Black Bean & Corn Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette
This is just one of those crowd-pleasing, make-ahead recipes that everyone loves. This recipe is similar, only instead of a lime vinaigrette, this recipe tosses the salad with a smoky and sweet Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette (similar to the salad dressing served at Chipotle).
To make the dressing, you’ll need canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce — these are small peppers (usually red jalapeños) that have been dried and smoked that come in a spicy, smoky tomato sauce. You can find them in the Latin section of most supermarkets. Once you open a can, you can transfer any remaining peppers to a plastic container and store in the refrigerator for at least a month. You can also freeze them.
Ingredients for the Salad
- 2 ears fresh corn
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 can (14.5 oz) black beans
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro (plus a bit more for garnish, if desired)
- 1 avocado
Ingredients for the Dressing
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, from 1-2 limes
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (2 peppers, not 2 cans; use smaller peppers and if they are all large, use only 1-1/2)
Instructions
Ingredients
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and let cool.
Meanwhile, place the chopped red onions in a small bowl and cover with water. Let sit about ten minutes, then drain completely in a sieve and set aside.
Place the beans in a sieve; run under cold water to rinse well. Let drain completely and set aside.
Holding the cooled corn upright in a large bowl, cut the kernels off the cob in strips. Add the beans, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro.
Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor; process until smooth.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or, preferably, overnight.
Right before serving, slice the avocado in half. Remove the pit; using a butter knife, cut a grid in each half. Holding the avocado halves over the salad, use a spoon to scoop out the diced flesh. Toss the salad gently, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a squeeze of fresh lime to freshen it up). Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped cilantro if desired. Serve cold.
Recipe Notes
