Description
Cool Beans Salad is a vibrant and refreshing bean and rice salad dressed with a tangy and spiced vinaigrette. Combining kidney beans, black beans, basmati rice, corn, fresh vegetables, and herbs, this chilled salad is perfect as a light meal or a flavorful side dish for warm weather gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Salad
- 3 cups cooked basmati rice
- 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1–1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, salt, ground cumin, chili powder, and pepper until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are fully combined to form a flavorful vinaigrette.
- Add the Salad Ingredients: To the bowl with the dressing, add the cooked basmati rice, kidney beans, black beans, thawed frozen corn, sliced green onions, chopped sweet red pepper, and minced fresh cilantro. Gently toss everything together to coat all ingredients evenly with the dressing.
- Chill the Salad: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving. This chilling time lets the flavors meld beautifully and the salad serve cool and refreshing.
Notes
- Use fresh or well-rinsed canned beans to ensure the best flavor and texture.
- For best results, cook the basmati rice ahead of time and cool it before mixing to avoid mushiness.
- You can add a squeeze of lime or lemon for extra brightness if desired.
- This salad is perfect for meal prep and can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Adjust chili powder to your preferred level of heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Bean salad, rice salad, kidney beans, black beans, vegetarian salad, chilled salad, summer salad, healthy salad, easy salad recipe
