Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad with Rice

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad with Rice is a healthy and colorful summer side dish that takes less than 30 minutes to make! It’s loaded with fresh vegetables and hearty beans and rice. Perfect for potlucks!

Black beans and corn are one of my favorite flavor combos! Try my Black Bean Corn Salsa with avocado for something a little lighter, and my Tomato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad is deliciously loaded with goodness!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Rice. All opinions and text are my own. 

I was so excited to see fresh corn on the cob at my local grocery store and knew exactly what I would make with it. One of my favorite summer salads that are light and healthy. This grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad with Rice is the perfect dish for summertime. It’s crunchy, and a little sweet thanks to the corn with a bit of spice from the jalapeno. It’s light, colorful, and loaded with flavor.

This Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad with Rice is so easy to throw together. Just chop up all of the ingredients and toss them together. I like to make this the night before so all of the flavors can develop together. This easy Mexican salad is tossed with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. I add a sprinkle of queso fresco on top. Because everything’s better with a little cheese.

To add even more flavor to the salad I grilled the corn. It gives the sweet corn a nice smokey flavor. The corn takes about 10 minutes to become perfectly charred on the outside and tender. If fresh corn is not available you can always use frozen corn instead.

Ingredients for Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad

• Corn: Ideally, I like to use 2 ears of corn (without the husks) and grill them, however, if they’re out of season I sometimes use frozen corn instead.
• Rice: For this recipe, I went with Minute Brown Rice because it cooks super quickly which means less time in the kitchen (and more time to eat!).
• Black Beans: Drained and rinsed canned black beans are perfect for this recipe. You can also cook black beans from scratch and add them in once they’re cooked.
• Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes add a burst of flavor, and zingy sweetness. They’re delicious! You can use cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or some from your garden if you grow them yourself!
• Onion: I like the taste of red onion when it comes to salads because it’s added in raw and is a little sweeter than yellow or white onion. If you’re not a fan of raw onion, just add 1 or 2 tbsp instead of 3.
• Jalapeño: This Mexican salad needs a kick of heat so I diced up a little jalapeño and tossed that in. If you like it spicy add some extra jalapeño!
• Queso fresco: Queso fresco is a Mexican cheese found in most large grocery stores in the U.S. If you can’t find queso fresco, feta or queso blanco are good substitutes!
• Cilantro: Freshly chopped cilantro takes the flavor to a whole new level. It tastes amazing!
• Lime juice: This balances the flavors with a zesty citrus kick. Lemon juice can be substituted if needed.
• Oil: This final ingredient brings all of the flavors together. Use any healthy oil that you prefer like avocado oil or olive oil.

How do you make Corn and Black Bean Salad?

1. Spray grill and corn with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the corn with a little salt and pepper. Grill until corn is tender about 8-10 minutes. Turn corn every 1-2 minutes to make sure it does not burn.
2. To make the rice bring water to a boil. Add in rice and simmer for 5 minutes, covered. Take off of the heat and let it sit for an additional 5 minutes to soak up the water, covered. Fluff rice with a fork. Set aside and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, add the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine. Add in the cooled rice and toss. I like to refrigerate it before serving but you can always serve it as is.

What do you serve with Black Bean and Corn Salad?

This salad is a great idea for cookouts or Taco Tuesday! Here are some recipes I like to serve with this:

• Easy Grilled Chicken
• Honey Garlic Salmon
• Grilled Steak Kabobs
• Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs
• Blackened Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce
• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
• Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef
• Chicken Carnitas

Tips for Success

• Use frozen corn if fresh corn is out of season or difficult to find.
• Add extra spice by tossing in more jalapeño.
• Switch out the black beans for other beans like chickpeas, pinto beans, great northern beans, chili beans, or cannellini beans.
• Use Minute White Rice instead of brown rice.
• Make it a day before to allow the flavors to develop. This Corn and Black Bean Salad tastes so much better the next day!
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

Here are more Easy Side Dish recipes to try!

• Tomato and Black Bean Salad
• Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
• Roasted Asparagus with Garlic Breadcrumbs
• 30 Minute Creamy Confetti Corn
• Easy Enchilada Rice

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