Small cubes of tomato, avocado and red onion make this salad fresh and easy to eat; black beans and corn add enough bite to make it a satisfying lunch. Lime and cilantro bring everything together, while tortilla chips add a salty crunch.
A chopped salad is about more than cutting everything into small pieces: the ingredients should be roughly the same size in every bite, so you can taste creamy avocado, juicy tomato, sweet corn and hearty black beans all at once. Cut the tomato and avocado into cubes of about one centimeter, and dice the red onion a little finer. Rinse canned beans well and drain them; this keeps the salad fresh and prevents the dressing from turning cloudy.
The lime-cilantro dressing is deliberately simple. Lime juice adds acidity to balance the creaminess of the avocado and the mild, earthy flavor of the beans. Cumin adds a warm, slightly nutty note without overpowering the fresh ingredients. Mix the dressing separately first, and toss it through the salad just before eating. That way, you can distribute it evenly and keep the avocado in neat cubes.
Use canned or jarred corn for convenience, or kernels from a cooked ear of corn if you have one on hand. Well-drained corn adds a sweet bite without extra moisture. In summer, ripe tomatoes are often especially juicy; outside the season, choose firm tomatoes that don’t feel mealy. An avocado that’s ripe but still firm is easiest to cut. No fresh cilantro at home? Use parsley instead for a different but still fresh herbal flavor. A little extra lime can brighten the dressing further.
This is a modern salad with Mexican-inspired flavors, not a traditional Mexican classic. The combination of beans, corn, lime and cumin gives it a familiar flavor profile, while the diced avocado and tomato keep the salad light and juicy. Add the tortilla chips at the very end, or serve them on the side: they quickly lose their crunch in the dressing. For a more substantial lunch, serve the salad with extra chips for scooping.
If you want to take the salad with you, store the dressing separately and cut the avocado as late as possible. Keep the chips separate too, so they stay crisp. Cover the prepared salad and refrigerate it promptly, and preferably eat leftovers within a day; don’t leave cut ingredients at room temperature for long. Toss the dressing through just before serving, then taste and see if it needs extra lime or salt.
Rinse the black beans under cold water and drain them well. Drain the corn too.
Cut the tomatoes and avocado into cubes of about 1 cm. Finely dice the red onion and roughly chop the cilantro.
Juice the lime into a small bowl. Whisk the juice with the olive oil, cumin and salt to make a dressing.
Put the beans, corn, tomato, red onion and cilantro in a large bowl. Gently toss with the dressing just before serving.
Gently fold in the avocado. Break the tortilla chips into large pieces and scatter them over the salad just before eating, or serve them on the side.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
Main courseA hearty bowl of tender pearl barley, sweet cumin-roasted carrots and golden-brown chickpeas. The fresh sauce of herbs, lemon and tahini brings it all together, while toasted sesame adds a little crunch.
Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.