Recipe

black bean confetti salad 2.0

by deb Jump to recipe, comments

I was in Paris* last week — no, I cannot believe I get to utter sentences like that so casually, either, pinch me — and it was really, truly, and surprisingly spring. The magnolia trees at the Jardin du Palais Royal supplied us with a lace curtain of fluttering pink shadows, the daffodils and hyacinth were popping up from the ground like they’d missed us, and everyone was outside and stayed out until after midnight and this energy climbed inside me, evicted all of the seasonal malaise (turned out I was just cold!), and I did my best to bring all of this warmth and joy back to NYC with me. And despite the fact that my grouchy (sorry, “weathered”) friends tried to warn me that we were experiencing a “false spring” and “don’t fall for it,” la la la, I said, it is spring in my heart now — and in my kitchen, and busted out a warm weather salad. Which is to say: I’m sorry, this sudden cold spell might be my fault.


black bean confetti salad v.2-1
black bean confetti salad v.2-3

Longtime readers might recognize this as an update to one of the earliest salads on this site. The black bean confetti salad has never left my repertoire, but these days, I love hitting it with more more more: avocado, radishes, and just so much lime juice. I’ve traded cumin for tajín (or your favorite chili powder) and made peace with cilantro. And these days, I cannot resist making it with one of these chopper gadgets (which, funny enough, I also owned in 2006 but rarely used then; perhaps I had more free time?) for geometrically pleasing cubes of vegetable confetti.

black bean confetti salad v.2-4
black bean confetti salad v.2-5

I love the way this straddles the line between party snack and lunch. I brought it to a friend’s tamale-making party last fall and felt a dorky maternal pride, knowing I’d sneakily provided us with vegetables, protein, and fiber (to go with our giant pot of queso, for balance and stuff). I make too much and eat it for lunch when I think I don’t have time for lunch. And this week, we piled it on simple quesadillas for dinner. Is there anything this salad cannot do? Bring spring back, perhaps, but do know it’s trying its best.

black bean confetti salad v.2-9
black bean confetti salad v.2-8

* I was there to visit the factory where they make the Staub x Smitten Kitchen Braisers. Did you know there’s a pink braiser now? My 10 year-old found out and flipped.

Black Bean Confetti Salad 2.0

  • Servings: 4 as a main, 8-10 as a snack
  • Source: Smitten Kitchen
  • Print

This is a zhuzh-ed up edition of my 2007 Black Bean Confetti Salad — with added avocado, radishes, cilantro, more lime, and more seasoning. Look for avocados that feel like a firm rubber ball; they hold up well. We add them last so they don’t get very banged up. We scoop it up with tortilla chips.

  • 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 bell peppers, a mix of colors, diced
  • 1 to 2 jalapeños, chopped small, to taste
  • 1/4 large or half a medium white onion, chopped small
  • A few radishes, chopped small (shown here with a watermelon radish)
  • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil
  • Juice of 1 to 2 limes, to taste
  • Kosher salt
  • Chili powder or tajín (a blend of chili powder, lime, and salt)
  • About 1/2 cup (a big handful) fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 firm-ripe avocados, peeled and diced
  • Tortilla chips for serving (if you wish)

Combine black beans, bell peppers, jalapeños, onion, and radishes in a large bowl. Dress with olive oil, the juice of one lime, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and chili powder or tajín to taste. Add cilantro and avocado and mix gently. Taste the mixture; I usually like mine with more lime (up to 1 lime more of juice) and salt (about a half-teaspoon more). Eat right away, scooping it up with tortilla chips. Leftovers keep a few days in the fridge.

Note: I’m using this chopper.

Previously

6 months ago: Cabbage and Halloumi Skewers
1 year ago: Simplest Brisket with Braised Onions
2 year agos: Turkey Meatloaf for Skeptics
3 years ago: Bean and Vegetable Burritos
4 years ago: Banana Cream Pie and Simple Chicken Tortilla Soup
5 years ago: Hummingbird Cake
6 years ago: Carrot and White Bean Burgers
7 years ago: Extra-Billowy Dutch Baby Pancake
8 years ago: Sweet Potato Tacos
9 years ago: Punjabi-Style Black Lentils and Easiest French Fries
10 years ago: Churros, Nolita-Style Avocado Toast and Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
11 years ago: Black-Bottom Oatmeal Pie and Potatoes with Soft Eggs and Bacon Vinaigrette
12 years ago: Broccoli, Cheddar, and Wild Rice Casserole and Double-Chocolate Banana Bread and Sizzling Chicken Fajitas
13 years ago: My Favorite Buttermilk Biscuits and Coconut Bread
14 years ago: Potato Knish, Two Ways
15 years ago: The Best Baked Spinach
16 years ago: Thick Chewy Granola Bars, Arroz Con Leche, and Baked Rigatoni with Tiny Meatballs
17 years ago: Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
18 years ago: Pasta with Cauliflower, Walnuts, and Feta
19 years ago: Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

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5 comments on black bean confetti salad 2.0

  4. Iris

    I’d love to hear more about the Cuisinart chopper- it has mixed reviews on Amazon. Does yours get frequent use? Long term durability? Easy to clean? Thanks!

    1. deb

      I don’t use it frequently but it’s holding up just well. I love it for certain salads (like a tomato-cucumber salad, salade olivier, some salsas). I broke the one I had in 2006. The one I bought in 2020 would get stuck when using the smaller grid, which I hadn’t realized because I so rarely used the size. This one is working great for all things. We put it in the dishwasher. It’s not hard to clean at all. Just be careful touching the grids. They’re very sharp.