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Mexican Bean Salad Recipe

4.7 from 126 reviews

This vibrant Mexican Bean Salad is a colorful and flavorful mix of black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, fresh bell peppers, corn, and red onion, all tossed in a zesty cilantro lime vinaigrette. Perfect as a refreshing side dish or a light meal, this salad can be made ahead and served chilled, offering a healthy, protein-rich option full of bold Southwestern flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Beans

  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Vegetables

  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 red onion, diced

Dressing

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
  • 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Gather ingredients. Collect all beans, vegetables, and dressing components required for the salad.
  2. Combine vegetables and beans. In a large bowl, mix together rinsed and drained black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, chopped green and red bell peppers, thawed corn kernels, and diced red onion.
  3. Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, lemon juice, crushed garlic, white sugar, salt, ground cumin, and ground black pepper. Adjust seasoning by adding chili powder and hot pepper sauce according to your taste preferences.
  4. Mix salad with dressing. Pour the prepared vinaigrette over the bean and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to evenly coat all ingredients with the dressing.
  5. Chill and serve. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for about 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and serve cold for best taste.

Notes

  • For extra heat, add more hot pepper sauce or some diced jalapeños.
  • You can substitute fresh corn for the frozen corn kernels if in season.
  • This salad can be made a day ahead, making it a great option for meal prep or parties.
  • Adjust sugar and salt to balance the acidity of the vinegar and lime juice according to personal taste.
  • Use fresh garlic for a sharp flavor or substitute with garlic powder if unavailable.
  • Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Keywords: Mexican Bean Salad, bean salad, vegetarian salad, cold salad, healthy side dish, cilantro lime dressing, black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, summer salad