Black Bean and Avocado Salad (great with chips!)

A summertime favorite, this black bean and avocado salad is awesome served on a bed of greens or as a dip 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 and inexpensive to make, packed with healthy ingredients, and is so versatile.

So versatile in fact, that as I went through my list of categories to find a place for this recipe, I found it fitting in so many categories: Appetizer, lunch, main dish, salad, side dish, vegetarian, and snack. Yup, perfect for all of those categories. May I add, late night snack? Or, perfect with a cold beer? 

Ways to Eat It

• 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.

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.

About This Recipe

Black bean and avocado salad is actually quite healthy. It’s basically chopped up veggies with protein-rich black beans, and a light vinaigrette dressing. Avocado is super nutritious with healthy fats and tons of nutrients (Healthline). This recipe is easy to make, too!

Scroll down for the printable recipe at the end of this post. It has complete directions and nutrition information.

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 the reality is, 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 1/2 cup.
• Lettuce, if you’re making a salad. Tortilla Chips, if you’re making a dip.

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.

Stir up the vinaigrette in a small bowl or 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.

That’s it! So easy and delicious.

FAQs

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.

• 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 or Mexican spinach 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

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.

More Southwestern style recipes

• Quinoa salad with cumin-lime dressing, black beans, and avocados
• 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!