This Mexican Bean Salad is a bold, flavour-packed twist on the classic three-bean salad — and it’s one of the easiest make-ahead sides you’ll find for summer BBQs, potlucks, and picnics.
Black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans come together with sweet corn, roasted red pepper, red onion, and fresh cilantro, all marinated in a smoky chili powder and cumin vinaigrette. There’s no mayo, no cooking, and no fuss — just a big, colourful bowl that gets better the longer it sits.
Whether you’re searching for a Mexican bean salad, a no-mayo Summer salad, or a hearty vegetarian side dish that travels well, this recipe delivers on every front. It keeps in the fridge for up to five days, making it just as perfect for weekday meal prep as it is for weekend entertaining.
This Mexican bean salad is also incredibly versatile. Enjoy it as a side dish for grilled chicken, burgers or sausage off the grill or as a hearty side dish for tacos. I love to keep a bowl in the fridge to grab for a quick, but filling lunch or snack.
Ingredients and substitution suggestions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Canned kidney beans, canned black beans and canned pinto beans – Canned red kidney beans are recommended, but white kidney beans will also work in a pinch. I’ve used canned pinto beans here, but you could substitute canned navy beans here. I’ve used no-salt-added canned beans where available.
Canned beans in Canada tend to be 19oz (540ml), but anywhere from 15oz- 19oz cans will work just fine. In all cases, drain the canned beans and rinse well with cold water in a colander before using.
Jarred roasted red peppers – I’ve used jarred roasted red peppers in this salad. I love the bit of smoky flavour, and they are so easy to work with. You can substitute the jarred red peppers with red peppers that you roast yourself, or simply diced fresh red pepper.
Corn – I’ve used thawed frozen corn here, but drained canned corn is fine. If it’s corn season, corn cut from the cob is a great option, though you may want to cook it slightly to remove the raw flavour.
Make it your own!
Consider adding diced avocado or jalapeño to the mix, swapping the types of canned beans or adding some cooked fresh green or yellow beans.
How to make Mexican bean salad: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Drain and rinse the canned beans and add to a large bowl with the corn and chopped red onion.
Step 2: Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl (you can substitute chopped parsley).
Step 3: Add the chopped roasted red pepper to the bowl.
Step 4: Mix up the salad dressing in a measuring cup.
Step 5: Add the bean salad dressing to the salad.
Step 6: Stir well, then cover and refrigerate, stirring a couple of times, for at least 3 hours, but ideally for 6-8 hours.
Recipe tips!
- Allow at least 3 hours for the bean salad to marinate before serving, at a minimum. Ideally, marinate the salad 6-8 hours for the best flavours.
- Be sure to stir the bean salad a few times while it is marinating, to ensure the beans are well marinated.
Making ahead and storing
Bean salad is perfect for making ahead, as it should ideally sit for 6-8 hours for the best flavour.
Bean salad will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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Get the Recipe: Mexican Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 19 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 19 oz canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 19 oz canned pinto beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups corn, thawed frozen corn or drained canned corn
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, or fresh red pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, or substitute parsley
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lime, about 2 Tbsp
- 4 teaspoons white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Dash hot sauce or few shakes of Tajín Clásico
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the 19 oz canned black beans, 19 oz canned red kidney beans and 19 oz canned pinto beans or navy beans in a colander. Add to a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups corn, 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup red onion and 1/4 cup cilantro and stir to combine.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic minced, Juice of 1 lime, 4 teaspoons white granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder and Dash hot sauce or few shakes of Tajín Clásico and stir well to combine. Pour over the bean mixture and stir well to coat.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but ideally for 6-8 hours, stirring a couple of times as it marinates.
- Bean salad will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
More bean salad recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress-free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
