Easy Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This corn and black bean salsa is inexpensive and easy to make! If you’re looking for a flavorful and festive appetizer dish to take to your next potluck, this easy — and fresh! — recipe might be it. 

Originally published in April, 2018; this post has been updated.

This corn and black bean salsa is a fantastic appetizer served with chips. Since black beans have a decent amount of protein, it’s a good choice for people who like to snack their way through a meal. Plus, beans are super budget friendly! 

Homemade Black Bean and Corn Salsa

With just a little bit of chopping you can turn simple pantry ingredients into a delicious and hearty snack. 

Ingredients

Black beans — You can start with dry beans and cook them or if you’ve begun canning your own dry beans, you can use those. You can also use store bought canned beans; opt for a brand that doesn’t have bpa in the can lining, such as Eden Organics.

Corn — Use fresh corn cut from the cob for the best flavor. Alternatively, frozen corn works well. (I always opt for organic corn to avoid the genetically modified ingredients that upset my stomach.)

Tomato — Adding diced tomatoes to this salsa provides a little bit of juiciness and everyone’s favorite summertime flavor.

Jalapeno pepper — I use jalapeno peppers, as it’s what’s most readily available in my garden, but you can use any type of hot pepper. If you don’t like the heat, you can use a sweet green or red bell pepper or banana pepper.

Cucumber — Adding a little bit of chopped cucumber adds a nice freshness to this black bean corn salsa recipe. 

Onion — I like the sweetness of red onion in this recipe, but it’s perfectly fine if you’d like to use a yellow or white onion.

Seasonings — Cumin and lime juice give this salsa its flavor. Chopped fresh cilantro can be an optional ingredient, since some people find it unpalatable. 

Making it

The most frugal way to make this is by starting with dry black beans. It’s not the only way to make this black bean dip, though. If you’re crunched for time, you can simply drain and rinse a can of black beans. 

Transfer the drained black beans into a large bowl. Chop the fresh vegetables, adding each to the bowl as you go. Add seasonings and stir to combine. So easy!

Serving

This black bean salsa with corn is delicious served with chips, but it’s also delicious on top of a cheese quesadilla or alongside your favorite Mexican meal. It’s also delicious served as a side dish to grilled chicken.

Storage

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

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