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Home » Recipes » Dip

Black Bean Salsa (Easy!)

Dec 11, 2023 by Kaitlin · 8 Comments

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A fresh and vibrant Black Bean Salsa recipe with sweet corn and cilantro-lime dressing! It's simple to prepare and perfect for parties, picnics, snack spreads, and beyond. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

Black bean corn salsa in a white bowl with fresh lime slices and tortilla chips on the side

This fresh & amazing Black Bean Salsa is so easy to make! It's filled with bright colors and hearty plant-based protein and fiber.

Each delicious bite is filled with hearty beans, sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and zippy red onion. All tossed in a tangy cilantro lime dressing.

Plus it's so versatile! You can easily customize it with the flavors you enjoy.

And the best part is you can make it ahead of time. So it's a perfect option for parties, game day spreads, or snacks. (Plus the flavors taste even better after it chills!)

Beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, lime, red onion, vinegar, and fresh herb ingredients laid out on a metal tray

Ingredients for Black Bean Salsa

For this recipe you'll toss together in a medium bowl:

  • Black beans: I use a 15-ounce can of beans, but you can use freshly cooked beans if you cook your own from scratch. You'll need about 1.5 cups of cooked beans.
  • Sweet corn: Either cooked fresh, canned corn, frozen corn, or fire-roasted works great.
  • Tomatoes: I use vine-ripened tomatoes for this recipe. But you can use roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or other garden tomato. Just be sure they are ripe and flavorful because that can make all the difference!
  • Red onion: Or you can substitute white onion or even green onion for a milder taste.
  • Fresh cilantro: If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can try substituting fresh parsley instead.
  • Fresh lime juice: You'll need 2 tablespoons lime juice which is about one lime. (But feel free to add more to taste!)
  • Red wine vinegar: I really enjoy the flavor this brings, but if you prefer to omit it, then just add extra lime juice instead. Or you can substitute apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar, but this will slightly alter the flavor.
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. Add as much or as little to your taste however.
  • Fresh jalapeño: This is an optional but recommended addition. It adds great flavor and a little heat. But you can leave it out if you're sensitive to spice. (Or add more if you love it!)
Overhead view of ingredients in a large glass bowl before mixing together

Customizing

Veggies & spices: Change up the vegetables and flavors as you see fit! You can also include bell pepper, fresh garlic, ground cumin, etc.

Make it spicy: Add more jalapeño, a dash of chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste.

Avocado: Freshly diced avocado is a great addition! Just be sure to add it right before serving to help keep it fresh.

Mixing together black bean and corn salsa with a metal spoon in a large glass bowl

Serving

Dip: Enjoy it as a chip dip with your favorite tortilla chips. It's great for party spreads, a side dish, or appetizer.

Topping: Add it to tacos, burrito bowls, fajitas, or other Mexican-inspired meals.

Salad: Or forget the chips and just grab a spoon! It's a tasty salad as well. You could even serve it as a light lunch with cooked rice or quinoa.

Chill it! You can serve this salsa immediately, but it does taste best after it chills in the fridge for at least an hour. This allows the flavors blend and enhance. Just be sure to stir it again before serving because the dressing tends to settle at the bottom.

Storing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps for about 3-4 days.

Close up view of black bean salsa in a white bowl with lime slice and serving spoon

For more inspiration, also browse all vegan dip recipes or Mexican-inspired recipes.

Close up view of black bean salsa in a white bowl with lime slice and serving spoon

Black Bean Salsa (Easy!)

A fresh & colorful black bean salsa with cilantro-lime dressing. Great made ahead of time. Plus you can enjoy it as a chip dip, side dish, or salad!
4.78 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Salad, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Mexican-inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 6 (2/3-cup servings)

Ingredients

  • 15 oz. can black beans
  • 1 1/3 cup sweet corn
  • 2 cups tomatoes*
  • 1/3 cup red onion
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (more/less to taste)

Optional (but recommended):

  • 1-2 fresh jalapeño peppers (finely diced)

Instructions

  • Dice the tomatoes. (If they're extra juicy, remove & discard some of the excess liquid if you prefer.) Finely dice red onion. Roughly chop cilantro. Place in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Add the black beans (rinsed and drained) and the rest of the salsa ingredients. Toss to combine. Give it a taste and adjust the flavors & seasonings if desired.
  • You can serve this salsa immediately, but it tastes best after it chills in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir again before serving as the dressing tends to settle at the bottom.

Notes

*Tomatoes: I use vine-ripened tomatoes for this recipe. But you can use roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or other garden tomato. Just be sure they're ripe and flavorful.
Add avocado: Diced avocado is a great addition. Add it right before serving to keep it fresh.
Make it spicy: Add chili powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste. (Or more jalapeño.)
Serving: Enjoy this fresh salsa as a chip dip, salad, on tacos, burrito bowls, fajitas, other Mexican-style dishes, etc. Or add it to breakfast dishes like tofu scramble or breakfast burritos!
Yield: Recipe makes about 4 heaping cups.
Originally published December 2014. Updated December 2023.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Black Bean Salsa (Easy!)
Amount per Serving
Calories
112
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.1
g
1
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.2
g
Potassium
 
437
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
22
g
7
%
Fiber
 
7
g
29
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
569
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
13
mg
16
%
Calcium
 
34
mg
3
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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If you are enjoying this black bean and corn salsa recipe, also check out:

  • Vegan Taco Salad with Creamy Southwestern Dressing
  • Black Bean Burrito
  • Healthy Texas Caviar
  • Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. Linda M. says

    May 24, 2025 at 9:45 pm

    5 stars
    Was in the mood for fresh, simple black bean salsa recipe and this one delivered. Had to improvise a bit but all good!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 25, 2025 at 7:12 am

      Fantastic, Linda. Glad you enjoyed this one with your customizations!

      Reply
  2. MSD says

    May 09, 2025 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    This salsa has such a fresh flavor. Made this today and we've been snacking on it all afternoon and evening. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 10, 2025 at 8:21 am

      Hello! That's awesome to hear. So glad you've been enjoying it throughout the day. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback - it's appreciated!

      Reply
  3. Ashley says

    December 13, 2023 at 11:41 am

    5 stars
    This was so tasty and we kept going back for more. Used two jalapenos and it was perfect!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      December 13, 2023 at 1:37 pm

      Great to hear you enjoyed it, Ashley!

      Reply
  4. Kim says

    November 02, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    4 stars
    Do you know the sodium per serving? Delicious!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      November 09, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      Hello Kim! I actually purposely omit stating the sodium numbers on my site because I feel it’s not an accurate enough calculation. Most of my recipes simply say “salt to taste” to let people cater directly to their own needs. Even with the few recipes that state an amount of salt, I still omit the sodium content as it can vary significantly with other factors. (For example, differing sodium content between brands, using no-salt vs. salt-added canned tomatoes, etc.) So I always encourage people to calculate their own to achieve a much more precise reading based on their exact ingredients, brands, and amounts. Hope that helps a bit!
      Wishing you a beautiful week. -Kaitlin

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

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