Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad

Name: Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 6 people
Ingredients: 4 ears corn; 3 Tbs garlic spice blend (Separated (the blend I use has garlic, sea salt, sugar, red bell pepper, red pepper, and paprika).); 2 15oz cans black beans (Rinsed and drained); 1 medium red bell pepper (Medium chop); 1 medium orange bell pepper (Medium chop); 1 medium yellow bell pepper (Medium chop); 1 large purple onion (Medium chop); 5 green onion (Diced); 1 cup cilantro (Chopped); 1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (Halved or quartered, depending on size); 3 avocados (Diced); 2 cloves garlic (Minced); 2 Tbs olive oil (Separated); 1 large lime (Halved); salt and pepper (To taste)

Posted on February 28, 2018March 22, 2018 by Stephen

This black bean and corn salad began in a small garden in Woodburn, Oregon. On Wednesdays I drop Benjamin off at his Grandma & Papa’s house. We execute a trade. They get Benjamin for the day, I get a box full of fresh vegetables from their garden. Ok, it’s not really a trade. Benjamin loves going there and would get to with or without a box a vegetables returning home with me. It just sounds more dramatic that way. In the box is usually some combination of corn, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers. My drive home is largely spent thinking about the donuts I am going to buy on the way and what I’m going to do with the amazing produce sitting in the backseat of the car.

In passing one day, Melissa mentioned something about making a corn salsa. In the days previous, I’d made several batches of salsa. We’d been eating a lot of Mexican-style food so I wanted to do something a little bit different but still keeping a bit of southwestern flare. I decided to make a corn salad. Between the produce in the car and what we already had the refrigerator at home, I had everything I needed and the only use I would have for a can opener would be to get into the black beans. A crisp, fresh salad seemed like a nice way to enjoy the tail end of summer.

I’ve used the Wednesday veggies in a lot of different dishes and meals over the course of the summer. I’ll be sharing several of those in upcoming posts. When it gets down to it, this salad is probably my favorite of the lot. It is a simple, direct, flavorful, colorful salad that is fun and easy to make. It highlights the flavors of each ingredient without drowning them in dressing. I prepared enough for six people. In our household of 2 adults and a monkey, this salad for six didn’t stand a chance. We ate it up.

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

25-30 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

4 ears corn
3 Tbs garlic spice blend Separated (the blend I use has garlic, sea salt, sugar, red bell pepper, red pepper, and paprika).
2 15oz cans black beans Rinsed and drained
1 medium red bell pepper Medium chop
1 medium orange bell pepper Medium chop
1 medium yellow bell pepper Medium chop
1 large purple onion Medium chop
5 green onion Diced
1 cup cilantro Chopped
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes Halved or quartered, depending on size
3 avocados Diced
2 cloves garlic Minced
2 Tbs olive oil Separated
1 large lime Halved
salt and pepper To taste