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Home » Recipes » Salad

Southwest Black Bean Salad with Citrus Dressing

Jan 27, 2014 by Kaitlin · 15 Comments

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A colorful southwest-style black bean salad with flavorful orange-lime citrus dressing! Plus it's a great make-ahead dish for packed lunches, picnics, etc. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

Vegan southwest black bean salad with citrus dressing in a bowl

This colorful black bean salad combines southwest-inspired flavors with bright, fresh citrus.

Sweet orange juice and tangy lime juice come together in a quick and easy dressing.

Plus it's versatile! Enjoy it as a side dish, chip dip, or even a fun and flavorful topper for tacos, burritos, etc.

Southwest black bean salad preparation with dressing pouring over top

Customizing

Add rice or quinoa: You can also mix the salad with a small amount of rice or quinoa to make it an even more satisfying main dish. (Plus the rice/quinoa will soak up any leftover citrus dressing.)

Make it spicy: For a bit of heat, add chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste if desired.

Avocado: Freshly diced avocado is also a great addition right before serving!

Storing

This southwest bean salad also makes a great take-along cold lunch.

Simply make ahead of time and store in the fridge in a sealed container until you're ready to go.

Tip: You can eat this dish right after preparing, but the flavors beautifully intensify after it chills in the refrigerator for a little while!

Southwest black bean salad in a bowl with citrus dressing

For more inspiration, also browse all salad recipes or black bean recipes.

Vegan southwest black bean salad with citrus dressing in a bowl

Southwest Black Bean Salad with Citrus Dressing

A colorful black bean salad with a fresh orange-lime dressing. It's a great make-ahead lunch, side salad, or chip dip!
4.59 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 6 (3/4 cup servings)

Ingredients

  • 15 oz. can black beans
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 2/3 cup fresh cilantro
  • 6 oz. grape/cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup sweet corn, cooked
  • Optional: avocado for serving

For the citrus dressing:

  • 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. agave (or other sweetener)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Set aside.
  • Finely dice bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes. Roughly chop cilantro, large stems removed. Place in a large bowl.
  • Add black beans (rinsed and drained) and sweet corn (thawed if frozen) to bowl.
  • Pour dressing over top and toss to combine.
  • Best if chilled 1 hour (or longer) before serving.
  • Stir well before serving, as some dressing will settle at the bottom. Top with diced avocado right before serving if desired.

Notes

Yield: Recipe makes about 4 1/2 cups salad.
Make it spicy: Add chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste if desired.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Southwest Black Bean Salad with Citrus Dressing
Amount per Serving
Calories
112
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Potassium
 
423
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
22
g
7
%
Fiber
 
7
g
29
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
972
IU
19
%
Vitamin C
 
42
mg
51
%
Calcium
 
39
mg
4
%
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 Southwest Bean Salad recipe with citrus dressing, also feel free to check out:

  • Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle Dressing
  • Kale Superfood Power Salad
  • Cucumber Salad
  • Asian-Inspired Mushroom Rice

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

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. cinny says

    June 04, 2024 at 10:09 am

    5 stars
    Hi, I love this recipe. It was a little dry for me, so I added some lime and aged balsamic.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      June 04, 2024 at 12:05 pm

      Hello, Cinny! What wonderful additions - that sounds delicious! Glad you were able to put your own spin on it. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    • cinny says

      June 04, 2024 at 12:08 pm

      5 stars
      My fault I added too many beans - as per another recipe. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Claudia says

    March 02, 2024 at 6:37 am

    Delicious!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 02, 2024 at 11:07 am

      Glad you enjoyed it, Claudia!

      Reply
  3. Glenda says

    December 06, 2022 at 11:41 am

    5 stars
    Incredible recipe! Love that dressing!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      December 06, 2022 at 11:51 am

      Great to hear, Glenda! Thank you for giving it a try and sharing your very kind feedback!

      Reply
  4. theCherrytasty says

    August 25, 2014 at 12:32 pm

    Made this yesterday and it was great! There's still a lot left over so my lunch for this week is settled. I love black beans and this is a welcome variation on the salads I usually make. The dressing is amazing, something so simple and delicious would never have occurred to me! I'll be trying out all your other recipes as well, they all look great! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      August 25, 2014 at 8:17 pm

      So great to hear! Hope you enjoy any other recipes you try!

      Reply
  5. evelyn sarson says

    August 24, 2014 at 11:54 pm

    Just chopped this up and before I put it in the fridge I had a bite of it and it was delicious! I am pairing this with shrimp tacos tonight. Can't wait!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      August 25, 2014 at 12:38 am

      Wonderful to hear, Evelyn! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  6. Jessica Eiss says

    June 10, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    I love your sauce on this. I cook without oil, so was glad to see this was oil free. The two juices compliment each other nicely, and I added chili powder to it too and two shakes of cayenne powder. I so love Mexican and summer salads. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      June 11, 2014 at 12:53 pm

      Hello Jessica! Glad you enjoyed the oil-free recipe. Your additions sound perfect to spice it up!

      Reply
  7. Traci says

    May 26, 2014 at 9:53 am

    Very delicious. We had it with corn chips. A friend of mine adds (canned) jalapenos to this and swears by it. I may also try that next time. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 26, 2014 at 3:30 pm

      Hello, Traci! Jalapenos sounds like an amazing addition - yum. So glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing your feedback!

      Reply

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

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