Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

Gluten Free Living – 2025

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this fantastic salad recipe! Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad is chocked full of fresh vegetables and herbs. So much so, that you’re going to think it has everything but the Kitchen Sink included! It’s really a very simple reason in spite of all the ingredients. The dressing is merely olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Seasonings other than the fresh herbs are salt and pepper. Feta cheese adds a nice touch. And, on top of that, it feeds a crowd!

Follow Me On Instagram!

I first sampled this recipe at a Ladies’ Luncheon I was hosting a couple of summers ago. One of the ladies brought this wonderful salad. I loved all the fresh veggies in the salad. I thought I had collected the recipe shortly thereafter, but when I wanted to make this for a meal I was taking for friends, I couldn’t find the recipe! I asked for it again and was so glad to obtain it. I served this luscious salad with Pork Chop Supper, Rapid Rise Italian Herb Bread and Texas Chocolate Cupcakes. That meal was sure very well received!

First of all, this salad has basic ingredients, then it has add-ins you can add or not–as you desire. I usually add ALL OF IT! Then it has a simple dressing drizzled over top. The nice thing is it will last a few days in the refrigerator, but unless you’re making this for a crowd, you may want to pair it down a little.

Second, when I make it, I usually add MORE corn, not only regular red grape tomatoes, but also the yellow and orange ones! I also add not only green and red bell peppers, but I had orange and yellow! I choose to add Feta Cheese, but the originator of the recipe has also used Mozzarella Pearls with good success. She also substitutes Zesty Italian Dressing for the olive oil and balsamic vinegar on occasion.

Third, this recipe calls for both radishes and red onions. Anyone who works with those vegetables knows they can be rather strong in flavor. I like to keep the flavor, but mince up the vegetables pretty fine, so you’re not getting a mouthful of onions or radishes in each bite! The radishes and onions are hidden in the salad and provide flavor and texture without overwhelming the rest of the salad.

Fourth, I usually end up adding the avocado and herbs to the salad rather than waiting to add just before serving. But sometimes I add just a little and keep working in more as I serve it (if over more than one meal). Lastly, I found that each cob of corn yields about 1 cup of corn (even those skinny cobs!). So that’s a good guide for how much corn you need. While the recipe calls for two tablespoons each of the herbs, I sometimes add more when making the recipe. 🙂 What I am trying to say, is use the recipe as a guide only. Don’t slavishly follow the recipe if you enjoy more of one thing over another.

Overall, you will find Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad a very healthy, low calorie, gluten free and refreshing salad that’s perfect for summer potlucks, picnics, Family Reunions and holiday parties. Because there’s no mayonnaise in this recipe, you don’t have to be concerned if it sits out a little bit. We just love this recipe, and I could eat it every day for lunch and be perfectly content!

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad is terrific!

The salad includes everything but the kitchen sink!

It includes all sorts of fresh veggies.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad is healthy, low calorie and gluten free.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the salad. (I’ve also included orange and yellow bell peppers, and orange and yellow grape tomatoes.

Place corn in a heavy stock pot; fill with water. Bring to a boil and cook about 5 minutes.

Remove corn from heavy stock pot and place on platters or plates to cool (or use a wire cooling rack if that’s convenient).

When corn is cool enough to handle, cut it off the cob.

While corn is boiling start chopping vegetables. Add tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers to a large mixing bowl. Add corn.

Add finely diced radishes, red onion, black beans, Feta cheese and chopped avocado. (You can hold off on the avocado if you have to wait several hours to serve).

Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I actually ended up using Baja Gold celtic sea salt.)

I used these ingredients for the Salad Dressing.

Stir salad mixture and add olive oil.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar over top.

Mince dill weed, parsley and basil. Add to salad and stir to combine.

Save some of the herbs to sprinkle over top of the salad.

Serve immediately.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad is terrific to serve at a salad luncheon.

This is a delightful salad to bring to a Backyard Barbecue, picnic, Family Reunion, or for summer holidays.

It’s elegant enough to serve in parfait dishes, if you desire.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad is crunchy and yet so light and refreshing.

Here’s the recipe.

FRESH CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD

(Recipe adapted from Carolyn Perry, Providence Church, Frisco, TX)

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

Teresa Ambra

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad includes everything but the Kitchen Sink! Truly, it is chocked full of fresh veggies and herbs and uses a simple Salad Dressing of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. Feta Cheese, avocados, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers along with corn-off-the-cob and black beans make this salad irresistible. Terrific for summer holidays, picnics, Family Reunions, Backyard Barbecues and Potlucks. Healthy, low calorie and gluten free.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Salad and Salad Dressing, Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine American

Servings 20

Calories 92 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 large heavy stock pot with lid
• 1 pair tongs
• 1 plate or platter to rest cooked corn on
• 1 cutting board
• 1 sharp knife
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 can opener
• 1 colander

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

SALAD:

• 3 cups corn-on-the-cob cooked, cooled & cut off cob (about 3 ears) (I used five cups)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved or quartered (or cherry tomatoes) (I've also used the yellow and orange grape/cherry tomatoes)
• 1 cup cucumber peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup red onion minced fine
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley minced (or more if desired)
• 2 tbsp. fresh dill weed minced (or more if desired)
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil minced (or more if desired)
• salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS: (Add one or ALL of the ingredients)

• 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper diced
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper diced (I've also added orange & yellow bell pepper halves)
• 1 medium avocado peeled, pitted and chopped (add just before serving)
• 1/2 cup radishes finely minced
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese crumbles (or substitute Mozzarella Pearls if desired)

SALAD DRESSING:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil (or substitute 6 tbsp. Zesty Italian Dressing)
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or apple cider or white wine vinegar can be substituted)

Instructions

 

SALAD:

• Mix the corn, tomato, cucumber and anything else in a bowl (onion, black beans, bell pepper, radish).
• Season with salt and pepper. 

SALAD DRESSING:

• Toss with choice of dressing option, to taste.
• Can add a little sugar, Splenda, or Stevia, if you want it sweeter.
• If you want spicy, add a little chopped jalapeno pepper.
• Add cheese if desired.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. 
• Before serving, sprinkle with fresh herbs and add avocado (if using).

Notes

NOTE: I boiled 6 corns-on-the-cob. It yielded about 5 cups corn and I used ALL of it. You can also substitute frozen, thawed whole kernel corn.

 

NOTE: I used all of the optional vegetables for this recipe. I used Feta cheese instead of Mozzarella pearls. I also used olive oil and balsamic vinegar rather than bottled salad dressing.

 

NOTE: Carolyn has actually used the Mozzarella pearls with good success. She has used any kind of vinegar as well as Zesty Italian bottled dressing with good success.

 

NOTE: I had to make this early in the day to take a meal to friends. I combined all of the ingredients and sprinkled about half of the fresh basil, dill and parsley in the salad mixture. The other half was sprinkled on top. Then I refrigerated the recipe for several hours.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 560IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg

Keyword avocados, bell peppers, black beans, corn, corn salad, cucumbers, feta cheese, gluten free, grape tomatoes, healthy, salad, side dish

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Dill weed, basil and parsley flavor the salad and avocados give it that distinctive flavor.

Radishes and red onion add just enough bite to make the recipe interesting, but not so much that it overwhelms the dish.

Cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers provide texture and delightful flavors. If you want to spice things up, add a little bit of minced jalapeño pepper to the salad. If you want it sweeter, use a little Stevia powder.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad is sure a winner with our household. I hope it will be in yours too! 😉

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Roasted Corn Salad

Corn Salad

Mexican Street Corn Salad