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A Healthy Black Bean Salad With Refreshing Avocado Lime Dressing
I understand…
You’re busy with work, chores and the hustle of life. And it’s so easy to just pick up food on your way home from work.
But, what if I told you there was a magical ingredient out there that you could turn into a delicious and healthy meal in 15 minutes?
Well, there is.
And that magical ingredient is… beans.
That’s right. Beans.
And this healthy black bean salad with avocado recipe proves their magical power.
This easy black bean salad is topped with a refreshing, citrusy avocado and lime dressing. This will be your new go-to summer side dish or quick meal.
Plus, it only takes 15 minutes to make!
I love this vegan black bean salad served with tacos and all things grilled. It is a perfect BBQ side dish.
This salad is also great for meal prep. It even gets better after a day. This allows the beans to marinate and the flavors to meld. Serve this black bean salad with avocado lime dressing warm or at room temperature for a make ahead dish.
Keep reading to learn how to make this black bean salad!
What Makes this Black Bean Salad Healthy?
Black beans are high in fiber, protein, and folate. According to Healthline, black beans also cause a lower spike in blood sugar that occurs after eating compared to other carbohydrates. This reduces the risk of weight gain, diabetes, and post meal fatigue.
The avocado lime dressing swaps some olive oil for avocado to create its creamy and rich texture. Avocados are a health and fitness friendly fruit. According to Cedars-Sinai Academic Medical Center, avocados are packed with fiber, healthy fats, and a long list of nutrients like Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E, and K.
Like you, I don’t like feeling hungry. So, I love this other characteristic of avocados:
Avocados make you feel full.
How Long Does this Black Bean Salad Keep?
This salad will last covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. It gets better after a day or two.
This recipe can be easily scaled up in case you want to use as a full dish for meal prep.
How Should I Store this for Meal Prep?
This bean salad is great for making a day before you plan to eat it.
Having a cookout on Sunday? Put this bean salad together on Saturday and take it out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before you plan to eat. It is a great option for a room temperature make ahead side dish.
For storing dishes that you want to pull right out of the refrigerator and serve, I love these OXO glass containers. You can store, cover, reheat (if needed), and serve all in one container. Plus, they look great.
If you don’t care about looks, I also love these plastic deli containers. I use them for storing leftover meal prep ingredients and basically everything else. They’re what the restaurants use and super cheap.
Canned Beans vs. Cooked Dried Beans. Which Should I Use?
Canned beans and cooked dried beans can be use interchangeably. One isn’t necessarily better than the other.
However, dried beans are much cheaper than canned beans. So, learning how to cook with dried beans will save you money. You can learn how to cook dried beans in this post: How to Cook Dried Beans.
There are about 1.5 cups of black beans in a can. So, if you’re using cook dried beans, use that amount.
Let’s Talk About Ingredients
A dish is the expression of its ingredients. The better the ingredients, the more delicious the dish. Here’s how to use the best for this recipe.
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Cilantro – Cilantro is a spring herb that you can grow yourself in a pot or garden. If purchasing fresh cilantro from the grocery store, look for a bunch that is bright green with no spots, shriveled leaves, or drooping stems.
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Scallions – Choose scallions with bright green and sturdy tips. Avoid slimy, brown, and sagging tips.
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Lime – Choose heavy, green limes that have a little bit of give when gentry squeezed. This softness indicates that the limes are juicy. But not too soft, or that means it is overripe.
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Black Beans – Choose organic when possible. If you’re ready to learn how to cook more cheaply with dried beans, then check out this post.
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Kohlrabi – This weird looking vegetable is a member of the cabbage family. Kohlrabi has become more available over the past few years because it is so easy to grow. It tastes like a mix of cabbage and turnip. Kohlrabi is often eaten raw because it has a nice crunch. To prepare, trim and store the leaves for a later use in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Use them as you would other greens in soups, stews, sauteed, or steamed. Then peel the outer later with a knife or vegetable peeler. You’ll have to make a few passes with a peeler because the skin is pretty thick.
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Olive Oil – Extra virgin is best. This oil from California Olive Ranch offers the best price, taste, and availability combination. It is what I use every day.
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Kosher Salt – Diamond Crystal kosher salt was used for this recipe and all other recipes on this site. Use this conversion table from The Spruce Eats if you only have another type of salt.
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Crushed Red Pepper (optional) – Use this if you want some spiciness to your bean salad.
Want More Salad Recipes? Check These Out.
Sometimes, you just need a healthy salad. A light dish that resets your appetite .
Check these simple salad recipes:
Black Bean Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 scallions thinly sliced
- Juice from 1/2 a lime
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper optional
- 1 can black beans or 1.5 cups cooked dried beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small bulb kohlrabi 1/2 bulb if large. Peeled and cut into 1/4” matchsticks or slices.
- 1/2 cup Avocado Lime Dressing
Instructions
- Combine cilantro, scallions, olive oil and lime juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and red pepper (if using).
- Add drained beans and kohlrabi to bowl. Toss to coat. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Add Avocado Lime Dressing to mixture and toss to combine.