If you like your salsa on the hearty side, this recipe is for you. This chunky Mexican-style dipping sauce (or topping) is full of goodies that you can sink your teeth into. Make it as hot and spicy or as mild as you please. Read on to learn how to make black bean salsa.
In this recipe, the smoky, nutty flavor of black beans mingles with sweet, starchy corn to make an enticing salsa that is excellent for dipping tortilla chips or other snacks. Not only is this salsa scrumptious, but it is packed with nutrients. The black beans provide plenty of fiber and iron, while the jalapeno is chock full of vitamins A and C. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3043/2 You certainly don't have to feel guilty about serving yourself a second helping!
How to Cook Black Beans
While it is perfectly acceptable to use canned beans for your salsa, it is simple to cook them yourself. Home cooked beans not only taste better, but they cost far less than their pre-cooked counterparts. The host in this video will demonstrate how to cook a batch of black turtle beans.
Step 1: Ingredients of Black Bean Salsa
- 16 oz. cooked black beans, or one medium can (strained)
- 8 oz. frozen, thawed corn, or one small can (strained)
- 1 ripe tomato, diced
- 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced finely (remove seeds and membranes for mild salsa)
- 1 large avocado, somewhat firm, diced
- 4 tablespoons red onion, diced finely
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice of half a lime
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Step 2: How to Make Black Bean Salsa
- In a large, nonmetallic bowl, mix together beans, corn, tomato, jalapenos, avocado, red onion and garlic with a wooden spoon
- Squeeze on lime juice
- Sprinkle with red wine vinegar
- Mix well
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cover and refrigerate overnight to "bloom"
- Re-season as needed
Step 3: About Handling Jalapenos
It is important to use caution when working with jalapenos or other spicy peppers. They contain capsaicin, which is a crystalline alkaloid responsible for making them taste and feel hot. http://www.fiery-foods.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1823:the-nature-of-capsaicin&catid=86:capsaicin&Itemid=151 Even the slightest handling of jalapeno peppers can transfer capsaicin to the fingers, and washing the hands may not remove it. If you touch your eyes or other tender membranes with capsaicin-laced fingers, you may feel a painful, burning sensation. If you have very sensitive skin or don't trust yourself not to touch your face, it is a good idea to use gloves when handling jalapenos or any other type of hot pepper.
