Black Bean Salad is a healthy, simple, and easy-to-make vegan salad recipe that can be prepared in less than 20 minutes.
Check out our healthy and popular weight-loss quinoa salad, and creamy cucumber salad.
About the recipe
Salads should always be refreshing and vibrant with interesting texture, color, and flavor, and that is all we are doing in this black bean salad recipe.
Black beans are a primary ingredient a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. More the veggies nutritious is your salad, and I have steamed the vegetables and made this oil-free.
Black bean salad can be stored in the refrigerator and used on busy weeknights for up to seven days. Serve it as a side with soup, and dip your tortilla chips or even as a filling for your burritos or quesadillas.
Ingredients
To make this salad, I used black beans along with spinach, celery, carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, green beans, spring onions, and cilantro. You can vary the vegetables to your taste.
For the dressing, I have kept it simple and oil-free, which makes this best for your weight loss meal. It includes lemon juice, cayenne powder, salt, cumin powder, pepper flakes, and black pepper powder.
How to make the best black bean spinach salad recipe?
Preparation
- Use canned beans or dried beans soaked overnight and cooked in a pressure cooker or instant pot. You can check instructions on how to cook black beans from scratch here.
- Chop all the vegetables that you are going to use lengthwise or to the desired shape except for spinach.
- Steam the vegetables (celery, carrot, cabbage, capsicum, green beans) for 5 minutes using a steamer. Add spinach for the last 1 minute.
Toss the ingredients
- In a large bowl, add black beans, steamed vegetables, spring onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.
- To this, add the dressing - lemon juice, cayenne, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper powder, salt to taste and toss well.
- Serve and enjoy.
Tips
- You can saute the vegetables in a pan with olive oil if you do not like them steamed.
- I have used multi-colored bell peppers.
- You can also add cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and sweet corn.
- Vary the amount of cayenne powder as per your taste.
- Make sure you rinse and drain if using canned black beans.
- Love crunch? You can also add walnuts or any other nuts and seeds of your choice.
- Cabbage can be substituted with lettuce.
- You can also top your salad with avocado slices and some grated cheese.
Store, Make Ahead
- You can store the black bean salad in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- This is also one of the best dishes you can make ahead of time. WHen you let the salad sit for some time, the flavors have time to meld. Store in the refrigerator, but make sure you toss them before serving.
- I would not recommend freezing this salad as the vegetables may turn mushy as they thaw.
More Black bean recipes
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Recipe card
Healthy Black Bean Salad Recipe (Simple, Vegan)
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 2 cups Black beans
- 2 cups Spinach
- 1 Celery
- 1 Carrot
- ½ cup Cabbage
- 1 Capsicum or Bell pepper any color
- 5 Green beans optional
- 1 Spring onion
- 2 tablespoon Cilantro or Coriander leaves
- 1 Green chilli or Japaleno optional
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne powder / Red chile powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes optional
- Black pepper powder to taste
- Garlic salt or salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation
- Use canned beans or dried beans soaked overnight and cooked in a pressure cooker or instant pot. You can check instructions on how to cook black beans from scratch here.2 cups Black beans
- Chop all the vegetables that you are going to use lengthwise or to the desired shape except for spinach.
- Steam the vegetables (celery, carrot, cabbage, capsicum, green beans) for 5 minutes using a steamer. Add spinach for the last 1 minute.2 cups Spinach, 1 Celery, 1 Carrot, ½ cup Cabbage, 1 Capsicum or Bell pepper, 5 Green beans
Toss the ingredients
- In a large bowl, add black beans, steamed vegetables, spring onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.1 Spring onion, 2 tablespoon Cilantro or Coriander leaves, 1 Green chilli or Japaleno
- To this, add the dressing - lemon juice, cayenne, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper powder, salt to taste and toss well.2 tablespoon Lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Cayenne powder / Red chile powder, ½ teaspoon Cumin, ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes, Black pepper powder, Garlic salt or salt to taste
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- You can saute the vegetables in a pan with olive oil if you do not like them steamed.
- I have used multi-colored bell peppers.
- You can also add cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and sweet corn.
- Vary the amount of cayenne powder as per your taste.
- Make sure you rinse and drain if using canned black beans.
- Love crunch? You can also add walnuts or any other nuts and seeds of your choice.
- Cabbage can be substituted with lettuce.
- You can also top your salad with avocado slices and some grated cheese.
Store, Make Ahead
- You can store the black bean salad in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- This is also one of the best dishes you can make ahead of time. When you let the salad sit for some time, the flavors have time to meld. Store in the refrigerator, but make sure you toss them before serving.
- I would not recommend freezing this salad as the vegetables may turn mushy as they thaw.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this roasted cauliflower steaks or bites in November 2015. It has now been modified in Nov 2025 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Revathi
Looks so colorful, vibrant and nutrient rich. Love that you have cooked your own black bean rather than using one from the can 🙂
Kushi
Thank you Revathi 🙂
srividhya
Love those colors. Great combination
Kushi
Thank you Sri 🙂
Amanda@craftycookingmama
This looks delicious! Such a lovely salad!
Kushi
Thank you Amanda 🙂