This marinated bean salad is an easy make-ahead side dish made with beans, corn, onion, and a tangy lime dressing. It's packed with flavor, makes enough to feed a crowd, and takes only 15 minutes to make.
We eat a lot of salads when we're camping. Mostly because there are so many great ones that can be made ahead, including pasta salad, marinated vegetable salad, Greek salad, and more, including this easy make-ahead bean salad. It's packed with good-for-you ingredients, it's hearty and filling, and it makes a large batch, which can be used to feed your family for several days, or to feed a crowd, whether at camp or your next long weekend backyard cookout.
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Why This Recipe is Great for Camping
- It's an easy make ahead salad recipe.
- It only takes 15 minutes to make.
- It stores well for several days and is a great option when you need a no-cook camping recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beans--This marinated bean salad recipe uses several types of beans to give the salad plenty of flavor and color. Feel free to play around with your favorite types of beans. Always rinse and drain your canned beans as this will help reduce the sodium content and make them easier to digest.
- Corn--I use canned corn here since it is available year round, but you can use cooked frozen or fresh corn. If you've got leftover campfire corn, feel free to mix that in to add some smoky flavor to the salad.
- Lime--Your lime should yield 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of juice. To help extract as much juice as possible, roll it firmly against a firm surface before juicing. If it's a little stingy, grab a second lime half and squeeze that in.
How to Make Bean and Corn Salad
1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
2. Mix the beans, corn, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and stir to combine. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
FAQs
If stored in a sealed container in the fridge, your bean salad will last up to 4 days.
I don't recommend it. Although it is safe to freeze the salad, the texture of the beans will change when thawed and the salad may become mushy.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If you don't like the bite of raw onion, soak your chopped onion in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding to the salad.
- If the oil in the dressing solidifies while chilling, let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then give it a good stir before serving.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free and vegan diets.
More Make-Ahead Salads You'll Love
Recipe
Marinated Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) mixed beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can (10 oz) corn drained
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the dressing
- In a glass measuring jug or lidded jar, whisk the oil, vinegar, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and sugar together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the salad
- In a large serving bowl, mix the beans, corn, onion, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over and mix well to thoroughly coat everything in the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Stir well before serving.
Notes
- Soak the onion--If you don't like the bite of raw onion, soak your chopped onion in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding to the salad.
- Let it warm up--If the oil in the dressing solidifies while chilling, let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then give it a good stir before serving.
- Storage--Store leftover salad in a sealed container in the fridge or cooler for up to 4 days.
- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for gluten-free and vegan diets.
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