Black Bean and Corn Salsa

The last installment of Salsa Week and this one just happens to be in a close running to winning the title of my favorite salsa!

Whenever I look at jarred salsa, the one kind I always search out is a black bean and corn salsa.  I love those!  The beans and corn add such a nice texture to the salsa.  It even allows me to handle a more spicier salsa because somehow the beans and corn seem to tame down the assertive peppers.

Eventually I wondered to myself if one could make salsa with black beans and corn as the main ingredient instead of them being added into a tomato based salsa.

You’re never going to know the answer to your question until you try it, right?  So that’s exactly what I set out to do and now I cannot get enough of this salsa.  I could pretty much consume the entire batch myself without giving it a second thought!   This salsa is super easy to make and takes maybe 10 minutes at most to prepare.

Andrea’s Black Bean and Corn Salsa

  • 1 15oz Can of Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 2C of Fresh Summer Corn
  • 1/4-1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • The Juice of 1/2-1 Whole Lime
  • Sprinkle of Salt and Black Pepper, (about 1/2tsp each)
  • 1/2-1tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/2tsp Garlic Powder
  • Cilantro, to taste, finely chopped

In a large glass mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

This salsa smells good even before you add the seasonings to it!  It is so fresh and crisp tasting that it screams summer and backyard relaxing.  I add a bunch of cilantro because I love it but again, you can add as much or as little as you like.

This salsa also will easily take on additional veggies if you want to toss some in there.  This batch, I actually added in about half a diced red pepper for added color and crunch.

You want to cut the corn off the cob while it’s raw.  I have a handy tip about cutting corn off the cob to help you with that task!  If you don’t really want to eat raw corn, you can sautee the kernels for about two minutes in some olive oil.  Raw corn is so good in this dish though!  It’s sweet and crunchy and almost delicate tasting.

If you don’t have fresh corn because maybe it’s dead of winter, you can sub in 2C of frozen corn easily.  Just thaw them a bit first and drain off some of the excess water.

The reason I have “The Juice of 1/2-1 Whole Lime” is because the lime and your taste preference will determine the amount needed. If you have a super juicy lime, you may only need 1/2 of it or you might think a whole lime is too much of a good thing.  Start with 1/2 and see where that takes you.  I normally use a whole lime though.

Fresh black beans that you made is totally acceptable!  I would guess around 2C of those would be a good starting point.

This salsa has been a huge staple for us this summer!  It’s been so hot and humid this year that eating a hot dinner isn’t always that appealing, so we’ve been eating this in all kinds of different ways.  It’s perfect for just snacking with tortilla chips as well!  I probably already told you this smells fantastic, right?  A typical Scott comment is, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but it smells amazing over there!”

If you love beans and corn, make yourself some of this salsa!  It’s summer in a bowl!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

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