Smoky Three-Bean Salad

Smoky, tangy, and fresh, this three-bean salad with roasted corn is as easy as it is irresistible.

Active Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8

• This is a no-cook recipe built almost entirely from pantry staples. 
• The chipotle-lime dressing ties together all the canned vegetables for a bold mix of heat, tang, and sweetness. 
• It’s make-ahead friendly and the flavor improves as it chills.

Inspired by three-bean chili, this no-cook salad is packed with three types of canned beans and is the side everyone will talk about after the party. Pinto, black, and kidney beans are tossed in a chipotle-spiked dressing that strikes the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and smoky. Apple cider vinegar and lime juice bring bright acidity to contrast the beans’ richness, while canned chipotle peppers in adobo add a lingering warmth and bold smokiness.

Pantry staples make this salad especially easy to pull together. In addition to the beans, canned fire-roasted corn and tomatoes with green chiles add subtle heat and depth, no fresh jalapeños required. After at least an hour of chilling, the flavors meld beautifully, but the salad tastes even better after a day or two, making it an ideal make-ahead side for potlucks, cookouts, or other gatherings. Best of all, it travels beautifully and serves just as well from the bowl it’s made in. 

The beauty of this recipe is how easily it can be customized with garnishes and serving ideas. Keep it fresh with a sprinkle of cilantro, or add creamy richness with crumbled queso fresco, sliced avocado, or both. Serve the salad straight from the bowl, spoon it over rice, or scoop it up with tortilla chips for a cowboy caviar–style dip.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Swap in cooked dried beans for even more flavor and texture.
• Double the dressing — it keeps well and is delicious on other salads, grilled vegetables, or grain bowls.
• No pickled onions? Make a quick batch at home if you don’t have store-bought on hand.

This recipe was developed by Marianne Williams; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 3/4 teaspoon cumin

• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted corn, drained

• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

• 2/3 cup quartered multicolor cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup drained pickled red onions

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish

• Crumbled queso fresco and sliced avocado, for garnish

• Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

1. Whisk together vinegar, lime juice, and brown sugar in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved. Whisk in peppers, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Drizzle oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until emulsified. Add pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, and cilantro; toss to combine.

2. Cover and chill, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Before serving, stir in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Garnish with queso fresco and sliced avocado. Serve with tortilla chips and lime wedges.

Make ahead

Make the dressing in advance and store in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator up to five days. Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.