
This is the Fire Roasted Corn + Black Bean Salad I serve every Taco Tuesday! It’s a quick and easy side dish that is full of flavor and always a hit.
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Aren’t the colors in this dish amazing? I love to eat colorful food. We have all heard the saying “You eat with your eyes first” and it’s true. If it looks good, it tastes better.
I never really realized it before, but I love to use beans in my recipes. I have White Bean Veggie Burgers, Quinoa + Black Bean Chili, Chickpea Meatballs… and those are just a few I’ve put here on the blog recently.
One of my favorite easy lunches to make is a big salad with whatever veggies are in the fridge and then I throw some beans in there to make it substantial. I’m not even thinking about the protein they add, which is great, I’m just thinking about how good they are at filling me up without making me feel weighed down.
That’s what whole foods do for you – they make you feel like you actually ate something without making you feel heavy. Don’t we all want that?
Why Are Black Beans Good For You?
- They are high in protein – almost 8 grams per half cup of cooked beans.
- They are high in fiber – 7.5 grams per half cup of cooked beans.
- They contain calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, to name a few of the other nutrients they contain.
- They contain starch which helps control your blood sugar levels.
You can read about these benefits and others in more detail HERE.
This Fire Roasted Corn + Black Bean Salad can be used as a side dish or as a salsa. We use it both ways on Taco Tuesday. I generally make a taco salad, so I’ll just add a big helping of it to my plate, my mother-in-law eats it on the side with a fork, and my husband puts it on his tacos.
You do whatever sounds best to you! I also love to eat the leftovers as a mid morning snack the next day, or I put them in my salads for the rest of the week.
I call it Fire Roasted Corn + Black Bean Salad because I always get the frozen fire roasted corn kernels from Trader Joe’s to put in this easy side dish. Frozen vegetables are a healthy short cut when fresh veggies aren’t in season or when you want to have them on hand without being worried about fresh vegetables spoiling.
If you would like to use fresh corn, just grill up 2-3 ears of corn until they have marks but aren’t mushy, slice the corn off the cob and add it during the same step in the recipe as the frozen corn. You could also use plain frozen corn instead of fire roasted – no problem!
Corn is getting a bad rap lately. It’s full of sugar, it’s GMO, blah blah. I will admit that it is tough to find truly organic corn these days. But corn in and of itself is a delicious and healthy food!
Also, don’t talk at me about healthy sugars like they’re bad. I’m gonna sit here and eat my corn full of sugar enjoying my life while you sit over there looking sad because you don’t let yourself eat delicious, healthy, natural vegetables because someone told you they’re bad. Think about your life for a second and then come over here and join me!
Why Is Corn Good For You?
- Corn is full of antioxidants. Ten of them, to be exact!
- It provides several B vitamins.
- It is a great source of fiber.
You can read about these benefits and others in more detail HERE.
What is your favorite way to add beans into your diet? Tell me in the comments!
The Cheerful Kitchen
This is the Fire Roasted Corn + Black Bean Salsa I serve every Taco Tuesday! It's a quick and easy side dish that is full of flavor and always a hit.
5 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
15 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen fire roasted corn
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- Juice from half a lime
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- Chives or green onions for garnish *optional
Instructions
- Saute the onion and bell pepper over medium/high heat for five minutes until they start to soften and pick up a bit of brown color.
- Add the corn, black beans, lime juice, salt and coriander, and stir everything together.
- Let it cook for another five-ten minutes until the corn and beans are warmed through. Stir occasionally.
- Garnish with chives or green onions and serve.
Notes
- If using fresh corn, grill 2 or 3 years then cut the kernels off the cob and use them during the same step in the recipe as the frozen kernels.
Want more easy side dish recipes? Try these:
Potato Salad with Green Beans + Garlic
Vegetarian Boston Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker
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