Love a good bean salad? You need to try our Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad recipe as well as our protein packed Edamame Salad and our Avocado Black Bean Salad!

large bowl of Southwest bean salad filled with 3 types of beans and lots of veggies

The bean salad I can’t stop eating!

I’ve been eating this southwestern bean salad on repeat lately, and it’s officially my go-to lazy workday lunch. I make a big batch, stick it in the fridge, and then scoop it with tortilla chips straight into a bowl whenever hunger strikes – no reheating, no thinking, no effort required. It’s filling, well-seasoned, and somehow makes me feel like I have my life together even when I’m eating lunch at my desk.

It’s also striking on my vegetarian taco salad or a good burrito bowl!

Here’s why you’ll love it:

Hearty, filling, and protein-packed!
Naturally vegetarian and straightforward to make vegan
Reliable for meal prep – it gets better with time!
Great as a side dish or a main

Ingredients needed

The ingredients for this southwestern black bean salad are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!

For the bean salad

BEANS! – we’re using chickpeas, black beans, and pinto beans for this method but genuinely any beans you prefer will work well! The black and pinto beans genuinely give this a southwestern lean but do what feels good for you!
Sweet Corn – Fresh corn, frozen (thawed), or canned all work.
Red bell pepper – Adds crunch and sweetness. Genuinely any color bell pepper will work.
Cherry tomatoes – Juicy and bright! Roma tomatoes would also work well in this dish!
Red onion – Sharp bite that mellows as it sits. Green onions would also taste savory!
Jalapeño – Optional heat; remove seeds for milder spice.
Cilantro – Essential for that fresh Southwest flavor. If you’re cilantro-averse, parsley will work but the flavor will change. You can also simply leave it out altogether.

ingredients needed to make a southwestern vinaigrette including olive oil, honey, lime juice, spices, and salt and pepper

For the Southwestern Vinaigrette

Olive oil – Creates a smooth, balanced dressing.
Fresh lime juice – Key to the bright, zippy flavor.
Honey or agave – Balances the acidity and spice.
Spices – simple warming spices including cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika + salt and pepper.

How to Make It

Simply a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you:)

bowl filled ingredients that are neatly sectioned out and not mixed together yet including: pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, tomato, onion, jalapeno, coen and bell pepper

Combine all of the beans and veggies in a LARGE bowl including chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro + jalapeno.

Make the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Drizzle over the salad and toss so that everything is well covered. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Recipe Tips

Dice everything fairly small so the salad stays “dense” and scoopable.
Rinse beans quite well to remove excess starch and prevent a gummy texture.
Let the salad rest at least 30 minutes before serving for dependable flavor. It’s actually dependable the next day!
Add avocado only before serving if you want creaminess without browning.