Summer is the season of fresh, sweet corn, bountiful zucchini, and refreshing salads. That’s what makes this corn and black bean salad a perfect companion for any summer vegetarian bbq. Nothing beats the smoky, grilled flavor of corn and zucchini mixed with the heartiness of black beans and finally topped with luxurious feta.
If you’ve ever planted zucchini in your garden you know how easy it is to grow. Sometimes it produces so much it’s hard to know what to do with them.
That’s what makes this recipe really practical. Whether you’re using your own home-grown zucchini, or the seasonal low priced zucchini at the store, creating a zucchini salad is a great budget friendly summer salad.
Why This Recipe Works
What I love about the end of summer is the mounds of fresh, sweet corn.
One of the best ways to eat corn on the cob is to grill it. It really brings out the sweet flavor.
The only downside to corn on the cob is getting all of the threads stuck in your teeth. So one option to enjoy it minus the discomfort is to create a grilled corn salad where you cut off all of the kernels of corn from the cob itself.
You can still enjoy the delicious flavor, and enhance it with grilled zucchini, black beans and feta without threads getting stuck in your teeth. Yay!
I love salad with corn and black beans because sometimes I get a little bored with the typical green salad. By adding black beans into the roasted corn salad it creates a really lovely depth, and is also a lot more filling!
Black beans are highly prized for their protein and fiber content leaving your tummy satisfied and content.
Another really great fact about black beans is that they also provide fuel for the healthy bacteria in the colon. Gut friendly, and filling!
What To Serve With It
Corn and bean salad can be eaten with so many different things.
Try it as a side to tacos, burritos, vegan zucchini corn fritters, sandwiches, or even toasted sandwiches like grilled cheese sandwiches, flatbread pizza or paninis. There really is no end to what you can serve black bean corn salad with.
Serve it on top of a rice bowl, grain bowl or your favorite buddha bowl and drizzle with my special avocado sauce.
Since you’re already grilling zucchini and corn try out one of my all-time favorites Grilled Zucchini and Corn Tacos.
How To Make It
- First, if you already have the grill on, perfect! Get it nice and hot.
- If you’re not grilling, preheat a grill pan to high and heat for 5 minutes.
Tip: You can also use the grill option on your oven and set to high.
- Grab some olive oil and carefully brush it all over the corn, zucchini halves and onion slices.
- Using tongs, place corn and zucchini halves, cover and grill, until the corn is charred all over and zucchini is tender. This takes about eight to ten minutes, all the while, turning the corn often and flipping zucchini halves once after about four minutes. Check out my best tips to learn how to perfectly grill corn on the cob.
- Next, add onion slices after four minutes and flip them after two minutes.
Let everything cool and use a large knife to cut corn kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Chop up the zucchini halves.
Finally, mix corn, zucchini, red onion, black beans and feta cheese in a large bowl. (Alternatively, divide amongst four serving bowls or plates).
Add avocado dressing and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
If you’re an avocado lover, then you will absolutely adore this Vegan Mexican Chopped Salad. It’s topped with a similar creamy, and zesty avocado dressing used for this grilled zucchini salad.
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn, shucked or one 14 oz (400 g) can sweet corn
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 red onion, sliced thick or cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- one 14 oz (400 g) can black beans, drained
- 4 oz or 1 cup (120 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 batch avocado dressing
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Top Tips
- Use grill or a griddle pan for the veggies. Oven with a grill function would work as well. Alternatively, stir fry the vegetables in a large skillet or wok.
- Keep the salad in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to three or four days. But keep the dressing separate.
- Grilled corn on the cob lasts about four to five days in the fridge. So if you’re doing a big batch, you can use the corn for other recipes like this delicious Chipotle Corn Salsa recipe.
- You can also use leftover grilled corn separated from the cob and freeze the kernels.
Recipe Variations
- No zucchini? Try roasting other summer squash, or even try eggplant or roasted butternut squash.
- Use vegan feta for a plant based version of this salad.
- Use buddha bowl dressing instead of avocado dressing.
- Frozen or canned corn can be used as well. Stir fry drained corn on a hot pan before using it in the recipe.
Corn and Black Bean Salad with Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn shucked or one 14 oz (400 g) can sweet corn
- 2 medium-sized zucchini halved lengthwise
- 1 red onion sliced thick or cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- one 14 oz or 400 g can black beans drained
- 4 oz or 120 g feta cheese crumbled
- 1 batch avocado dressing
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a grill pan to high and heat for 5 minutes. (Alternatively, preheat grill to high.) Carefully brush corn, zucchini halves and onion slices all over with olive oil. Using tongs, place corn and zucchini halves, cover and grill until the corn is charred all over and zucchini is tender, about 8-10 minutes, turning the corn often and flipping zucchini halves once after 4 minutes. Add onion slices after 4 minutes and flip them after 2 minutes.
- Let cool and use a large knife to cut corn kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Chop zucchini halves.
- Mix corn, zucchini, red onion, black beans and feta cheese in a large bowl (Alternatively, divide among 4 serving bowls or plates).
- Add avocado dressing and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
Top Tips
- Use grill or a griddle pan for the veggies. Oven with a grill function would work as well. Alternatively, stir fry the vegetables in a large skillet or wok.
- Keep the salad in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to three or four days. But keep the dressing separate.
- Grilled corn on the cob lasts about four to five days in the fridge. So if you’re doing a big batch, you can use the corn for other recipes like this delicious Chipotle Corn Salsa recipe.
- You can also use leftover grilled corn separated from the cob and freeze the kernels.
Recipe Variations
- No zucchini? Try roasting other summer squash, or even try eggplant or roasted butternut squash.
- Use vegan feta for a plant based version of this salad.
- Use buddha bowl dressing instead of avocado dressing.
- Frozen or canned corn can be used as well. Stir fry drained corn on a hot pan before using it in the recipe.
griddle pan
