This Wild Rice, Veggie, and Black Bean Salad is a quick, easy and healthy meal. Serve as is, with tortilla chips, over a bed of greens or as filling in tacos!
Sometimes you just need a fresh salad that is also satisfying and yummy! That is where this rice and black bean salad comes in. It is super packed with veggies but it also offers some carbs and fiber with the rice and beans. Top it all off with a homemade citrusy dressing and you have the perfect salad or taco topping!
Ingredients Needed
Rice, veggie, and black bean salad uses whole ingredients that taste amazing and are good for you! Here's what you'll need:
- Wild Rice: Use a wild rice blend and cook it according to the package instructions. You can also use white rice or brown rice if you prefer!
- Black Beans: I used canned black beans here. Rinse them well before adding them to the salad!
- Bell Peppers: Dice up any color bell pepper that you prefer.
- Pico de Gallo: You can buy pre-made pico de gallo or make your own! For ease, you can replace the pico de gallo with diced fresh tomatoes, but it won't have as much flavor.
- Corn: You can use fresh corn, canned corn or frozen corn! Whatever is easiest for you.
- Green Onion: The green onion adds flavor and extra texture!
- Cilantro: Cilantro is the herby flavor that this rice veggie and black bean salad needs.
- Dressing: Combine olive oil, lemon or lime, agave or maple syrup, cumin, garlic powder and salt and pepper as the flavor-packed dressing for this salad!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix the while rice, black beans, bell peppers, pico de gallo, corn, green onion, and cilantro together.
Step 2: Dress the salad with olive oil, lime/lemon juice, agave/maple syrup, cumin, and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Serve warm or cool. This wild rice, veggie, and black bean salad also goes great topped over a bed of lettuce or greens, serve with avocado or guac. It makes for a great topping on tortilla chips or a filling for tacos!
Expert Tips
- Season to taste! Only you can decide if the salad is perfectly seasoned for your taste. Use the amount listed in the recipe for the dressing ingredients, but taste it afterwards and see what needs adjusting. You might like it particularly acidic while other like it extra salty!
- Don't use hot rice! Let the rice cool before adding it to the salad. A good way to cool it quickly is to lay it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until it is warm or cool to the touch. The hot rice will wilt the veggies!
- Use fresh lemon or lime juice! I love the flavor that fresh citrus juice lends to the dressing. I suggest using fresh rather than bottled juice here!
- Grill the corn! If you have extra time, it is super delicious to grill the corn on the cop before cutting off the kernels and adding it to the salad. That being said, you definitely don't have to include this step!
- Serve it alongside the main meal! You can definitely eat this on its own, or add it to a salad or tacos. But you can also serve this salad as a fresh side dish to your favorite Mexican-inspired meals like enchiladas, burritos, or even my burrito bowl recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is a totally gluten-free and vegan salad recipe that uses whole, good-for-you ingredients!
Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa that is typically made out of freshly chopped tomatoes, onion and serrano peppers and is topped off with lime juice, salt, and cilantro.
Place any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can eat it cold!
More Healthy Recipes to Try
- Guacamole Loaded Baked Potato
- Chickpea Avocado Salad
- Warm Lemon Tahini Kale Salad
- Southwestern Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
Rice, Veggie, and Black Bean Salad
Ingredients
Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad
- 2 cup cooked wild rice
- 1 ½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup diced bell peppers
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup corn
- 2 tablespoon freshly chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- ½ tablespoon agave or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Easy Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the wild rice, black beans, bell peppers, pico de gallo, corn, green onion, and cilantro together. Then, dress with the olive oil, lime/lemon juice, agave/maple syrup, cumin, and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper and enjoy on its own (warm or cool).
- This wild rice black bean salad also goes great topped over a bed of lettuce or greens, served with avocado or guac. It makes for a great topping on tortilla chips or a filling for tacos.
Notes
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
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