This healthy Black Bean Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing is a delicious salad all on its own or as a side dish. It's super easy to prepare, can be prepared ahead of time and is a healthy recipe to serve to a crowd!
Start with fresh ingredients and end with a bowl full of flavor!
This dressing is not like a dressing consistency from a bottle but more like the thickness of guacamole. The creaminess perfectly coats the ingredients of the salad.
It is easy to make the salad ahead of time by adding the dressing to most of the ingredients to absorb the flavor. Then when time to serve it, just toss with the shredded lettuce and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds.
What you'll need for this fresh colorful salad:
Try serving this Black Bean Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing alone with the beans as the protein, or add shredded chicken breasts for a delicious meal.
We shared this at Anna and Vince's Hot Havana in Miami Gr8 Dinner and it was a hit! The freshness of the salad complemented the sweetness of some of the sauces served at the meal.
Don't skip the pumpkin seeds also known as pepitas. I often sprinkle these small nutrient-packed seeds on all kind of dishes. Click here to see how many health benefits they have!
Perfect on its own or serve with:
Black Bean Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Avocado Lime Dressing
- 1 ripe avocado
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon water
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Salad
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 ½ cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thaw before adding to salad)
- 1 small red or yellow bell pepper, chopped (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup chopped green or red onion
- 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Avocado Lime Dressing
- In a mini food processor combine all the salad dressing ingredients. The result will be like the consistency of guacamole. If you don't have a mini food processor you can mash the avocado with a fork, add the remaining ingredients and stir briskly with the fork or a whisk.
Salad
- Gently stir together the first five ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add the Avocado Lime Dressing and toss until all the veggies are evenly coated. (If making this salad ahead of time, see Gr8 notes below.)
- Add the romaine lettuce and pumpkin seeds and gently combine.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Gr8 Make Ahead Tip
- The salad can be prepared through step #2 and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. When time to serve, continue by adding the lettuce and pumpkin seeds.
Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think!