Black Bean and Avocado Salad (great, served with chips!)

A summertime favorite, this black bean and avocado salad is awesome served on a bed of greens or as a dip with tortilla chips.

At a glance

What stands out: This avocado salad is a crowd-pleaser! Enjoy it as a salad or a dip.

How long it takes: 15 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, sharp knife, strainer
Servings: 8 (one cup each)

This stuff is good. Really, good. It’s similar to “cowboy caviar” or “Texas caviar” but with black beans instead of black-eyed peas. It’s straightforward, inexpensive to make, packed with lighter ingredients, and so versatile.

We haven’t found anyone who doesn’t like this black bean and avocado salad. Oh, except our father-in-law who won’t eat avocado because it looks like lobster brain. We think we'll just take his word on that. Almost everyone loves it and if you bring it to your next get-together, we promise you, it will disappear before your eyes.

Ways to Enjoy Black Bean and Avocado Salad

This salad can be enjoyed as an appetizer, lunch, main dish, salad, side dish, vegetarian, and snack. May we add, late night snack? Or, reliable with a cold beer?

• Top a bed of lettuce with a couple scoops for a stunning and straightforward salad.
• Skip the lettuce and serve it as is, for a side dish.
• Slice a grilled tequila lime chicken breast and add it to the salad for a main dish. Or simply garnish the chicken with a couple spoonfuls of the salad.
• Eat this Southwestern style dip on a crispy, salty tortilla chip. Make your own baked tortilla chips or air fryer tortilla chips. It’s seriously straightforward.
• Add it to cooked quinoa or rice to make a rich grain bowl.
• Add nutrition and flavor to a cheese quesadilla, taco, or nachos with a garnish of this dip.
• Eat it straight out of a bowl with a fork.

About This Black Bean Salad Recipe

Good for you! Black bean and avocado salad is quite lighter with lots of chopped up veggies, protein-rich black beans, and a light vinaigrette dressing. Avocado is nutritious with lighter fats and tons of nutrients (Healthline).

Straightforward to mix. Canned beans and corn make this salad pretty simple. You’ll have to do a little chopping (onions, tomatoes, avocados). The dressing is a straightforward vinaigrette that is made with a packet of Italian dressing mix.

What You’ll Need

• Black Beans: One can of beans, rinsed and drained, is all you need. We usually buy the low sodium variety. Other types of beans are fine, too. Try black eyed peas for something more closely resembling cowboy caviar.
• Corn: Canned, frozen, fresh, whatever you like or happen to have. If we lived in a reliable world, we would always use fresh kernels cut off the cob because it’s so much better. Even better, grill the corn on the cob first for a nice charred flavor. But to be real, we usually use a can of fiesta corn.
• Tomatoes: Any variety will work. We like Romas because they are more meaty and less juicy and seedy.
• Avocados: Use slightly underripe avocados for best results. Really ripe, soft avocados tend to get mushy and disintegrate a bit. Check out the FAQs for how to choose a ripe avocado.
• Vinaigrette: Make your own with a packet of dried Italian dressing mix, usually found in the dressing aisle of the grocery store. Mix it with white vinegar and oil, as directed. If you prefer, make from-scratch Italian dressing or use your favorite bottled dressing. You’ll need ½ cup.
• Lettuce, if you’re making a salad; tortilla chips, if you’re making a dip.

How it comes together

It’s pretty simple. Drain the can of beans and the corn, if you’re using canned corn. Add them to a big mixing bowl.

Chop up the tomatoes, dice the avocados, and add them to the bowl. Note: if you’re not planning on serving this salad immediately, wait to add the avocado so it doesn’t turn brown or get mushy.

Stir up the vinaigrette in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Add the vinaigrette to the big bowl, and gently stir it all together. Be careful not to smush the avocado, especially if it’s on the ripe side.

That’s it! So straightforward and rich.

Make It Your Own

• Increase the veggie power. Add chopped bell peppers or red onions. They add a nice crunch and a lot of flavor to the salad.

Cooking Tip

If you want to take away some of the sharp flavor of raw onions, soak them (chopped) in ice water for about 15 minutes. Drain well, and then add them to the salad.

• Love fresh herbs? Add fresh chopped cilantro or parsley to the salad. We add parsley to almost every salad. It’s nutritious and adds visual appeal, too.
• Substitute black-eyed peas, pinto beans, kidney beans, or another type of canned bean for the black beans.
• Looking for a warm dip? Try refried bean dip.

Make-Ahead Ideas

If you want to get a head start on making this dip, mix everything up except the avocados. Store in the fridge for up to three days. Add the avocados right before serving.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: This salad is best served right away. It will keep two to three days in the fridge but the avocado will discolor and get a bit soft. The dip still tastes great but isn’t quite as attractive. Store leftovers in an airtight container or bowl covered with plastic wrap. The salad will keep for three days, or up to a week, if you haven’t added the avocado. You can freeze it, too, again without the avocado, for a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15.25 oz.) corn, drained (fiesta is fun, but not mandatory)
• 4 to 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 4 avocados, diced
• 1 package (0.7 oz.) dried Italian dressing mix (found in dressing aisle at grocery store)
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
• Lettuce or chips, for serving

Method

1. Put black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado into a large bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl or measuring cup, mix together Italian dressing mix, white vinegar, and oil with a fork or whisk until combined.
3. Pour dressing mixture over the other ingredients and mix gently to combine.
4. Serve immediately, on a bed of lettuce or with tortilla chips. Makes 8 cups.

Notes

Nutrition information is based on a one cup serving and does not include lettuce or tortilla chips.

Substitute ½ cup bottled Italian dressing, if desired. That will replace the dressing mix, vinegar, and oil.

Possible additions: Add ½ cup chopped red onions, chopped bell peppers, cilantro and/or parsley.