Mexican Bean Salad Recipe

This Mexican Bean Salad Recipe is a quick and easy throw-together salad that's full of great flavor!

Mexican Bean Salad

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I have a confession to make. When I was first introduced to the idea of this salad, I was a bit of a hater. Maybe hater is an exaggeration. A more accurate word is indifferent. We were at my sister's apartment after a gorgeous day playing in the pool and we were having a taco night. Our mom called and said she was going to make a Mexican bean salad. And Nicci and I were both like "meh, whatever you want."

It's not that we were against the idea of a bean salad, we were just tired and didn't really care. We tend to always fall into the same habits on our taco nights. This consists of the actual tacos, mexi rice and canned refried beans. It really comes down to a combination of laziness and a picky husband.

You can bet that I was eating my words once I tasted that Mexican salad! Seriously, you guys. It was a flavor and textural explosion in my mouth and I was not sad about it! I'm a huge lover of cilantro to begin with and the chili powder and cumin add a fantastic savory flavor. The sweetness of the corn and the acid from the lime juice and tomatoes also play really well together.

But my favorite thing is the crunch from the celery. My mom and sister were laughing at me because I kept exclaiming how much I loved the delicious crunch that the celery added to this dish. In my opinion, it elevated the whole dish and I could not stop eating it!

Tips for making bean salad recipes

• This can totally be made in advance. It makes an awesome meal prep for lunches.
• To speed up the process, you can use a garlic press. It's the quickest way to get the right texture for the garlic. A mini-prep processor is always helpful to speed up chopping in general (I use the one I linked constantly!).
• This can totally be made into a three bean salad by adding a can of another type of bean of your choice.
• If you prefer a spicier salad, feel free to leave the seeds in the pepper.
• If you hate cilantro, feel free to substitute fresh parsley.

Helpful tools:

1. Garlic press
2. Mini-prep processor
3. Chef's knife
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups
6. Measuring spoons
7. Mixing bowl

If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

Try some other great salad recipes:

• Strawberry Salad
• Marinated Vegetable Salad
• Cajun Black Bean Salad

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Mexican Bean Salad

Jessy Freimann

This Mexican bean salad is a quick, no-cook dish loaded with beans, corn, and bold flavors that's ready in just 10 minutes. It's the perfect make-ahead side for taco night, potlucks, or any summer gathering.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 servings

Calories 164 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  1 cutting board
• ▢
  1 chefs knife
• ▢
  1 mixing bowl
• ▢
  1 Measuring cups and spoons
• ▢
  1 Spatula
• ▢
  mini prep processor
• ▢
  Garlic Press

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 14 ounces red beans canned- drained and rinsed
• 14 ounces black beans canned- drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn thawed
• 1 ¼ cups fresh tomatoes diced
• ¾ cups celery diced - about 3 stalks
• ¾ cups onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic pressed (or smashed) and sprinkled with salt
• 2 whole Serrano peppers seeded and minced (you can leave the seeds if you want it to be extra spicy)
• 3 Tablespoon fresh cilantro cleaned and chopped
• 3 Tablespoons lime juice Around 1 lime
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

 

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
• Taste and add additional flavorings to your taste.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

• Don't forget to thaw the corn! If you're making this ahead of time, however, just toss it in frozen. It'll soften in the fridge.
• Use a garlic press to get the right texture for the garlic quickly. A mini-prep processor also speeds up the rest of the chopping.
• If you hate cilantro, substitute fresh parsley.
• Rinse the canned beans well to wash off excess starch, so the salad doesn't end up with a cloudy, thick liquid at the bottom.
• Dice the vegetables to a similar size so every bite has a good mix of textures.
• This recipe doubles or triples easily for a potluck or larger gathering. Just use a bigger bowl!
• A slotted spoon makes serving easier, since it lets excess liquid drain off instead of watering down each plate.
• Taste before serving and adjust the salt or lime juice, since the flavor mellows a bit as it sits.
• Ingredients to prep ahead- Dice the celery, onion, and tomatoes, and press the garlic in advance.
• Leftovers and storage- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 164kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 10gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 160mgPotassium: 556mgFiber: 9gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 296IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 3mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!