Name: Black Bean and Avocado Salad (great with chips!)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, (rinsed and drained); 1 can (15.25 oz.) corn, drained ((fiesta is fun, but not mandatory)); 4 to 5 Roma tomatoes, diced; 4 avocados, diced; 1 package (0.7 oz.) dried Italian dressing mix ((found in dressing aisle at grocery store)); ¼ cup white vinegar; ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil; Lettuce or chips, for serving

A summertime favorite, this black bean and avocado salad is awesome served on a bed of greens or as a dip with tortilla chips.

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: This avocado salad is a crowd-pleaser! Enjoy it as a salad or a dip.

How long it takes: 15 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, sharp knife, strainer
Servings: 8 (one cup each)

Overhead view of black bean, avocado, and corn salad with tortilla chips.

This stuff is good. Really, really good. It’s similar to “cowboy caviar” or “Texas caviar” but with black beans instead of black-eyed peas. It’s easy, inexpensive to make, packed with healthy ingredients, and so versatile.

I haven’t found anyone who doesn’t like this black bean and avocado salad. Oh, except my father-in-law who won’t eat avocado because it looks like lobster brain. I think I’ll just take his word on that. Almost everyone loves it and if you bring it to your next get-together, I promise you, it will disappear before your eyes.

Ways to Enjoy Black Bean and Avocado Salad

This salad can be enjoyed as an appetizer, lunch, main dish, salad, side dish, vegetarian, and snack. May I add, late night snack? Or, perfect with a cold beer?

Top a bed of lettuce with a couple scoops for a stunning and easy salad.
Skip the lettuce and serve it as is, for a side dish.
Slice a grilled tequila lime chicken breast and add it to the salad for a main dish. Or simply garnish the chicken with a couple spoonfuls of the salad.
Eat this Southwestern style dip on a crispy, salty tortilla chip. Make your own baked tortilla chips or air fryer tortilla chips. It’s seriously easy.
Add it to cooked quinoa or rice to make a delicious grain bowl.
Add nutrition and flavor to a cheese quesadilla, taco, or nachos with a garnish of this dip.
Eat it straight out of a bowl with a fork.

Chip dipping into a bowl of avocado, tomatoes, black beans, and corn.

About This Black Bean Salad Recipe

Good for you! Black bean and avocado salad is quite healthy with lots of chopped up veggies, protein-rich black beans, and a light vinaigrette dressing. Avocado is super nutritious with healthy fats and tons of nutrients (Healthline).

Easy to make. Canned beans and corn make this salad pretty simple. You’ll have to do a little chopping (onions, tomatoes, avocados). The dressing is an easy vinaigrette that is made with a packet of Italian dressing mix.

What You’ll Need

Black Beans: One can of beans, rinsed and drained, is all you need. I usually buy the low sodium variety. Other types of beans are fine, too. Try black eyed peas for something more closely resembling cowboy caviar.
Corn: Canned, frozen, fresh, whatever you like or happen to have. If I lived in a perfect world, I would always use fresh kernels cut off the cob because it’s so much better. Even better, grill the corn on the cob first for a nice charred flavor. But to be real, I usually use a can of fiesta corn.
Tomatoes: Any variety will work. I like Romas because they are more meaty and less juicy and seedy.
Avocados: Use slightly underripe avocados for best results. Really ripe, soft avocados tend to get mushy and disintegrate a bit. Check out the FAQs for how to choose a ripe avocado.
Vinaigrette: Make your own with a packet of dried Italian dressing mix, usually found in the dressing aisle of the grocery store. Mix it with white vinegar and oil, as directed. If you prefer, make homemade Italian dressing or use your favorite bottled dressing. You’ll need ½ cup.
Lettuce, if you’re making a salad; tortilla chips, if you’re making a dip.

Overhead view of ingredients: tomatoes, corn, avocados, beans, chips.

How To Make This Salad

It’s pretty simple. Drain the can of beans and the corn, if you’re using canned corn. Add them to a big mixing bowl.

Chop up the tomatoes, dice the avocados, and add them to the bowl. Note: if you’re not planning on serving this salad immediately, wait to add the avocado so it doesn’t turn brown or get mushy.

Chopped vegetables, avocado, and beans in a white glass bowl.

Stir up the vinaigrette in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Italian vinaigrette in a small measuring cup.

Add the vinaigrette to the big bowl, and gently stir it all together. Be careful not to smush the avocado, especially if it’s on the ripe side.

Avocado and black bean salad in a large clear glass mixing bowl.

That’s it! So easy and delicious.

Make It Your Own

Increase the veggie power. Add chopped bell peppers or red onions. They add a nice crunch and a lot of flavor to the salad.

Cooking Tip

If you want to take away some of the sharp flavor of raw onions, soak them (chopped) in ice water for about 15 minutes. Drain really well, and then add them to the salad.

Love fresh herbs? Add fresh chopped cilantro or parsley to the salad. I add parsley to almost every salad. It’s nutritious and adds visual appeal, too.
Substitute black-eyed peas, pinto beans, kidney beans, or another type of canned bean for the black beans.
Looking for a warm dip? Try refried bean dip.

Make-Ahead Ideas

If you want to get a head start on making this dip, mix everything up except the avocados. Store in the fridge for up to three days. Add the avocados right before serving.

Storage

Refrigerate: This salad is best served right away. It will keep two to three days in the fridge but the avocado will discolor and get a bit soft. The dip still tastes great but isn’t quite as attractive. Store leftovers in an airtight container or bowl covered with plastic wrap. The salad will keep for three days, or up to a week, if you haven’t added the avocado. You can freeze it, too, again without the avocado, for a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Close up view of salad with black beans, avocado, corn, tomatoes.

More Southwestern style recipes

Southwestern orzo pasta salad
Southwestern guacamole toast
Creamy Southwestern black bean dip
Jalapeño ranch dip
Slow Cooker Texas Chili – the best crockpot chili!
Mexicali dip — one of my most popular dips.
Taco salad — who doesn’t love taco salad?
7-layer dip – the best recipe ever!

Recipe