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Cooking With Anadi
12K subscribers · black beans with lime, cilantro and onion, bright and fresh
This easy salsa will blow you away! Although simple, it’s packed with deliciousness! You can use this salsa in many ways! This recipe came to be as I wanted to make an exciting topping for my Loaded Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos! I first just topped plain black beans, but me being me, I really wanted to take it up a notch! So I whipped up this quick bean salsa, and it really refreshed my nachos!
If you’re using canned beans then this salsa is extremely quick to whip together! Even if you’re using dried beans, however, it’s still quite easy! For guidance on making the perfect black beans in the Instant Pot, soaked or unsoaked, then be sure to check out my Guide to Cooking the Perfect Beans!
If you were making black beans for another recipe and have leftovers, then this is an excellent and very delicious way to finish those black beans! I don’t know why I haven’t made this sooner because I’m always stuck with leftover beans, but now I know exactly what to do in the future, and I hope you will too!
This recipe is easy, simple and very healthy! If you want to use it for a dip, then go for it!
Tools Needed
How to Make Fresh Black Bean Salsa
In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, onions, green onions, cilantro, and lime juice using a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. That’s it! Serve immediately or allow to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.
Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This salsa will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days, so you can certainly go ahead and make a big batch of it and switch up your meals using this salsa in many different delicious ways! Let me know in the comments the combinations you come up with!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this bean salsa with any dish that uses guacamole! It would be a wonderful way to top off your guacamole! Here are some great recipes that you can serve this bean salsa with:
- Oven-Baked Quesadillas with Fresh and Spicy Guacamole
- Bacon, Egg and Guacamole Bagel
- Loaded Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Crispy Cheesy Beef Quesadillas
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use canned or dried black beans?▼
Either works — about 7½ ounces of canned beans (rinsed) or ¼ cup of dried black beans, cooked. Canned is the quick route; just drain and rinse them well before mixing.
Is this salsa spicy?▼
As written it's mild — the flavor comes from onion, green onion, cilantro and lime rather than chili. Add a finely chopped jalapeño or serrano if you'd like some heat.
Can I serve it right away?▼
Yes — it's ready as soon as it's mixed, but chilling it in the fridge for about 30 minutes lets the flavors come together and tastes even better.
What can I add to it?▼
It's easy to build on — a little diced tomato, sweet corn, avocado or a pinch of cumin all work beautifully and turn it into a heartier dip or taco topping.
A Five-Ingredient Black Bean Salsa Recipe: No Tomatoes, No Corn, No Peppers
This black bean salsa recipe is deliberately minimal: a quarter cup of dried black beans (or 7½ ounces of canned black beans, drained and rinsed), 1 tablespoon each of chopped green onion, chopped cilantro and chopped onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. That is the whole list. There are no roma tomatoes, no bell peppers and no corn, so it is not one of the corn salsa recipes you may have seen, and there is no olive oil, no red wine vinegar and no cilantro lime dressing either; the fresh lime juice is the only acid and the only dressing it needs. Red or white onion both work for the chopped onion. If you want a little heat, a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh jalapeños is the one addition I would make, plus a squeeze of extra lime juice if the beans taste flat. Prep time is 5 minutes, nothing is cooked, and you do not even need a large bowl: a medium bowl and a fork will do.
Naturally Vegan and Gluten-Free, With Fiber and Protein
Because the salsa is only beans, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper, it is naturally vegan and gluten-free with nothing to check on a label. The black beans bring the fiber and protein: each of the four servings works out to about 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein for around 55 calories, with no fat at all, and the lime juice adds a touch of vitamin C on top.
More Ways to Serve It: Tortilla Chips, Tacos, Burrito Bowls and Salads
Beyond the guacamole dishes above, scoop it up with tortilla chips as a party appetizer, spoon it into tacos, pile it onto burrito bowls over rice or quinoa, or toss it through green salads for extra body. It holds up for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, so a batch on Sunday covers lunches for most of the week.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Fresh, vibrant, and ready in minutes, this black bean salsa is the ultimate healthy Mexican dip. Packed with bold Southwest flavor, it works perfectly as a side dish or party starter.
No-cook
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5 min
Prep
5 min
Total
4
servings
makes 1 cup
easy
Level
Ingredients
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, onions, green onions, cilantro, and lime juice using a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, onions, green onions, cilantro, and lime juice using a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Notes
- •Store leftovers in an airtight container. This bean salsa will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition per serving
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Recipe history
- April 16, 2026 — Reworked and refreshed for the 2026 relaunch — new photography, restructured and standardized ingredients & instructions.
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