Black Bean Corn Avocado Salsa

This bright, robust, and zingy black bean corn avocado 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!

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
• 🔪 Recipe Instructions
• ⏲ Expert Tips and Tricks
• 🌮 Related Recipes
• 📖 Black Bean Corn Avocado Salsa Recipe

⭐️ 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

• 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.

🔪 Recipe Instructions

*See recipe card below for printable 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.

*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.

⏲ 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 black bean and cheese tacos, veggie fajita tacos, or chipotle chicken 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.

🌮 Related Recipes

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