Fresh and Flavorful Mango Black Bean Salad Recipe: Complete with a simple salad dressing consisting of lime juice and cilantro.
Lime juice and cilantro perfectly captures fresh Mexican flavors.
Mango Black Bean Salad - 8 Servings
Ingredients
2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup of a red onion, finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, then minced
2 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 large mangoes, peeled and chopped
3 cups corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Place the bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, black beans, mango, corn, and cilantro in a large bowl.
In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, cumin and chili powder.
Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and stir gently until thoroughly combined. Serve.
Notes:
Mango: Use a ripe mango with medium softness. My favorite type is Ataulfo mangoes which are smaller and sweeter than the regular Tommy Atkins mango variety.
Black Beans: These make up the base of the salad. You can use low sodium canned black beans or soak and cook them from dried. The best canned beans to use will be low-sodium, organic, and in BPA-free cans.
Bell Pepper: I prefer to use either red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, which are sweeter. However, you could also use green bell pepper if that’s what you have.
Corn: You can use fresh corn or frozen corn. Usually, I’ll use frozen and thaw it under warm water, then drain. However, during summer, I love to make corn on the cob in Instant Pot, cutting kernels off each ear of corn and adding it to the salad.
Tomatoes: You can use one larger tomato or a handful of smaller tomatoes. I like to use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes to make the salad less watery. However, you could also use Roma tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or beefsteak tomatoes.
Red Onion: Add a lovely tang to the mango black bean salad. You could also use green onion.
Avocado: Use one ripe avocado, diced. This adds a lovely creaminess and healthy fats to the salad. If you plan to make this salad in advance, save the avocado until just before serving to avoid it browning too quickly.
Herbs and Spices: I use a combination of fresh cilantro, ground cumin, salt, and chili pepper flakes for a variety of savory and spicy flavors. If you’re not a cilantro fan, you could substitute fresh parsley or mint, though this can change the flavor quite dramatically.
Salad Dressing: Use a combination of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice. Even better, the lime juice pairs wonderfully with the mango. Alternatively, you may like this black bean mango salad served with my delicious avocado cilantro dressing.
(Optional) Chili: For a little extra spice, feel free to add in a jalapeño or habanero pepper, finely diced.
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