This black bean salad recipe is full of healthy ingredients and tastes tangy and satisfying, perfect for everything from potlucks to easy lunch ideas.
“Food is love.” It’s the opening line of the new cookbook Husbands That Cook, and we could not agree more. Food has the power to bring people together: couples, families, friends, even enemies who break bread can come closer. Alex and I could not wait to make this black bean salad from the book because it’s the type of recipe our friends and family would gather around! And it did not disappoint. It’s tangy and delicious, perfectly seasoned with cumin, garlic, and apple cider vinegar, and mixed with colored bell peppers, green onions and rice. Here’s how to make it!
Leftovers save well, so make it ahead!
Another feature of this black bean salad: it can sit in the refrigerator for up to 3 days without losing flavor, so it’s perfect for making ahead and eating off of all week. Or for sitting for hours on the potluck table. A lot of salads lose flavor over time, but using a hefty dose of apple cider vinegar helps it to stay tangy in the fridge for days.
This black bean salad recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
- 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked or Instant Pot black beans)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 5 green onions
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large garlic clove
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add the uncooked rice, stir to combine, and return to a boil. Cover pan, and reduce heat as low as possible. Simmer without opening the lid for 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. (Or, use our Stovetop White Rice, Stovetop Brown Rice, or Instant Pot Rice methods.)
- Finely chop the peppers. Thinly slice the green onions. Mince the garlic.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, black beans, chopped red and yellow peppers, and scallions, and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, cumin, garlic, salt, and black pepper, Whisk thoroughly to combine, then pour over the rice mixture. Toss gently to coat, then either serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.