Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Cilantro & Lime

I think this is the most beautiful salad I’ve ever made. I’m big on color in my food and this salad definitely delivers! Not only that, but it is incredibly healthy and flavorful. It all comes together really well with the creamy beans & sweet peppers balancing the heat in the dressing (which isn’t too hot, just hot enough) and the lime and cilantro add a flavorful punch. And you know what I really love about it? It calls for an entire bunch of cilantro, so I don’t have to leave 9/10 of a bunch sitting in the fridge, wondering what I’ll make with it until I forget about it and clean out the fridge a month later to discover a produce bag filled with green-brown muck. Woo-hoo! And no, it isn’t too much cilantro. It’s perfect. And since it’s so healthy, I felt justified using salty tortilla chips to eat it with, turning it into a sort of bean & pepper pico de gallo. Fabulous!

Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Cilantro and Lime
Printable Version

Dressing:
1 lime
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle pepper
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 t salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Salad:
1 can black beans, rinsed well and drained
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
(could use any combination of colors for the pepper, or use 2 red peppers)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Grate the zest from the lime into a small bowl, then juice the lime and add 2 tablespoons of it to the zest. Stir in the remaining ingredients; set aside.

Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl. Pour the dressing over and stir. Serve immediately or store in the fridge, giving another stir before serving. 

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 214 cal; 8 g fat (1.2 g saturated, 1.4 polyunsaturated, 5.1 monounsaturated); 149 mg sodium; 591 mg potassium; 30 g carb; 10 g fiber; 9.1 g protein

Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen