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An easy Black Bean and Corn Salsa packed with black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice! Full of flavor and color, it’s ready in only 15 minutes and is the perfect appetizer, dip, or side dish.
Summer cookouts are never complete without this black bean and corn salsa.
I like to call this dip my dirty little secret because it’s one of those recipes that everyone asks for at the end of the party, and when I give it to them, they’re so surprised at how simple it is! (My Mexican corn dip and avocado hummus are the exact same way.)
Here’s why I love this so much:
- It’s quick and easy. This recipe comes together in only 15 minutes and is truly one of the easiest dishes you can make. Just dump everything together in a bowl, mix it up, and voila!. This salsa tastes better the longer it sits, making it perfect for prepping ahead of time.
- Made with healthy ingredients. This appetizer uses lots of vegetables and healthy ingredients, such as black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, and more.
Ingredients
- Black beans: I used canned black beans with no salt to make it easier to control the sodium. Make sure to drain and rinse them of their liquid.
- Corn: I used canned whole sweet corn kernels. You can also use fresh corn when it’s in season or frozen corn. You’ll need 1 ½ cups, which is about 3-4 ears of corn.
- Tomatoes: I used fresh Roma tomatoes and diced them. I recommend using fresh over canned tomatoes because they add texture and aren’t too mushy.
- Jalapeños: I seeded and deveined the peppers so it would give the jalapeño taste without the spice, but feel free to leave them in if you want it spicy.
- Garlic, cilantro, and red onion: I added minced garlic for extra flavor and red onion for a kick. I like using red onions for fresh salsas and garnishes for their tanginess. Fresh cilantro is also a must for its brightness.
- Olive oil, lime juice, honey: These ingredients add extra moisture, and act as a vinaigrette to coat the salsa and help meld the flavors together.
- Seasonings: I used a simple combination of cumin, salt, and black pepper.
How to Make Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Just mix and serve! Add all the ingredients to a large serving bowl. Gently toss together to combine and serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.
You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Let it sit. If you have time, I recommend letting the salsa sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to help the flavors and juices really meld together and soak into the corn and beans.
- Use fresh if available. If it’s summertime and you want to take advantage of using fresh corn, do it! You’ll need about 1 ½ cups of freshly cooked corn, which is about 3-4 ears of fresh corn. You can boil the ears of corn, saute it in some butter, or grill it for a smoky charred flavor.
How to Serve
This black bean and corn salsa is great served with tortilla chips or as a side dish for meats and seafood. It’s also great sprinkled on salads! Here are my favorite pairings:
Variations
- Use different beans. You can swap the black beans for any other canned bean, like pinto or red beans, or even black-eyed peas.
- Make it spicy. Adjust the spice level by leaving in the jalapeño seeds or using a serrano pepper instead. To make it not spicy, omit the jalapeño altogether.
- Add fruit. Add some sweetness by adding 1 cup of diced mango or pineapple. This works especially well if you’re serving it as a side dish for meat and fish.
- Make it creamy. Add in 2 diced avocados for a creamy element in each bite!
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Easy Recipes
If you tried this Black Bean and Corn Salsa Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to 🌟 rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, stemmed, and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ medium red onion, diced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 ½ limes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix together and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Let it sit. If you have time, I recommend letting the salsa sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour to help the flavors and juices really meld together and soak into the corn and beans.
- Use fresh if available. If it’s summertime and you want to take advantage of using fresh corn, do it! You’ll need about 1 ½ cups of freshly cooked corn, which is about 3-4 ears of fresh corn. You can boil the ears of corn, saute it in some butter, or grill it for a smoky charred flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Erin Jensen of The Wooden Skillet.
Can’t wait to try this! Could I use canned diced Roma tomatoes instead of fresh? Thanks in advance!
Hi Amanda, yes you definitely can!
Great salsa family like a little to sweet forme
I made this last pm and put over chicken tacos and also just ate it with a spoon. My husband was a little hesitant but then he tried it on his second taco and he loved it!. Tonight I am using the leftovers to make chicken nachos with this salsa. I will be making this on repeat. I loved the honey addition… don’t skip it. you will not taste a sweet salsa. We live in Texas and adore Mexican food.
Hi Heather! That sounds delicious, thanks for sharing!
Crazy good. Add diced avocados!
That’s a great tip! Thanks, Victoria!
Love it!!!
Isabel, I am wondering if this recipe could be preserved in canning jars. It would make a nice gift.
Hi Valerie! Yes, this would store well in an airtight container!
Oh my gosh I feel so silly. I just read your instant pot beans recipe and saw you can simply use beans and water to prep beans! Nevermind! Thank u
Hi! I feel a little silly asking this, but how do you “make” the equivalent of canned beans? As in, if I only have dry / uncooked black beans, how would I prep them for any of your recipes that calls for canned beans, such as this one and the brownies? And I have an instant pot! But I saw your instant pot recipe was seasoned.
I’ve been enjoying your website! I made a soup and hope to make more of these recipes 🙂 Thank u!
I can’t stop making this salsa. So good on tacos, nachos or just straight out of the bowl.
I’m so happy you like it, Jeannette! 🙂 I pretty much ate the entire batch myself when I made it. My husband only got to eat a little bit of it, haha.
I love making homemade salsa! I think this would be great for me to make the next time I make tacos so we can use it as a topper! This is great, thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Alexandria. It would be fabulous on tacos. And no joke, I eat this stuff by the spoonful. It’s that good!