My son Nick called me from his new apartment in Tampa this week because he was looking for a great side dish for his very first dinner party.
He originally wanted to make the stuffed poblanos that he and I made a couple of months ago.
Unfortunately, he bought jalapeños instead of poblanos . . .
So, spur of the moment when he called on Saturday, I walked him through how to make a super easy corn and black bean salad that he could spice up with a few of those jalapeños!
He called me back later that night to let me know that the side was a huge success . . . so I decided to share my recipe with you, too!
My hubby and I ate our corn and black bean salad on lovely Bibb lettuce from Spring Lake Family Farms, accompanied by Gardein Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers and a little dab of Newman’s Own Peach Salsa. It was a super easy, filling weeknight meal that was on the table very quickly.
But then I got to thinking . . .
Hey, this is the season for football games, outdoor concerts, marching band competitions . . .
So, here are some good reasons to bring my salad to your next tailgate:
- The Corn and Black Bean Salad can be as mild or as spicy as you like.
- It’s vegan and gluten-free, so just about anyone can eat it.
- It’s loaded with high fiber veggies and black beans.
- You can put it together in 30 minutes, and it can chill on the way to wherever you’re going.
- I guarantee that people will be asking you for the recipe.
So, instead of trotting out the same old predictable pasta salad, slaw, or potato salad . . . why not make a colorful, healthy, and interesting side for your next tailgating party?
Please let me know if it’s a hit with your friends!
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced (use gloves!) - or if you want to walk on the milder side, use 1 poblano pepper, seeded and minced I(no gloves necessary!)
- 4-5 organic lunchbox mini sweet peppers (red, orange, and yellow), seeded and minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 ears sweet corn
- 1 15-ounce can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup organic red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on their size)
- 1 lime (or lemon), zested and juiced
- 1-2 teaspoons Chipotle-flavored olive oil (optional - use extra virgin olive oil if you want it less spicy)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Heat a large skillet. Add the olive oil, and sauté the onions for 6-7 minutes over low heat. Add the garlic, jalapeños, sweet peppers, cumin, and optional cayenne, and sauté for 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Set aside.
- While you're sautéing, microwave the corn (in the husk). Use fresh vegetable setting on your microwave if you have one - if not, microwave on high for 7-8 minutes.
- When corn is cool enough to handle, remove the husk and silk, and rinse the ears. Cut the kernels off the corn into a large bowl.
- Add the onion/jalapeño mixture to the corn, along with the drained black beans, chopped tomatoes, lime zest and juice, the optional Chipotle-flavored olive oil (if you want your salad to be spicy - or use regular olive oil if you want it less spicy), sea salt, black pepper, cilantro, and parsley.
- Mix well, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. Put into a prettier bowl for serving your guests!
- Serves 4-10 depending on what else you are serving.
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