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    Home » Vegan Salads

    Fabulous 4 Bean Fiesta Salad

    Published: June 24, 2021 | 8:58 pm, Modified: Sep 12, 2022 by Connie Edwards McGaughy This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Fabulous 4 Bean Fiesta Salad 🌱 A festive, flavorful and colorful combo of delicious beans, peppers, red onion, corn and cilantro in a light & zesty citrus dressing. Perfect for potlucks, patio parties, picnics & outdoor entertaining! GF. Oil-free option.

    A bowl of 4 bean salad made with kidney, black, pinto and garbanzo beans, red and orange bell peppers, corn, red onion and cilantro.

    Many years ago, long before I became a vegan recipe blogger, I was on a mission to find inspiration for an easy, nutritious and delicious vegan dish to throw together for a potluck. I decided to make my favorite southwestern quinoa salad, but I also wanted to make a salad with protein that didn't require cooking, so I searched bean salad recipes. That's when a ran across a Mexican Bean Salad recipe with tons of reviews on Allrecipes.

    I decided to give it a go. I liked it enough that I wanted to try it again, but with some alterations. First, I increased the variety of beans. The original recipe included far more onion than I like, so I cut it in half. Instead of green bell pepper, which tends to be bitter, I opted for sweet red, orange or yellow bell peppers.

    This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn from purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Red, orange and yellow bell peppers.

    The dressing is what I tweaked the most. The original Mexican Bean Salad recipe specifies ½ cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons sugar. That's way more oil than I would ever use, so I reduced the oil by 75% and replaced the sugar with just 1 tablespoon maple syrup. I also cut the salt by two-thirds and adjusted the seasonings to my liking.

    It turned out fantastic! The combination of tastes and textures are so incredibly good. Soft chewy beans, sweet corn, crisp fresh peppers, red onion and cilantro tossed in a mildly spicy, citrusy & lightly sweet dressing creates a flavor fiesta in your mouth.

    Fabulous 4 Bean Fiesta Salad Story
    Jump to:
    • 🥕Why you should try this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • 🥕FAQ's
    • Recipe
    • Food Safety
    A bowl of 4 bean salad made with kidney, black, pinto and garbanzo beans, red and orange bell peppers, corn, red onion and cilantro.

    🥕Why you should try this recipe

    • It's absolutely delicious!
    • Many of the ingredients are items you likely have on hand
    • Contains lots of fiber, protein, Vitamin C & other healthy nutrients
    • The perfect dish for potlucks, patio parties, picnics and outdoor entertaining!
    • Easy to substitute with other ingredients as needed
    • So colorful and appealing - it's a crowd pleaser!
    Ingredients to make four bean salad.
    Here's what you'll need to make this fabulous 4 bean fiesta salad.

    Ingredients

    • Beans - 4 varieties - I use black beans, kidney beans, pinto & garbanzo beans (chickpeas). You can also use cannellini or northern white beans.
    • Bell peppers - I prefer red, orange or yellow (they're sweeter than green peppers).
    • Corn kernels - fresh or frozen. It's ok to add the corn while frozen, as it will thaw quickly. The corn should be a bit crisp, not cooked or too soft.
    • Red onion - finely diced
    • Cilantro - fresh, chopped or torn into pieces.
    • Olive oil
    • Red wine vinegar - You can substitute with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    • Lime juice - fresh
    • Lemon juice - fresh
    • Garlic - minced. Substitute with garlic powder if needed.
    • Maple syrup - Substitute with sugar or agave nectar if you prefer.
    • Cumin - Cumin has a strong flavor. Decrease or increase amount per your taste preference. I find 1 teaspoon to be plenty.
    • Sea salt
    • Black pepper
    • Chili powder

    🥕Add-in options

    • Chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
    • Black olives
    • Lime or lemon zest
    • Green onions
    • Jalapeños - seeded & diced
    • Avocado - add right before serving

    🥕Oil-free option - If you prefer to make the dressing without oil, simply omit it.

    Instructions

    Diced red and orange bell pepper, red onion and chopped cilantro in bowls.

    Wash peppers and remove seeds. Dice peppers and onion into small pieces.

    In a large bowl, combine beans, peppers, corn and onion. Set cilantro aside.

    A bowl with kidney, pinto, black and garbanzo beans with diced peppers, red onions chopped cilantro.
    Can you believe that color? It's like a painter's palette!

    Prepare Dressing

    In a jam jar, salad dressing shaker, cruet or small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, minced garlic, maple syrup, cumin, salt, pepper and chili powder. Adjust seasonings to taste if needed.

    Dressing ingredients for 4 bean salad.
    Pour dressing over salad and toss to thoroughly combine. When ready to serve, add chopped cilantro.
    A bowl with 4 bean salad made with red and orange bell peppers, red onion, corn and cilantro.

    🥕FAQ's

    How to store bean salad?

  • This salad will last up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container, that is, if you don't gobble it up sooner! I like it best within the first 24 hours while the veggies are crispest & brightest in color.
  • Why do beans need to be rinsed before using?
  • In many recipes, there is no need to rinse canned beans. For this 4 bean salad, I like to rinse the beans with water to remove the excess liquid because it can alter the color of the salad.
  • What are the best beans to use in bean salad?
  • I love to add a variety of contrasting flavors and color. My favorites are kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and cannellini beans.
  • How do you make bean salad from scratch?
  • With the exception of the canned beans, this recipe is basically prepared from scratch. If you have the time and would prefer to use dried beans, you'll need to prepare them in separate batches. Cooking assorted beans together can cause the varieties of flavors and colors to absorb into the other beans. I find it's a lot quicker and easier simply using canned beans.
  • Vegan bean salad with peppers, corn and cilantro in a bowl.

    If you love this salad, be sure to check out these other delish dishes!

    • Mom's Vegan Macaroni Salad
    • Vegan Israeli Couscous Salad
    • Old Fashioned Vegan Potato Salad
    • Easy Lemon Artichoke Orzo Salad
    • Southwestern Quinoa Salad
    Pinterest pin image with 4 bean fiesta salad made with kidney, pinto black and garbanzo beans.e

    very vegan 🌱 very good

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please rate it in the comments below. Sharing your experience helps others decide if they should give it a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕

    Recipe

    A bowl of fabulous four bean fiesta salad.

    Fabulous 4 Bean Fiesta Salad

    Connie 🥕
    Fabulous 4 Bean Fiesta Salad 🌱 A festive, flavorful and colorful combo of delicious beans, peppers, red onion, corn and cilantro in a light & zesty citrus dressing. Perfect for potlucks, patio parties, picnics & outdoor entertaining! GF. Oil-free option.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 12
    Calories 48 kcal

    Equipment

    • Large mixing bowl
    • Measuring cup
    • Measuring spoons
    • kitchen knife
    • Cutting board
    • Citrus juicer
    • Mesh strainer
    • Measuring cup or salad dressing shaker or jam jar

    Ingredients
      

    Salad

    • 4 15 oz canned beans kidney, pinto, black and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Drained and rinsed in water.
    • 2 medium bell peppers red, orange or yellow, seeded & diced.
    • 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen.
    • ½ medium red onion finely diced
    • 3 tablespoon cilantro fresh - chopped or torn into pieces.

    Dressing

    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
    • 3 tablespoon lime juice fresh - approx one lime
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder

    Instructions
     

    Dressing

    • In a jam jar, salad dressing shaker, cruet or small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, minced garlic, maple syrup, cumin, salt, pepper and chili powder. Adjust seasonings to taste if needed.

    Salad

    • Combine drained and rinsed beans, diced peppers, onion and corn in a large bowl. Set cilantro aside until ready to serve.
    • Pour dressing over beans & veggies and toss to thoroughly combine.
    • Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • Toss again, adding fresh cilantro before serving.

    Notes

    🥕Add-in options
    • Chopped tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
    • Black olives
    • Green onions
    • Jalapeños - seeded & diced
    • Avocado - add right before serving
    🥕Oil-free option - If you prefer to make the dressing without oil, simply omit the oil.
    🥕Storage - This salad will last up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container (if you don't gobble it up sooner!). I think it is at its best within the first 24 hours when the veggies are crispest and brightest in color.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 48kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 224mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 663IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food Safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    More Vegan Salads

    • 10 Favorite Vegan Recipes with Cranberries
    • Favorite Vegan Summer Salads
    • 30 Favorite Vegan Recipes for Mother's Day
    • Favorite Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patricia Covino

      May 27, 2022 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe!

      Reply
    2. Colleen

      May 27, 2022 at 5:55 am

      5 stars
      This salad I use as a meal. It is so nutritious, and the lime and cilantro just make it so yummy. I use the no oil version, as I never thought is needed it. A vegan splurge!

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        May 27, 2022 at 10:07 am

        Colleen - You're right, it really is a very satisfying one dish meal. Thanks a bunch for sharing!💚🥕

        Reply
    3. Janet Lynn Sowell

      June 27, 2021 at 9:31 pm

      5 stars
      We made this for our post Covid family reunion and it was a tremendous success!

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        June 27, 2021 at 9:58 pm

        Janet, you've made my day!💚 How wonderful to finally be able to gather with family and friends again and enjoy great company & good food! I'm so glad everyone loved the salad. Thank you for sharing!🥕

        Reply
    4. Connie Edwards McGaughy

      June 24, 2021 at 10:36 pm

      5 stars
      Need a quick easy delish dish to take to an outdoor event? This is the one. Full of fabulous flavor and gorgeous color, this healthy, satisfying salad will be a hit at any party!

      Reply

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