An easy, delicious Fiesta Bean Salad recipe tossed in a simple cumin-lime dressing! It's fresh, healthy, and packed with plant-based protein and fiber. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)
This delicious Fiesta Bean Salad is so much goodness in one bowl! It's hearty, satisfying, and made with nourishing plant-based ingredients.
It features a protein-rich base of chickpeas AND black beans. Then we bring ripe tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, and creamy avocado to the party. And finally, toss it in a simple but tasty cumin-lime dressing. (Yum!)
Best of all it's easy to prepare. You can enjoy it as a main dish, side dish, chip dip, or quick snack pulled out of the fridge. Plus it's great for parties, BBQs, potlucks, and beyond.
Ingredients for Fiesta Bean Salad
For this recipe, you'll toss together in a large bowl:
- Chickpea (garbanzo beans): You'll need one 15-ounce can for this recipe. I use canned beans, but use freshly cooked beans if you wish. If you make yours from scratch, you'll need about 1.5 cups each of black beans and chickpeas.
- Black beans
- Roma tomatoes: Or substitute cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes for a richer, sweeter tomato flavor. Plum tomatoes would be great too.
- Red onion: Or you can substitute white onion or sweet onion. For a milder taste, use sliced green onion (scallion).
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado: I use one large avocado, but you can use as much as you'd like.
- Lime juice: You'll need three tablespoons (or more!) of fresh lime juice for this recipe, which is about one and a half limes.
- Red wine vinegar: If you don't care for this, simply omit and add extra lime juice to taste.
- Ground cumin
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Salt: You can also add black pepper to taste.
Customizing
Beans & veggies: Swap in some cooked sweet corn kernels, red bell pepper, roasted bell pepper, cucumber, or anything else that sounds good. You can also use two cans black beans instead of one chickpea and one black bean.
Make it spicy: Add diced jalapeño pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes, or a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste.
Dressing: Add a teaspoon of pure maple syrup to help balance the flavors if desired. Or for extra lime flavor, add lime zest. (I prepare the dressing oil-free, but if you include oil in your diet, you can whisk in a tablespoon of good quality extra virgin olive oil.)
Serving
Make-ahead: This dish is great made-ahead for meal prep, packed lunches, BBQs, picnics, and potlucks. Enjoy it as a salad or dip with tortilla chips!
Avocado tip: If you're preparing the salad ahead of time, you can wait and add the avocado right before serving. This helps prevent it from browning.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps well for about 4 days. Stir again before serving because the dressing can settle at the bottom of the dish.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan bean recipes or salad recipes.
Fiesta Bean Salad (Easy, Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 large avocado
For the cumin-lime dressing:
- 3 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside. (Feel free to add 1 tsp. pure maple syrup to balance the flavors, or 1/4 tsp. chili powder for some spice.)
- Rinse and drain chickpeas and black beans. Add to a medium mixing bowl.
- Dice tomatoes, roughly chop cilantro, and finely dice red onion. Add to the beans.
- Pour dressing over salad and stir.
- Peel and dice avocado. Add it to the salad and lightly toss to combine. Taste and adjust flavors if needed, or add more salt & pepper.
- Can serve immediately or let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour first. (If not serving immediately, you can add the avocado right before serving to prevent it from browning.)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
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.
If you're enjoying this Fiesta Bean Salad recipe, also check out:
- Southwest Black Bean Soup
- Black Bean Lentil Salad
- Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Sauce
- White Bean Tomato Salad
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Kkenn says
If serving it the next day, would you add the dressing the next day?
Kaitlin says
Hi! You could do either. If making the day before, I might suggest making the salad and dressing, leaving them separate, then tossing together an hour before serving. It would be a little fresher that way, but you could certainly mix them together the day before and let it marinate more. I would definitely wait to add the avocado right before serving however, so it's fresh and no browning. Hope you enjoy!
Kkenn says
Thanks so much! Tried it for a large group and it was a hit! Will be my go to salad now!
Kaitlin says
That's so wonderful to hear! Glad your group enjoyed it!
jj chill says
Simply perfect. I'm super picky with my food, so this is definitely a keeper!
Kaitlin says
Aww, that's so great! Glad you enjoyed, and thanks for sharing.
Ania says
Just made it. Absolutely delicious. I only had to add extra lime juice. I guess my limes are not juicy enough.
Kaitlin says
Hello, Ania! Great call with extra lime juice - so happy you enjoyed it!