Name: Mexican-Style Black Bean Salad (Vegan Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 1 large or 2 small corn cobs (or 1 small tin); ½ tbsp olive oil; Pinch chilli flakes; 1 pouch (250g) cooked rice or mixed grains; 1 pouch (250g) black beans (or tinned beans, drained); 1 lime; 4 tbsp freshly chopped coriander; 160g cherry tomatoes, in ¼; ½ large cucumber, scooped and diced; 1 avocado, cubed; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 2 spring onions, thinly sliced; ½ baby gem lettuce, shredded; 2 tbsp mixed seeds; Salt and pepper; 2 tbsp thick dairy-free yoghurt; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 lime; 1 garlic clove, crushed; ¼ tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp smoked paprika

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This fresh and vibrant Mexican-Style Black Bean Salad is packed with fibre and protein and takes about 15 minutes to make. It’s perfect for lunchboxes, or a light diner and is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Welcome to my mini-series of salad jar recipes and the first episode with this delicious Mexican-inspired recipe. It’s fast, fresh and delicious, packed with flavours, spices and herbs, while being high in fibre and protein plus it packs well for lunch. Using Mexican flavours and ingredients like corn, black beans, rice, avocado and coriander, this recipe is really good for summer but will also taste great all year round. The only part of this recipe to cook is the corn, which takes just 5 minutes, and the rest is chopping up.

Why will I love this recipe?

This recipe is so good:

Fresh, vibrant, colourful and tasty
Packed with textures
Full of polyphenols, vitamins and minerals
Full of plant point diversity
Easy to make in a few steps
Takes less than 15 minutes to make
Requires minimal cooking – only chopping and stirring
Keeps well in the fridge for lunch for the week
Naturally high in fibre and protein
Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free
Great for all the family and your friends
Contains black beans for protein
With a gut-healthy dressing using live yoghurt
Uses store cupboard staples and fresh vegetables
With charred corn for a crispy salty hit
Zingy, lime-y and summery
Great all year round

If you already love the sound of this salad, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.

For the salad:

Corn: for best results, use fresh corn and slice it from the cob, or use a tin of corn and pat it dry first.
Olive oil: to fry off the corn. I use Citizens of Soil olive oil as it’s so good and here’s my code to save, OLIVESLOVEAMY10.
Chilli flakes: for the corn.
Cooked rice or mixed grains: I love the Merchant Gourmet Pouches or cooked grains as they are so handy and easy. I use their mixed grain pouch here.
Black beans: to add protein, fibre and make this a more filling meal. If you prefer, try this with kidney beans, butterbeans or chickpeas. Toss these with lime and coriander for a yummy filling. You can find these in tins like the Bold Bean Co black beans or in pouches like Merchant Gourmet.
Lime: for zing.
Coriander: lots of fresh herbs really lift this dish.
Cherry tomatoes: these are so delicious with all of the ingredients and are so sweet.
Cucumber: for crunch and freshness.
Avocado: make sure it’s creamy and ripe for the best flavour and texture.
Red onion and spring onion: to add flavour, crunch and to keep with the classic Mexican-style ingredients.
Baby gem lettuce: toa dd freshness. You can also swap for spinach or a mixed bag of salad, if you prefer.
Mixed seeds: to add some crunch on top.
Salt and pepper: to season.

As for the dressing:

Thick unsweetened dairy-free yoghurt: I love Cocos Organic coconut yoghurt or NUSH plain yoghurt which both contain live bacteria which are great for gut health.
Extra virgin olive oil: for a richer flavour, use a better-quality olive oil where you can.
Garlic: for flavour.
Spices: this recipe uses ground cumin and paprika in the dressing which makes it so tasty.

Is this gluten-free and nut-free?

This is naturally gluten-free and nut-free. Please check what grains you use for this salad, rice, buckwheat, quinoa etc are all gluten-free but spelt, couscous and others are not. For nuts, check that your yoghurt does not contain nuts.

How do I make this?

This is ready to go in a few steps:

Chop the corn away from the cob: and add to a hot non-stick pan with olive oil, chilli and salt.
Fry the corn for 5 minutes: until charring and golden.
Toss the black beans with coriander and lime: and sit to one side.
Prepare the other salad components: chopping and slicing where necessary.
Stir together the salad ingredients: in a small bowl of jar.
Layer up all of the ingredients into jars: starting with the dressing and ending with the lettuce on top.
Or serve in bowls and pour over the dressing: and enjoy.

How long will it last?

In sealed salad jars, this recipe will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.

What other recipes can I try?

For more salads and lunchbox recipes: