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Best Quick Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa Salad

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A quick and easy grilled corn and black bean salsa salad with smoky charred corn, black beans, lime, and cilantro. Perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked (or 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed and patted dry)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced small
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Optional: 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese or feta cheese, 1 diced avocado, or a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

  1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If using a charcoal grill, wait until the coals are covered with white ash. For a gas grill, preheat for 10 minutes. For a grill pan, heat it over medium-high heat until it’s smoking slightly.
  2. Husk the ears of corn and remove all the silk. Pat them dry with a paper towel. Brush each ear lightly with olive oil.
  3. Place the corn directly on the grill grates. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes with tongs, until kernels are tender and have dark, charred spots on all sides.
  4. Transfer the grilled corn to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  5. Stand each ear of corn upright on the cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut downward, removing the kernels in strips. Rotate the ear and repeat until all kernels are removed.
  6. Drain and rinse the black beans under cold water for 30 seconds. Shake off excess water.
  7. Dice the red bell pepper and red onion into small, even pieces (about 1/4 inch). For a milder onion flavor, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
  8. Cut the jalapeño in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and white ribs, and mince the flesh into tiny pieces.
  9. Chop the cilantro coarsely, including the tender stems.
  10. In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake until well combined.
  11. In a large mixing bowl, add the grilled corn kernels, black beans, diced bell pepper, diced red onion, minced jalapeño, and chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. If adding cotija cheese, avocado, or cherry tomatoes, fold them in now.
  12. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For best results, use fresh corn and a hot grill to achieve a good char. Let the salad rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. If using frozen corn, thaw and pat dry before grilling in a grill basket or foil packet. Toasted cumin adds extra depth.

Nutrition

Keywords: grilled corn, black bean salsa, summer salad, quick recipe, weeknight dinner, potluck, vegetarian, gluten-free

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/best-quick-grilled-corn-and-black-bean-salsa-salad/