Did you know that it is avocado season? I feel like here on the west coast we get decent avocados for a large portion of the year, I had never put two and two together that late summer was when they were their tastiest. This Sweet Corn Avocado Bean Salad combines the best veggies of late summer with a simple dressing that will be a delicious side dish to any meal.
Since corn is still so easy to find, I used sweet corn on the cob for this recipe. It is so east to roast for about a half hour, but if you are in a pinch, or can’t find any, you can adjust this recipe to use can corn. They texture will just be slightly different. The combination of black beans, corn and avocado is a wonderful trifecta that would be great atop some greens as a larger salad, next to some grilled chicken or steak, or eaten on it’s own with some tortilla chips. You can of course adjust the spice level by tweaking the amount of jalapeno that you use.
The dressing comes together quickly and easily, with lime juice and cilantro as the star. Cumin brings some smokiness and depth to the flavors, and a sprinkle of coriander compliments and emphasizes the freshness of the cilantro.
Another great thing about this Sweet Corn Avocado Bean Salad is that is can be made ahead of time! The lime juice will help keep the avocado and corn fresh if you wanted to make this the night before serving. I honestly find that it tests even better after chilling in the refrigerator as the dressing has time to seep in and develop a more robust flavor. Enjoy the fleeting summer nights ,and whip this up for your Labor Day picnic!
Sweet Corn Avocado Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Ears of corn
- 2 Tbsp Finely chopped jalapeno
- 1 Can Black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 Avocado chopped
- 1/4 Cup Lime juice
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Honey
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Ground coriander
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place ears of corn, with husks on, on a baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes.
- While roasting, make the dressing. Combine lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, honey, cumin and coriander to a small bowl. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
- Remove from oven, and let cool until you can husk them easily. Slice corn kernels off of cobs into a bowl.
- Add a can of drained and rinsed black beans, and finely chopped jalapeno. Add dressing and stir to combine.
- Add avocado to bowl, and stir gently to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or chill in refrigerator before serving.
