes to make the recipe (not cook time per se, that’s just a bad label; it’s actually the chilling time). Sorry for the confusion on that! -Meggan

  26. It says that this recipe makes “8 servings”, how much is considered a serving? I’m just trying to figure out how many cups this would make in total as I am planning on using this in another recipe that requires salsa.

    Reply

    1. Hi Misty! It makes somewhere between 4 and 5 cups depending on the exact size of your tomato and your pepper. When I say 8 servings, I’m assuming 4 cups and 1/2 cup serving per person. I hope this helps and tastes great in your recipe! Thanks.

    1. Hey there! I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t can this, although I don’t have much personal experience with canning. I have a book on it though, so here’s some info from Ball’s Guide to Preserving. It looks like beans and vegetables are low-acid foods which means they require a pressure canner (not the boiling method). Looking at some recipes in the book, it looks like you pressure can them for at 10 psi for 40 to 50 minutes… but that’s just a guess. I would say if you want to can this salsa, I would look for a book at your library and follow the directions to a T! Best to be careful and watch out for food illness. Good luck!

  28. Would it be ok to make this the night before a party, and have it sit covered in the refrigerator overnight?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Yep, definitely! Some of the vegetables (peppers especially) will soften a bit in the liquid. What I used to do was pour it in my salad spinner (or you could use a colander) to drain out the excess liquid overnight so that wouldn’t happen. But save the liquid and add it back right when you serve it. OR don’t worry about it at all, it will taste great and the flavors will have a chance to develop!

  29. I love how quick and easy this salsa is – I could totally go at it with a bowl of chips and be one happy girl! 5 stars

    Reply

    1. This is the second time I’ve made this. The first time it was a hit with kids, grandkids and husband. DH made me print it out so he can put it in his collection he built in all his years cooking at the Firehouse.
      I followed the recipe but personalized it to my and his taste. We made the following changes and this how I will likely continue to make it in the future since it was absolutely delicious. Basically, I made the dressing separately and kept adding seasoning to taste.
      -used 1 can Rotel and 1 can diced tomatoes, (Well Drained) for the tomatoes.
      -measured abt 2 cups frozen corn (nuked for 1.5 min to thaw) for the corn
      -For the peppers I used 1/2 a red one, 1/2 a green one and abt 1/4 of a yellow one.
      -only 2 T. Sugar
      -added extra regular chili powder plus about 1/6 tsp of Ancho chili powder.
      -added 1/4 tsp. Cumin
      -added abt 1 T. finely minced garlic
      – added abt 1/2 cup of Good Seasons Italian dressing that I already had made with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
      -added some fresh ground black pepper and extra salt.
      I used every drop of the dressing and it tastes so good. It’s in the fridge chilling right now. If it looks too juicy when it is time to serve I will simply strain some liquid out before adding to serving dish.
      Thank you for this recipe and encouraging folks to make it their own. Have a wonderful day! ☮️ From Ohio.5 stars