Black Bean Salad

This Black Bean Salad is our go-to for spring and summer as it’s quick, fresh, and perfect for warm days. With roasted sweet potatoes, creamy avocado, and a zingy cilantro-lime dressing, it’s an easy, delicious option for lunches, meal prep, and potlucks.

For more Mexican flavors, check out our refried beans, tostadas, Mexican rice, and black bean burger.

Black Bean Salad with Sweet Potato

This salad has a little bit of everything: protein from the black beans, creaminess from the avocado, sweetness from the corn and potatoes, and that bright, tangy hit from the dressing. It’s packed with Mexican-inspired flavors, but still feels light enough that you can eat a big bowl of it in the heat and feel amazing afterward.

It reminds me a lot of some of our other favorite bowls — like our Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, the lemony Quinoa Salad we always meal prep, or that cozy Sweet Potato Salad we make in the fall. Same easy vibe, same real ingredients, same feeling of “why didn’t we make this sooner?”

If you’re looking for something quick, colorful, and ridiculously satisfying for your next lunch, picnic, or potluck, trust me — this is it.

Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Quick spiced corn upgrade: Sauté corn kernels (raw or canned) in olive oil for 3 minutes until slightly charred. Season with a small pinch of salt, cumin and smoked paprika. Let cool down slightly and add to salad.

Lime-zest avocado: Toss avo pieces with the zest of half a lime, a pinch of salt, and a few drops of lime juice. This makes the avocado brighter, richer, and last longer.

High-protein Black Bean Salad: Boost protein by doubling the black beans, adding chickpeas, or tossing in air-fried tofu, grilled tofu, or baked tofu. For vegetarians, mix in hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, or yogurt tahini sauce. For omnivores, add grilled chicken.

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad: Stir in cooked quinoa (½ cup dry quinoa boiled with 1 cup water) for extra nutrition and staying power. You can also swap in brown rice, farro, buckwheat, amaranth, or millet.

Step 1: Cook the beans if using dried ones

If using canned beans: Skip this step and simply drain, rinse well, and let them dry slightly.

If using dried beans: Rinse the dry black beans under cold water. Boil them in a large pot with plenty of salted water (or better yet, vegetable broth) for about 1 to 1.5 hours until tender but not mushy. Taste a few beans to check doneness — they should be tender with a slight bite. Drain the beans, discard aromatics, and spread them out on a tray to cool quickly and evenly.

Step 2: Roast the sweet potatoes

Preheat your oven or air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of smoked paprika or cumin for a flavor boost.

Oven: Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes until fork-tender and caramelized at the edges.

Air Fryer: Add sweet potatoes to the basket (they can overlap slightly). Air fry for 15–18 minutes, shaking every 4–5 minutes for even crisping.

Step 3: Make the dressing

In a small blender, mini food processor, or bowl, combine fresh cilantro, lime juice, chopped garlic, maple syrup or honey, peeled grated ginger, salt, and olive oil. Blend until mostly smooth but still a little textured — not a full puree. Taste and adjust with a little more lime or salt if needed.

Step 4: Mix the black bean salad

In a large mixing bowl, gently toss together the cooled black beans, finely chopped onion, pickled jalapeños, roasted sweet potatoes, thawed corn kernels, diced green peppers, and avocado (only if serving soon).

Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving.

We usually enjoy this Black Bean Salad as a main meal — it’s perfect for lunch, but just as good for a hearty breakfast or a light dinner. It’s also super versatile:

• Wrap it up: Stuff it into a tortilla with a handful of greens and a few tortilla chips on the side.
• Build a bowl: Layer it over lettuce, quinoa, or any grain you love for a quick, wholesome grain bowl.

And if you want to take it even further, try topping it with chipotle sauce, pico de gallo, avocado spread, sour cream, guacamole, or quick pickled red onions.

More Easy Bean Recipes

• Black bean soup
• Vegetarian chili
• Mediterranean salad
• Mango quinoa salad
• White bean salad
• Green bean salad
• Rice salad
• Barley salad

If you tried this Black Bean Salad recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!