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    Gastronotherapy » Recipes » Appetizers

    Black Bean Corn Avocado Salsa

    Published: Jun 17, 2021 · Modified: Jul 29, 2022 by MaryAnne · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This bright, robust, and zingy salsa has a chunky texture and the perfect amount of heat. Prep it in 10 minutes and serve it with tortilla chips or as a side salad!

    black bean corn avocado salsa in a bowl garnished with cilantro.

    Making a fresh batch of salsa to eat outside on a balmy night is one of my favorite things to do in the summer - it means the season of long, warm days is officially here.

    When I eat salsa, I want it to be hearty as well as bright and zippy. Don't skimp on the veggies or the level of heat; I want all of the tasty salsa components!

    This is not your average watery, store-bought salsa. Instead, this black bean corn avocado salsa is chunky and packed full of corn, cherry tomatoes, black beans, and avocado.

    It has a nice kick from cayenne and jalapeño, and what's more, this salsa recipe can be made in just 10 minutes (leaving you extra time to make that fancy margarita)!

    Jump to:
    • ⭐️ Why This Salsa is the Best
    • 🍅 Ingredient Notes
    • 👩🏼‍🍳 Variations & Substitutions
    • 🔪 How To Make This Salsa
    • ⏲ Expert Tips and Tricks
    • 🌮 Related Recipes
    • Black Bean Corn Avocado Salsa

    ⭐️ Why This Salsa is the Best

    • Texture: Chunky, snappy and creamy; no watery salsa here!
    • Flavor: Zingy, savory, slightly sweet, and a tiny pop of heat. It's robust enough for you to enjoy as a healthy appetizer with your favorite tortilla chips, but filling enough to serve as a side salad to accompany creamy cucumber avocado gazpacho.
    • Easy: Can be prepped in just 10 minutes - just toss everything into a bowl, give it a good stir, and serve!
    • Healthy: Full of whole foods like tomatoes, black beans, onion, and cilantro, it's protein-rich and has healthy fats from avocado.

    🍅 Ingredient Notes

    salsa ingredients arranged in bowls.
    • Corn - Fresh (right from the cob!) or frozen is best, but canned also works great. It adds a slight touch of sweetness and a bit of crunchy chewiness.
    • Black beans - Always be sure to drain and rinse your canned beans. Pinto beans would also be delicious!
    • Red onion - Gives a spicy bite and a beautiful pop of color. You can also use yellow or white onion, or even 2 to 3 shallots.
    • Jalapeño - The heat level of jalapeños really varies, so season it to your preference.
    • Lime juice - Fresh citrus notes (and it prevents our avocado from browning).
    • Garlic - Add more or less depending on your taste preference. I recommend using fresh garlic, but jarred or garlic powder will suffice.
    • Ground cumin and cayenne pepper, and salt - Our warm and spicy seasonings add so much flavor.
    • Avocado - Provides velvety creaminess and healthy fats.

    👩🏼‍🍳 Variations & Substitutions

    • Make a salad. Serve over a bed of fresh spinach or arugula to turn it into a summer salad.
    • Turn it into a grain bowl. Serve over brown rice, quinoa, barley, etc. for a heartier meal.
    • Add smoked paprika. Give it a delicious smoky flavor by adding ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
    • Add mango. Add ½ cup chopped mango for a sweet and spicy salsa.

    🔪 How To Make This Salsa

    *See recipe card below for printable instructions.

    In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except avocado). Add more salt and cayenne if needed.

    salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl with avocado and cut limes on the side.

    Gently stir in avocado (adding this last will prevent it from getting mashed).

    Cover and chill in refrigerator for around 1 hour.

    large bowl of salsa arranged with limes, avocado, and cilantro.

    ⏲ Expert Tips and Tricks

    • Storage: Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    • How to freeze: If you leave out the avocado (it will get mushy in the freezer), you can freeze your leftovers in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
    • Use fresh, frozen or canned. corn. Depending on the time of year and what is most convenient for you to use, any of the above variety will work great.
    • Let it marinate. If you have time, let it chill for 1 hour to let the flavors mingle and hang out. As it sits, the flavors will develop and be that much more flavorful.
    • How to serve: As an appetizer with tortilla chips, or as a side salad to refried bean tacos, veggie fajita tacos, or creamy chicken chipotle enchiladas.
    • Adjust spice level to your preference. Add as much cayenne pepper and jalapeño as you prefer. You can omit them completely or add more. Jalapeños really vary in their level of heat, so make it to your liking.
    • Add avocado last. This prevents it from getting mashed when stirring your salsa.
    white hand dipping tortilla chip into bowl of salsa with chips on a plate.

    🌮 Related Recipes

    • Creamy Cucumber Avocado Gazpacho
    • Veggie Fajita Tacos
    • Easy Refried Bean Tacos
    • Creamy Chicken Chipotle Enchiladas

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

    black bean corn avocado salsa in a bowl garnished with cilantro.

    Black Bean Corn Avocado Salsa

    Author: MaryAnne
    This bright, robust, zingy salsa has a chunky texture and the perfect amount of heat. Prep it in 10 minutes and serve it with tortilla chips or as a side salad!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 4 cups
    Calories 173 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1-½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • ½ red onion, finely diced
    • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
    • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 avocado, pitted and chopped

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except avocado). Add more salt and cayenne if needed.
    • Gently stir in avocado (adding this last will prevent it from getting mashed).
    • Cover and chill in refrigerator for around 1 hour. This allows the flavors to marinate.*
    • Optional: Garnish with additional cilantro.

    Notes

    *Step 3 isn't necessary if you don't have time to refrigerate the salsa for 1 hour. It will still be delicious! However, salsa is one of those dishes that becomes more flavorful the longer it marinates.
    • Storage: Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    • How to freeze: If you leave out the avocado (it will get mushy in the freezer), you can freeze your leftovers in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
    • Use fresh, frozen or canned. corn. Depending on the time of year and what is most convenient for you to use, any of the above variety will work great.
    • Let it marinate. If you have time, let it chill for 1 hour to let the flavors mingle and hang out. As it sits, the flavors will develop and be that much more flavorful.
    • Adjust spice level to your preference. Add as much cayenne pepper and jalapeño as you prefer. You can omit them completely or add more. Jalapeños really vary in their level of heat, so make it to your liking.
    • Add avocado last. This prevents it from getting mashed when stirring your salsa.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 596mgPotassium: 515mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 575IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anjali

      June 20, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      5 stars
      This salsa was so easy to make and was the perfect side dish for veggie tacos that we made tonight! Yum!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 21, 2021 at 11:40 am

        Yay!!

        Reply
    2. Biana

      June 20, 2021 at 7:14 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, love the colors of this salsa! Such a perfect appetizer for a BBQ this summer.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 21, 2021 at 11:40 am

        Thank you! And it would be perfect for a summer BBQ!

        Reply
    3. Denay DeGuzman

      June 20, 2021 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      This freshly-made salsa is the ideal recipe for the 4th of July. So tasty. We'll be enjoying ours with tortilla chips. This recipe is also a perfect topping for nachos!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 21, 2021 at 11:41 am

        Ohhh, I love your nacho idea!

        Reply
    4. susan | the wimpy vegetarian

      June 20, 2021 at 8:01 pm

      5 stars
      This salad is so colorful! I think this will be the perfect dish to bring to a 4th of July pot luck I'm going to!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 21, 2021 at 11:41 am

        Fantastic!

        Reply
    5. hmw

      June 20, 2021 at 9:03 pm

      5 stars
      Although this says to use frozen, I'll likely wait a couple of weeks until I can get some fresh corn at the a farmers market to make this. The beautiful flavor combinations here are going to be the best black bean salad ever!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        June 21, 2021 at 11:41 am

        That is a great idea! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Wendy Saucier

      July 25, 2021 at 11:33 am

      I used fresh corns and added habanero pepper from my garden. My husband loved it, he used fresh flour tortilla to wrap the salsa with grilled chicken. He asks for it at least once a week.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        July 25, 2021 at 11:40 am

        Oooooh, wrapping it in a tortilla with grilled chicken sounds amazing! So glad you are both enjoying it, Wendy! 🙂

        Reply

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