Black Bean, Mango & Avocado Salad

This delicious salad is protein packed and full of flavor too! You can eat it as a side dish, main dish or even as a snack with some chips! It’s so easy!

Does anyone else get stuck in a rut when it comes to side dishes or is that just me?! That’s why I feel like I’m always on the prowl for different salads, veggies or any new “trendy” way to prepare ingredients. And a few sides I’ve been loving so far this season are non-green salads (lettuce free) or more speficially this easy and refreshing black bean and mango salad with avocado! It’s quick and easy, super flavorful and has so many different flavors and textures too! Which makes it such a nice change of pace from the standard “green salad” that can get a little…err boring, to say the least. 😉 So if you have a non-lettuce lover in your life, try making this salad for them instead! I bet you anything they’ll fall head over heels for this tasty dish!

Ingredients

• Canned black beans: Used as the base of your salad. Black beans also provide a ton of plant based protein and make this a much heartier salad too! (Try using beans that are low in salt or salt free. I’ve found that buying orgainic beans whenever I can tends to give the best results.)
• Fresh mango: Adds freshness and sweetness! (Look for mangos that give slightly when you give them a gentle squeeze. Think about how a ripe peach feels. If the mango is too firm that it’s not ripe yet.
• Fresh corn: Adds even more sweetness and texture to your salad. (You can use either fresh or frozen and thawed corn for this. I personally prefer using fresh whenever I can find it because it has a much better texture.)
• Avocado: Adds some creaminess to balance out your sweet and tart flavors!
• Red bell pepper: Adds even more crunch. (Look for peppers that are firm with no soft spots. This will give your salad the ultimate natrual crunch factor.)
• Red onion: Compliments the rest of your flavors and adds some aromatics too!
• Cilantro: Adds flavor and extra freshness. (I usually only cut the leaves for this salad but you can also cut the leaves and stems too if you prefer.)
• Lime juice: Ties all of your ingredients together and really gives your salad a fresh tropical feel!
• Seasonings- salt, pepper & chili powder: Adds so much flavor and elevates each individual ingredient!

Whenever I’m looking for good quality organic ingredients, I always head to my local Sprouts! They always have my favorite organic black beans in stock and they’re incredibly low in sodium too! (Plus they’re never mushy after draining them which I’ve found to be a problem with a few other brands that I’ve tried recently.)

How to make the best black bean, mango and avocado salad

1. Drain and rinse your canned black beans and add them to a large bowl.
2. Next, cut the kernels off your corn (if using fresh) and add them to the bowl with your beans. (If using frozen corn, thaw the kernels according to the package before adding them to the beans.)
3. Then dice your mango, avocados, bell pepper, onion and cilantro and add them to the bowl. Squeeze your lime juice over the top and toss the salt until it’s fully coated. Then stir in your chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Refrigerate the salad until you’re ready to eat!

*For the best results, chill your salad for at least 1 hour before serving!

How to prep and store this salad

• Keep the avocado and lime juice separate! If I’m prepping this salad a day in advance, I’ll usually cut all of my ingredients (except for the avocado and lime juice) and store them together in a large bowl in the fridge. Then when I’m ready to serve, I’ll cut the avocado and add it with the lime juice right before serving. This way the avocado stays nice and green and the other ingredients don’t become mushy from sitting in the lime juice for too long.
• Serve this salad cold! I’ve found that this salad is 100x better when it’s been chilled as opposed to being served at room temperature. For the best result, let the salad chill for at least 1 hour to really let those flavors “marinate” together.

What do I serve with black bean and mango salad?

This salad is a pretty hearty dish all on it’s own, but it does make a great side serve for pot luck or large crowd. And the best part is, it’s so great with so many different entrees too! Here are a few of our favorites to serve it with! (And a few other fun ways to use it too!)

Serve it a a side dish with:

• Grilled chicken or steak
• Carne asada or pollo asada
• Chili lime shrimp
• Blackend Cajun salmon

Or you can use it as a dip and serve it with chips or even as a salsa for tacos too! The possibilites are endless!

More recipes you might like:

• Avocado, Tomato & Mozzarella Salad
• Fruit Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
• Black Bean Tostadas with Mexican Corn Salsa
• Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos with Chiptole Lime Sauce
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp & Avocado Salad

[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!