Are you ready for the most amazing summer salad to date? Fresh, sweet, and full of flavor. If you answered yes, then I have a recipe for you. I created this recipe on a whim because I was trying to use up left-over cooked corn on the cob. We were eating grilled chicken tacos that night, and I had an abundance of cherry tomatoes. I decided to make a quick cold salad to go with our tacos. The salad turned out amazing, and I probably make this salad just about every week in the spring and summer months.

This salad is perfect for picnics. Because there is no mayonnaise or dairy in this recipe, it does not need to be refrigerated. You can make the salad the morning of or night before and take this cherry tomato, corn and black bean salad on your picnic. Maybe you’ll head to Moss Park and enjoy the playground or even the lake. Or take a trip to the Back To Nature preserve for an educational field trip and picnic with the family there.

Embrace the produce of the season (tomatoes and corn), and you have a perfect simple salad. Right now, you’ll start to see lots of tomatoes at the local farmer’s markets. And within the next month or so, you’ll start to see our sweet Florida corn. The thick pieces of fresh corn, the minced cilantro, and the zing of lime all play big roles in this recipe. Even if you don’t cook frequently, you’ll still be able to make this salad, and all within fifteen minutes. This salad is a family favorite of ours, and I hope it becomes a new family favorite for you. Whether you’re entertaining for Cinco de Mayo or want an easy salad to make for a picnic, this recipe for Cherry Tomato, Corn and Black Bean Salad will take the spotlight at any event this spring!

Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

2 ears cooked corn on the cob, kernels removed

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, diced

2 tablespoons roasted red bell pepper, diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 teaspoons salt

1 lime, zest of and juiced

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, add corn kernels that have been removed from the cob, drained black beans, 1/4 cup each of cilantro and green onions, 2 tablespoons roasted red bell pepper, 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, zest and juice of 1 lime, and 1 chopped jalapeno.

Mix well and chill until ready to serve.