Southwest 3-Bean Salad
This vegan Southwest 3-bean salad is the perfect side dish to bring with you to any summer party. It’s easy to make and tasty to eat! This recipe is great as a side to a grilled vegan burger, carrot dog, or seitan sausage and also makes a great main dish served with quinoa or in a burrito bowl! Packed with healthy fiber-rich and protein-packed ingredients like black beans, white beans, kidney beans, corn, red onions, and peppers. We finish it with a zesty lime dressing to bring it all together!
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The first time I ever had this Southwest 3-Bean Salad was many years ago at a BBQ in Colorado. As soon as I tasted it, I immediately wanted to try to replicate it!
And over the course of many years I have made many iterations of this salad, but I think I have exceeded my expectations with the one I’m sharing today.
The way the citrusy/spicy marinade brings all the flavors of the major ingredients together is just an absolute pleasure for the palate. And it couldn’t be easier to make!
This totally plant-based 3-bean salad is the perfect side dish to bring with you to any summer festivity. The recipe makes enough for a party, but we’ve included plenty of great suggestions for using up leftovers!
Why We Love This Bean Salad Recipe
- It’s always a crowd pleaser. I don’t think I’ve ever brought this side salad to a party where almost the entire bowl hasn’t been eaten and raved about.
- The recipe makes a whole bunch and is surprisingly versatile in its uses as leftovers.
- It’s as healthful and as full of fiber as it is flavor! A hearty summer salad that tastes great and makes you feel great!
- It’s so easy to put together with simple ingredients but looks like you made a huge effort!
Ingredients
This Southwest Bean Salad is packed with healthy plant-based protein and fiber. It’s massively flavorful with simple ingredients!
For the salad base, you’ll need:
- BEANS: We used black beans, white beans, and red kidney beans.
- Sweet Corn
- Tomatoes – Use firm tomatoes so they’re not all goopy or falling apart when you cut them and add them to the salad. I like firm on-the-vine or roma tomatoes.
- Red Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Scallions
For the Dressing, you’ll need
- Lime juice
- Rice wine vinegar – or white wine vinegar
- SPICES: Cumin, onion powder, turmeric, salt, black pepper, cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional)
Substitution Notes
OPTIONAL ADD-INS: Quinoa, brown/yellow rice, diced avocado, sliced jalapeno, and fresh cilantro.
CANNED FOOD SUB: To use freshly cooked beans, use 1 – 1 1/4 cup. To use frozen or fresh corn, use 1 1/2 cup.
RED PEPPER SUB: If you don’t have red pepper, green pepper will work in a pinch
How to Serve Southwest 3-Bean Salad
AS A BBQ SIDE: Serve this protein-packed salad cold as a BBQ side with plant-based burgers, carrot dogs, grilled seitan sausages, and veggie burgers!
MAIN MEAL IDEAS: It’s also fantastic served over quinoa and topped with diced avocado, wrapped in a breakfast burrito with tofu scramble or added to nachos, tacos, and burrito bowls!
How to Store Leftovers
This 3-bean salad recipe makes a great party-sized portion. Here are our best tips for storing any leftovers!
FRIDGE: Store leftover bean salad in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
FREEZER: We haven’t frozen this bean salad by itself yet, but we have frozen it wrapped up in burritos with our Southwest Tofu Scramble and sprinkle of vegan shredded cheese. It’s a great way to use up leftover 3-bean salad and prep for a week’s worth of breakfasts all in one!
However you try this Southwest 3-Bean Salad, we hope you love it and will let us know what you think!
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Southwest 3-Bean Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 15-oz can black beans
- 1 15-oz can red kidney beans
- 1 15-oz can white navy beans
- 1 15-oz can sweet yellow corn
- 1 1/2 cups diced firm tomatoes
- 2 cups diced or thin julienne red onion
- 1 1/3 cup diced or thin julienne red pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup lime juice about 1 large lime
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fine ground black pepper
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- PREP: Open the cans of beans and corn. Drain and rinse the beans. Drain the corn. Then, chop all the vegetables.
- MIX: Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
- COMBINE: Drizzle half the dressing over salad and mix well (fold ingredients so as to not break beans too much). Add the other half of the dressing and mix again.
- CHILL: Allow salad to sit in the fridge - covered - for at least an hour or overnight for optimal flavor.
Video
Notes
- OPTIONAL ADD-INS: Quinoa, brown/yellow rice, diced avocado, sliced jalapeno, and fresh cilantro.
- CANNED FOOD SUB: To use freshly cooked beans: Use 1 - 1 1/4 cup. To use frozen or fresh corn: Use 1 1/2 cup.
- RED PEPPER SUB: If you don’t have red pepper, green pepper will work in a pinch
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