Black Bean and Corn Salsa
I use BBQ seasoning to give this black bean and corn salsa a unique twist. It brings out the sweetness of the corn and blends all of the flavors together. There isn’t much prep worked involved other than a bit of chopping so it comes together really fast. If you have no self-control around a bag of tortilla chips like me, it’s hearty enough to eat as a side dish without the chips. Pair it with grilled chicken breast or fajitas, or use it as an appetizer or snack.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced (about 1/2 of an onion)
- 1 and 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 Tbsp jalapeno, minced
- 1 avocado, cubed (use a firm avocado)
- 2 limes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp BBQ seasoning (I use Penzey’s BBQ Seasoning. Any BBQ seasoning will work.)
Directions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Open the can of black beans and corn and drain off the extra juice. Pour the beans and corn into a colander or strainer and rinse under water. Allow the strainer to sit for 2-3 minutes so the excess water drains off.
- Peel the red onion and slice it in half. Dice half of the onion into a 1/2 cup.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and into quarters for 1 and 1/4 cups.
- Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and chop into 2 Tbsp.
- Remove the top and seeds from a jalapeno and finely mince into 2 Tbsp.
- Slice an avocado in half and remove the pit. Run a knife lengthwise and crosswise to create cubes. Scoop out the cubes with a spoon.
- Cut 2 limes in half.
Make the Salsa
- In a large bowl, add the beans, corn, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado and the juice from 1 and 1/2 limes. Stir gently being careful to not mash the avocado – you aren’t making guacamole!
- Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp olive oil and 2 tsp BBQ seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Taste the salsa and add additional salt or lime juice to taste. Serve immediately or let the salsa marinade for 2-3 hours.
Unlike guacamole when you want ripe, soft avocados, you actually want to use a firm avocado in this recipe. A firm avocado will hold its shape in the salsa without becoming too mushy.
I find that canned corn works just fine in this recipe, but if you have fresh corn it would taste great too. Just grill or boil it and remove the kernels from the ear. You want about 1 and 3/4 cup to 2 cups of corn kernels.
The Penzey’s BBQ seasoning that I use is a sweet barbecue blend. If you enjoy more of a kick, play around with different types of seasoning mixes or add a little bit of chili powder for an extra punch.
Use the Extra Ingredients
If you have extra salsa, use it to make pasta salad. Cook any time of small pasta such as penne or bow tie, and stir in the salsa after the pasta as cooled. Served chilled.
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