Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This Black Bean and Corn Salsa is a deliciously healthy dip you’ll want at all your parties. Black beans, corn, and red pepper tossed in a garlicky lime vinaigrette you can make in minutes. 

We love this black bean salsa as part of an appetizer spread. Pair it with something else from our Appetizer Recipes Archive, and invite the gang over! 

Jump to:

• Why Make This Recipe
• 🥗 Ingredients
• 🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
• 🧐 Recipe FAQs for Black Bean Corn Salsa
• 👩‍🍳 Expert Tips
• Other Delicious Appetizer Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• More About Molly
• Comments

Why Make This Recipe

• This healthy dip is packed with fiber, protein, and fresh veggies. Plus, it’s a great option for vegan eaters. 
• Cilantro and lime in the vinaigrette take this to the next level with great flavor
• Takes 15 minutes to make, and can be made hours in advance

🥗 Ingredients

• Black Beans: Choose low-sodium beans so that you can adjust the salt content as you like it. 
• Corn: We use canned corn in this recipe. Our favorite is Summer Crisp corn from Del Monte (not sponsored), but choose what you like. You can also use defrosted frozen corn. And in the height of summer, please replace with lightly steamed fresh corn cut off the cob!
• Red Bell Pepper: Use whatever color of sweet bell pepper you like. 
• Red Onion: If you prefer, you can replace this with sliced scallions or minced shallots. 
• Jalapeño Pepper: Bring the heat with a jalapeño! If you like more spice, don’t remove the seeds and membrane before chopping. Or dial it up with a Serrano pepper. 
• Garlic Powder: Feel free to replace with minced fresh garlic cloves.
• Lime Juice: We always recommend fresh squeezed lime juice. Two limes should be enough for this recipe. As an alternative, try using red wine vinegar. 
• Cilantro: We love the combination of cilantro and lime in this recipe, but you could replace the cilantro with parsley or leave it out entirely if you are not Team Cilantro. 

🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions

Drain and rinse 1 can black beans and 1 can corn in a colander.

Remove stem and seeds from a red bell pepper, then chop red pepper flesh into small pieces. Peel half of a red onion and finely chop.

Cut off stem of a jalapeño pepper and cut in half lengthwise. Use your knife to remove the seeds and most of the white membrane. Finely chop remaining jalapeño flesh.

Add black beans and corn to a large mixing bowl, then stir in chopped red pepper, red onion, jalapeño, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ¼ cup chopped cilantro.

Let rest for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. 

🧐 Recipe FAQs for Black Bean Corn Salsa

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips

If you are wondering the best way to serve this black bean salsa, you can’t go wrong with a big bowl of tortilla chips. If you are gluten-free, make sure to choose tortilla chips that are labeled gluten-free (some are and some aren’t, even though they are traditionally made from corn tortillas). 

But there are so many other uses too. Use this salsa to dollop on top of grilled chicken or fish. Add to the filling of a quesadilla, or as a taco topping. Toss it with chopped romaine lettuce and add some Honey Lime Vinaigrette to turn it into a big salad—adding grilled shrimp or chicken on top makes it a main course. 

This recipe makes a fairly big batch, and we admit to eating leftovers straight out of the bowl as a snack the next day. 

Love recipes with corn and black beans? Same here! They’re a classic pairing. Why not try this Black Bean and Corn Salad or this Orzo Pasta Salad with Black Beans? 

Other Delicious Appetizer Recipes

We love serving this on a spread with other appetizers. You can find lots of them in our Appetizer recipe archive, but here are a few favorites:

If you try this Black Bean and Corn Salsa recipe, we would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to us.

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