Black Bean Salad with Chimichurri
Black Bean Salad with Chimichurri
You know how a lot of times wedding food sucks?
Well, I have to hand it to my best friend. She recently got married in Key West (that’s a whole other story!) and let me tell you: the food at her wedding was awesome. I’m not just saying that because I love her. I’m saying this based on two things:
- Plaintain encrusted chicken
- Chimichurri Sauce
Black Bean Salad with Chimichurri Sauce
The chimichurri sauce was incredible. Literally my husband went back up to the buffet and filled a plate with just this chimichurri sauce. We mopped it up with bread and ate it by the spoonful. I was a super classy wedding guest/bridesmaid. What can I say? You can dress me up but can’t take me out.
As I was shoveling this amazing chimichurri into my mouth and actually managing not to get food on my dress, I had two thoughts:
- Dang. I am not getting food all over myself even though I am eating a drippy, green sauce with a spoon while wearing a fancy dress. It must mean that the majority of food I get on myself these days is a direct result of Goose.
- Holy cow! This sauce would be amazing on a black bean salad.
So of course, when I came home, one of the first things I did aside from snuggle the Goose for a full day, was make this black bean salad with chimichurri sauce.
We eat tons of black beans in this house. While I am not a vegetarian (obviously if you’ve checked out this insane burger recipe and these incredible ribs), I used to be and we still eat vegetarian probably 4 days a week. Plus Goose LOVES black beans. So this black bean salad with chimichurri was an obvious winner here.
It requires virtually no actual cooking, other than boiling rice. And if you use the microwaveable bag rice, you can totally get around that step. So this is the perfect recipe if you are a kitchen beginner or if you just don’t feel like cooking in the height of the summer heat.
Plus, this black salad is full of healthy things so you feel really good about eating it. With brown rice, black beans, sweet corn and tomatoes, and avocado, this dish is definitely bathing suit friendly. At the same time though, it’s filling enough to be a meal on it’s own. Plus it’s naturally vegan and gluten free. Pretty impressive for a little salad, right?
Then let’s talk about the chimichurri sauce. OMG. So good. If you have never had it, chimichurri is basically pesto but with cilantro instead of basil. And no nuts. It’s so full of fresh flavor from the cilantro and zing from garlic and lime. Plus it looks all fancy so you feel like you are eating in a restaurant even when you are really at home juggling trying to keep your toddler from flinging spoonfuls of food at the dog and laughing gleefully.
It’s all about the little wins.
Ingredients
- 2 cans of black beans drained and rinsed
- 1.5 cups of brown rice
- 1 cup of sweet corn cooked
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 avocado chopped
- 1 tbs of chili powder
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- the juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup of cilantro chopped
For the Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup of olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup of fresh cilantro
- 1/2 a red onion
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions. Combine the cooked and cooled rice with drained beans, corn, tomato, avocado, and spices. Toss together with olive oil and the juice of 1 lime. Set aside.
- Once salad is assembled, add all the ingredients for the chimichurri sauce into a food processor. Pulse until the the onion and garlic are chopped and the ingredients are combined.
- Pour sauce on top of salad and serve immediately or store the sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This looks like a salad even my husband would enjoy! We will definitely be trying it!
It’s so hearty, my hubs eats it.
This looks so healthy and delicious! I’ve never made chimichurri sauce but I’m excited to try!
It’s so easy and delicious!
Yum! This sounds fantastic and comforting as well!
This looks amazing! I love hearty, vegetarian options! Pinning!
I just canned some black beans. Will be adding this to the recipe planning
mmm… I love black beans in anything! Will definitely be making this one
This is my kind of salad. Chimichurri is my very favorite condiment in the whole world (and I am a condiment lover)!
This looks delicious! Love the colors.
OMG This looks delicious!! I’m trying this tonight! This would be delicious with my homemade salsa!!!
Amber/ http://www.everydaydame.com/authentic-salsa-recipe/
What a fantastic sounding salad! I love the idea of chimichurri sauce in this, it’s so good!
this looks amazing! I LOVE chimichurri sauce! so delish!
This looks so good! I love chimichurri but have only ever had it on steak – gotta try this!
My husband would love this. I’ll have to make it for his birthday. Me? I always thought cilantro tasted like soap. 😉
Sub parsley for the cilantro!
I’m a big fan of salads. Your recipe looks delicious and tasty! I haven’t tried black beans salad and I will try to make one soon. Thank you!
Ohhh once you have a black bean salad you will want them allllll the time.
Chimichurri got me curious! This looks very healthy and yummy.
Black bean salad!!! Yummy in my tummy that sounds very good. I will be trysting this recipe soon!
http://xoxobella.com
So yummy and super easy!
Sounds different but so good!! Will have to try it!
This looks so good! Pinning this for later.
Oh yum, this looks like my kind of recipe! I can’t wait to try this healthy, black bean recipe, thank you for sharing!!
What a beautiful salad. Looks delicious too!
This salad looks absolutely delicious, nothing I have tried before but I would love to recreate
Chimichurri is unbeatable! Nom. 🙂
You’ve just made my life with this Chimichurri Sauce recipe. THANK YOU!
Lol, well that was easy 🙂 Glad you liked the recipe! Go make it and tell me what you think!
This looks like the perfect summer lunch!
I ate it for lunch all week last week! Perfect in this ridiculous heat!
Mmmmm chimichurri?!!?! I’d love to try that!
This looks AMAZING! I love chimichurri sauce, and this whole bowl is full of goodness.
Thank you! So much goodness!! Chimichurri is my new favorite thing.
I love Chimichurri and this sounds so good. Making!