This BBQ Black Bean Salad is one of my favorite ways to Eat the Rainbow and use up left over black beans from dinner the night before! Plus, it comes with the added bonus of very little prep or cleanup after. It’s the perfect summer salad when all the summer produce is at its peak. These leafy greens and colorful veggies have a cooling effect on the body so it makes the perfect meal on a hot summer day. However, it’s delicious even when the sun isn’t shining!
Hopefully you were brave enough to try the Organic Black Bean Instant Pot Recipe and are now looking for ways to use up the left over beans. My BBQ Black Bean Salad is the perfect way to use up left over black beans and can be made for 1 person or an entire family in just minutes. It’s completely plant-based, however, feel free to add your own choice of protein. Since I’m plant-based, plus dairy, my protein for this salad comes from the black beans and cheese, which add up to about 10 grams.
One great thing about my BBQ Black Bean Salad is that its full of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It’s a complete meal itself with no side dish needed. With a little prep, it comes together quickly for an easy weeknight meal. Assemble it as you chop veggies or serve it buffet style and let everyone choose. Of course, encouraging everyone to add as much color to their plate as possible because of the many health benefits that come with Eating the Rainbow!
Ingredients:
- Dark Leafy Greens (spring mix and spinach)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Red Onion
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Peppers – Red, Yellow, or Green
- Grilled Shitake Mushrooms (optional)
- Organic Black Beans (Instant Pot Recipe)
- Organic Onion Straws
- Shredded Cheese
- BBQ Sauce
- Optional: Organic Ranch Dressing
BBQ Black Bean Salad Recipe:
Start by building the base of the salad with dark leafy greens. It’s just a simple combination of chopped organic spinach and organic spring greens. The chopping is optional. However, I love chopping vegetables and find it’s a great way to clear my mind. Therefore, I tend to chop even the dark leafy greens when making this BBQ Black Bean Salad.
Next, chop the carrot, celery, red onion, avocado, cucumber, and tomatoes. If you chop the vegetables ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator until needed. I have done this because it saves time. You can place all the chopped veggies on one large plate or in individual bowls, depending on how you are serving the salad.
If you are making this for a family or gathering, its fun to serve it buffet style. Place the chopped veggies in individual bowls and let everyone build their own salad.
When you are ready to assemble the salad, start with the dark leafy greens. Then add the chopped veggies around the outside of the plate.
Next, add my Organic Instant Pot Black Beans. They can be added to the salad hot or cold. If you don’t have time to cook dry beans, use a can of organic black beans instead. However, I highly recommend using my Instant Pot Black Beans on this salad – recipe here.
For the plant-based “meat”, I grilled the shitake mushrooms in a little olive oil, with a sprinkle of black pepper, and served them hot. If you’ve never tried shitake mushrooms, they are worth trying. They have more of a meat like texture than other mushrooms. Give them a try before you say you don’t like mushrooms! They even come with the added bonus of Vitamin D, making them one of the only plant-based vegan sources.
Once you have the leafy greens, chopped veggies, black beans, and mushrooms (optional) on your plate, add some shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese in the center of your salad. Sprinkle a few organic crispy onion straws around the cheese and top with a drizzle of your favorite organic barbeque sauce.
Dressing:
Give it a try without any salad dressing because the sweetness of the barbeque sauce, coupled with all the flavors of the vegetables and cheese is delicious! If you do feel the need for dressing, a small amount of organic ranch dressing pairs well but really isn’t needed.
This BBQ Black Bean Salad has been a long time family favorite at our house. I hope it is in yours too! Below you will find the recipe for my BBQ Black Bean Salad. As always, I encourage you to use this recipe as inspiration to create your own variation. Remember you can always change the ingredients.
BBQ Black Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup Organic Spinach
- 1 cup Organic Spring Mix
- 1 Organic Carrot – Shredded
- 1 stalk Organic Celery – Chopped
- 1 Tbsp Organic Red Onion – thinly sliced
- 1/2 Avocado – chopped
- 1/2 cup Organic Cucumber – chopped
- 1/2 cup Organic Tomatoes – diced
- 1/2 cup Organic Red, Yellow, or Green Pepper – chopped
- 1/2 cup Grilled Organic Shitake Mushrooms – optional
- 1 cup Organic Black Beans – cooked
- 1/2 cup Grated Cheddar or Pepper Jack Cheese
- 1/4 cup Organic Crispy Fried Onions
- 2 Tbsp Organic BBQ Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Organic Ranch Dressing – optional
Instructions
- The first step to making this salad is to make my Organic Black Bean – Instant Pot Recipe. They are flavored perfectly for this salad. If you aren't able to make them and using canned black beans instead – choose organic black beans, low or no sodium. Rinse them before adding to salad.
- Chop, dice, and shred all the vegetables. For 1-2 salads, assemble each plate like shown above. For a group or family, place each veggie in a bowl and let everyone create either own salad "buffet style".
- Grate the cheddar or pepper jack cheese.
- Start by placing the leafy greens in the center of the plate or bowl. Next place each vegetable around the outside of the greens, leaving room for the beans and mushrooms or protein of your choice.
- If adding grilled shitake mushrooms, clean and remove stems completely before slicing in half. Grill in a little olive oil. Top with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot.
- Add Organic Black Beans, either hot or cold.
- Place cheese to the center covering the leafy greens and sprinkle a small amount of crispy fried onions around the cheese.
- Last but not least, drizzle a small amount of BBQ sauce over the top of the salad.
- Add a small amount of Organic Ranch if needed, but try the salad first!
Notes
This is a great salad to use up fresh vegetables and left over black beans. Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you!
About the Author
I love animals, gardening, and being creative in the kitchen. I can’t waste food and rarely follow the recipe! As a IIN Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach I can help you get from where you are to where you want to be. Join me on my journey!
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