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This black bean salsa recipe is quick and full of zesty flavor! Mix beans with fresh tomatoes, onion, lime and cilantro.
Looking for a delicious spin on salsa? Add a can of black beans to the classic lineup and you’ve got black bean salsa! This zesty recipe is simple and follows the formula of salsa fresca: tomatoes, onion, lime, and jalapeño.
We love adding a bit of flair to our salsa, and this black bean spin is a deliciously zesty snack and perfect party food! Here’s how to make it.
Black bean salsa ingredients
This black bean salsa recipe is essentially a salsa fresca plus a can of black beans, which give it a little more texture and nice boost of protein and fiber. The black beans also make this dip more filling, which keeps us from eating the entire container of it in one sitting. Here’s what else you’ll need for this black bean salsa (go to the recipe for the quantities):
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Jalapeño pepper
- Lime
- Black beans (canned or cooked from dry; try our Instant Pot Black Beans or Stovetop Black Beans)
Prep all the ingredients, then stir them together in a serving bowl. Season the salsa with kosher salt to taste, and add more lime juice if desired. Also, if you like your salsa spicy, leave the seeds in the jalapeño. This black bean salsa recipe is a mild one, so we removed the ribs and seeds from the pepper.
What is salsa fresca?
This black bean salsa is a “salsa fresca”, a salsa recipe that uses fresh tomatoes instead of canned. Salsa fresca is typically quite chunky. You can dip tortilla chips in it, spoon it into a burrito or quesadilla, serve it as a side to fish, or use it as a topping on tacos, baked potatoes, or grilled avocado. Using it to top a baked sweet potato is one of our favorite simple meals!
Tips for making black bean salsa
Before you start, here are a few tips for making this black bean salsa recipe:
- Drain and rinse the black beans to get rid of any excess liquid. You want a salsa fresca that’s chunky and not runny. Plus, the tomatoes will release some juice as they mix with the other ingredients.
- Don’t touch your eyes or face after cutting the jalapeno! Jalapeño juice lingers on your hands even after you’ve washed them, and it can cause a serious sting in your eyes.
- Eat within 3 days. This black bean salsa recipe tastes better the longer it sits in your fridge, but it’s best eaten within three days. Feel free to double or triple this recipe to feed a crowd, and play with the ingredients a bit to figure out how you like your salsa the best.
Dietary notes
This black bean salsa recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Black Bean Salsa Recipe
This black bean salsa recipe is quick and full of zesty flavor! Mix beans with fresh tomatoes, onion, lime and cilantro.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes
- ½ cup red onion, minced
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 15-ounce can black beans (or 1 ½ cups cooked or Instant Pot black beans)
- 1 lime (2 tablespoons juice)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Dice the tomatoes. Mince the red onion. Finely chop the cilantro. Remove the ribs and seeds of the jalapeño pepper and finely chop it. Drain and rinse the black beans. Juice the lime.
- In a bowl, add tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, black beans, lime juice, and kosher salt. Stir to combine, and add kosher salt to taste.
More Mexican style recipes
Outside of this black bean salsa recipe, here are a few more of our favorite Mexican recipes:
- Grab our favorite pico de gallo recipe
- Try Mexican sweet potatoes or loaded Mexican fries
- Opt for sweet potato black bean enchiladas or vegetarian enchiladas
- Go for easy tacos like refried bean tacos, mushroom tacos, sweet potato tacos, tofu tacos, black bean tacos or fish tacos
Looking for more black bean recipes? Try our top bean recipes!
GREAT recipe!! Thanks for sharing and congrats on the “top 9”!!
P.S. Yes, I “had” to add more jalepeno’s…..didn’t have a “choice”!!! Whatever the MASSES want! :)
Thanks again.
Thank you – I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And I’m all for more jalapeños if you can handle it…I wouldn’t have minded a tad more too, but sometimes you have to compromise with the other people eating it! :) Thanks for making it!
This for Magda…we have lived in apartments since 1982, and grow tomatoes, peppers, parsley, basil, rosemary and loads of flowers. On our deck! We are fortunate in having a south-west facing concrete deck/balcony, and large enough that it will hold many pots. This year are growing 3 varieties tomato, two hot peppers, basil, rosemary,
flowering chives, parsley, and more! Never say never, unless you do not have a deck!
Cheers, old Doug(circa 1926)in BC
I love tomatoes, I wish I had a garden too but I live in apartment so no chance for now.
I agree with Ol’ Doug! Nothing better than garden fresh tomatoes. A single flower pot (or a topsy turvy-esque hanging pot) can hold one. You should try it next summer :) – Alex
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone!! It was certainly delicious – especially over a sweet potato – check out https://www.acouplecooks.com/2010/09/baked-sweet-potato-with-black-beans-and-salsa/ :)
The Black bean salsa over sweet potato, should the salsa be warm?
Forget to comment that the recipe looks delicious – and the picture is stunning! Of course I will be making it.
Cilantro and parsley are different “creatures.” My husband will eat parsley but never cilantro, which I love. So try parsley as a replacement for cilantro if you really must!
You’re right… no one ever tires of the tomato/ basil thing. I love it. This looks really great. I too have a large amount of tomatoes, and I’ve been making fresh salsas, pasta sauce, whatever I can. I cannot wait to try this!
This made me laugh, “parsley haters”, I hate to admit it, but I am! My husband tries to sneak it in the guacamole…I guess I will have to try it in this since you insist!
Debbie………Parsley and Cilantro are like comparing Apples to Oranges (IMHO). They are in the produce department of the grocery store, usually next to each other. I always smell the bunch to make sure I am buying the right one. Parsley is sweet smelling, Cilantro (AKA Coriander) has a more distinct/spicy smell.
I hope this helps….
Sonja, what kind of light are you guys shooting with in your photos? Do you have a set-up or just natural light? The photos are fabulous!
Thanks, Nicki!! We mainly use natural light, though this photo had a fill flash since it was getting late. We’ll need a new strategy for shooting in the evening as winter approaches – any ideas?