Black Bean Tomato Salad with Chipotle Red Onion Lime
Rinsed black beans are tossed with cherry tomatoes, red onion, chipotle, cumin and lime for a sturdy salad with smoke, tang and substance. Serve it beside grilled meat, or spoon it into flatbreads.
Ingredients
- 2 400g tins black beans drained and rinsed
- 300 g ripe cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 small red onion finely diced
- 1 red pepper finely diced
- 1 small green chilli finely chopped
- 20 g fresh coriander roughly chopped
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chipotle paste
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp soft brown sugar optional
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated
Instructions
Drain the beans properly
- Tip the black beans into a sieve, rinse under cold water and leave them to drain for at least 5 minutes. Shake the sieve now and then. The beans should look glossy, not wet.
Soften the onion’s bite
- Put the diced red onion in the mixing bowl with the lime juice, lime zest, red wine vinegar and salt. Leave for 10 minutes. This quick soak takes the harsh edge off the onion and turns it brighter.
Mix the smoky dressing
- Add the olive oil, chipotle paste, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, garlic and brown sugar if using. Stir until the chipotle paste is fully loosened into the dressing.
Add the sturdy vegetables
- Fold in the black beans, red pepper, chilli and cherry tomatoes. Use a gentle hand so the beans stay whole and the tomatoes don’t burst into the dressing.
Rest for flavour
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. For the best flavour, give it 3 to 4 hours. The beans will take on the lime, chipotle and cumin without losing their shape.
Finish with coriander
- Stir through the coriander just before serving. Taste again for salt and lime. If it feels too smoky, a little extra lime juice brings it back into balance.
Notes
Tinned black beans are perfect for this. The key is rinsing them well, then letting them drain until they stop dripping. Wet beans dilute the dressing and make the tomatoes taste flat. I spread them on kitchen paper for a few minutes if I’m being organised.
Use ripe cherry tomatoes rather than large watery tomatoes. They hold their shape better once cut and bring a more concentrated sweetness. Chipotle paste varies a lot by brand, so start with a teaspoon and add more after resting. The heat grows as the salad sits, especially with raw onion and chilli in the mix.
Nutrition
Calories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 11gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 520mgPotassium: 780mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1150IUCalcium: 85mgIron: 3.6mg
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