This Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Salad is a fresh, flavor-packed side dish that’s perfect for potlucks, cookouts, and easy summer dinners. Tossed in a zesty homemade dressing, it’s make-ahead friendly and always a crowd favorite.
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Pin ItWhen I’m asked to bring a salad to a cookout or potluck, classics like my sister’s famous Old Fashioned Potato Salad and Broccoli Salad usually top the list. But sometimes I just want to mix things up a little and this chilled rice salad with beans, colorful bell peppers, and sweet corn goes in a totally different direction.
Think of it like a confetti salad with a Tex-Mex twist. All the pretty ingredients are tossed in a zesty cumin-lime vinaigrette to create this hearty, satisfying side that pairs perfectly with anything coming off the grill.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
- Rice: I like using basmati rice in this salad because the long, fluffy grains stay separate and give it a lighter texture. I usually use Ben’s Original Ready Rice Basmati as an easy shortcut but you can choose another variety like Jasmine or even brown rice. Or, cook your own long grain white rice, if you’d like.
- Beans: A combination of black beans and kidney beans adds color, texture, and plenty of substance. Be sure to rinse and drain them well.
- Corn: Frozen yellow corn is an easy choice and adds sweetness and color. Thaw and drain it before adding it to the salad.
- Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper adds crunch and a pop of color, but orange or yellow bell pepper would work well too.
- Green Onions: They add a mild onion flavor that blends nicely with the other ingredients. For a little more bite, you can swap them for finely diced red onion.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds bright flavor that works really well with the cumin-lime dressing. If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can leave it out.
- Dressing: A simple vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, cumin, garlic, and coriander gives this salad its Tex-Mex flavor. Coriander has a distinct, warm, aromatic flavor that I love in this salad and it pairs really well with the cumin.
How to Make Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Salad
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings.
- Add the salad ingredients: Place the rice, beans, corn, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- Toss to combine: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill before serving: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors blend together.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for no more than 3 to 4 days. Since cooked rice has a shorter refrigerated shelf life than many other ingredients, I don’t recommend keeping it any longer.
Stir before serving: The rice will continue to absorb some of the dressing as it chills. Give the salad a good stir before serving and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice if you’d like to brighten it up.
For serving: If serving this salad at a cookout or potluck, avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour in very hot weather) before refrigerating leftovers.
Make ahead: This is a great make-ahead salad because the flavors improve after a few hours in the refrigerator.
More Fresh Salad Recipes
- Three Bean Salad Recipe
- Mexican Bean Salad
- Strawberry Crunch Salad
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
- Orzo Grape Feta Salad
- Lemony Tortellini Broccoli Salad
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Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked long grain white rice, like Jasmine rice (see notes below)
Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ lime, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Rest
- 16 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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