Updated July 2021.

It should be apparent at this point in time that I’m a lazy cook. I love easy meals or dishes that just involve dumping things together, and that can feed me for a long while. This bean salsa is the perfect recipe for taco night, potlucks, and even salads. It’s a light variation on something called “cowboy caviar” if you’re familiar with it.

Bean Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 Can Black Beans
• 1 Can Golden Corn
• 1 Can Garbanzo Beans
• Cilantro
• Red Onion
• Italian Dressing
• 2+ Limes
• 1 Jalapeno (Or 1 can of diced green chiles)

Instructions

1. Chop 1/2 large red onion (or one whole normal sized red onion) & jalapeno. Place in bowl.
2. Drain and rinse black beans and chick peas/garbanzo beans. Add to bowl.
3. Drain corn and green chiles. Add to bowl.
4. Chop cilantro, and add to the bowl.
5. Juice two limes into the bowl.
6. Allow to “marinate” for at least 4 hours (Overnight works best).

The cilantro is not an exact science. For me, I just kept chopping until I felt there was “enough green” in the bowl. Be sure you give everything a really good mix once everything is in the bowl. I’d recommend placing it in an airtight container overnight in the fridge. It gives a chance for all of the flavors to come together. For my latest batch, I tested it the next day and added in about a third of a cup of the Italian dressing for some flavor.

My friend Haley was actually the first to do the original bean salsa recipe for a tailgate. I’ve made some updates over the years. I added garbanzo beans for a bit more protein. Added lime juice over the Italian dressing.

Now, I made this for the 4th of July dinner at my parents’ house. I was craving it, but it makes so much and I decided to share. My mom is not a fan of red onion (she says she is “still eating them” the next day whenever she has them, so she tends to avoid them). However, she didn’t mind this recipe! We were talking, and came to the conclusion that the lime juice counterbalanced the red onion just enough that you got the flavor without the overwhelming onion taste. The whole family enjoyed it. I personally prefer eating this bean salsa with the “hint of lime” tortilla chips. Just a little extra flavor.

You can also use this bean salsa as a salad dressing/topping if you wanted. It’s very versatile. Plus, it’s super inexpensive to make, and is always a hit at parties. Let me know if you decide to make it!

Interested in my other recipes? Check them out here.

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