Easy and Not so Boring Black Bean Fiesta Salad
This is a great vegetarian dish! The fiesta dressing I made for this salad is creamy and flavorful. Sometimes opening canned vegetables is not such a bad idea at all. For this recipe, I used canned black beans, so much quicker, easier, but deliciously satisfying. I also used frozen roasted corn, but I used fresh bell pepper and I roasted it first. Roasting my bell pepper helped balances the flavor of this fiesta salad. Literally, fiesta means joyful celebration, and this Black Bean Fiesta Salad is exactly that!
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how i prepared my ingredients
- This salad is quick and healthy, required very little chopping. For convenience, I used canned black beans and frozen roasted corn which made life a little easier for me without sacrificing good flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper. I try not to use foil, no matter how I grease the foil my roasted veggies still stick on it.
- Roasting pepper makes a big difference. Cut the pepper into two pieces, remove the seeds, place it on a prepared baking pan with skin side up. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, roast for 15-20 minutes or until the skin blister and the pepper is tender. Cool, peel the skin, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- The tomato is nice and fresh. I remove the seeds and cut it into small diced.
- The red onion is milder than regular yellow or white onion. I used a small size onion (equal to 1/4 cup), finely chopped it.
- The avocado makes it creamy and very satisfying. I only used half, I removed the seed, sliced it thinly, then scooped it out from the skin with a spoon. Your platting looks so much appetizing when slicing the avocado vs. cutting it into cubes.
- I used romaine lettuce and roughly chopped cilantro for my greens.
- Squeezed lime at the end to give this salad a fresh citrus taste.
How I made the dressing
- I combined Greek yogurt, taco seasoning, store-bought salsa, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Stir, and mix them well.
- This is optional, I place a couple of spoons of the dressing in a ziplock bag, then I cut the tip, and use it to drizzle the dressing onto my salad. It’s easier for me to control the bag rather than using a regular spoon when I drizzle the dressing. It makes your platting look like a “piece of art” too!
Can I make this salad into burrito or tacos?
- Yes and yes! If you’re making a burrito, you can add some rice to make it very filling.
- For tacos, I like using corn tortillas, but you decide what’s best for you. Corn or flour tortilla?
- You can make your own Homemade Salsa or use a store-bought.
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Easy and Not So Boring Black Bean Fiesta Salad
My favorite veggies including roasted bell pepper with Southwestern flavor creamy dressing.
Equipment
- baking sheet pan
- Serving bowl
- Spatula
- knife
- cutting board
- Scissors
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper, halved, deseed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or red chili pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 15 oz. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 Roma tomato, deseed, small diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, small diced
- 2 cups Romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons taco seasonings
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper or red chili pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay the bell pepper onto the pan skin side up. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the skin blister and the pepper is tender. Cool, peel, cut into bite- sized pieces.
- In a bowl combine, black beans, corn, tomato, roasted pepper, red onion, lettuce, and sliced avocado.
- Make the dressing. In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, taco seasoning, salsa, cream, salt, and pepper, stir to mix.
- Scoop a couple of tablespoons of dressing into a ziplock bag, snip the tip. Squeeze the bag and drizzle onto the Fiesta Salad.
- Toss everything until well coated with the creamy dressing. Serve immedialy.
Notes
- Is this salad good with taco meat? Of course!
- Have a tender cut beef, or buy a sirloin, cut them into thin strips then season with the taco seasoning. Grilled or pan-fried is great, then add to the salad.
- You can use chicken also.
- Add Mexican rice to make a burrito. Generously drizzle with the dressing, and you’re good to go!
- This salad is also great with cheese, either with Mexican cheese or sharp cheddar.
equipment
ABOUT JEN
Welcome to my virtual home. I’m a mom of two wonderful girls and a Community Education Culinary Instructor. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking and prepping meals will save you money, time, and you know what goes into your food. Definitely worth the effort. Read more…
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