3 Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad

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This simple 3 Bean Avocado Corn Salad is a dip or a salad that is certainly a way to eat the rainbow. Packed with flavor and veggies, along with three beans and avocado, this can be a perfect addition to any spread. Serve with chips or on top of tacos, fajitas and more!

Overhead view of white bowl with 3 bean avocado corn salad topped with chopped cilantro.

Why you will love this 3 Bean Corn and Avocado Salad:
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Recipe Tips
Storage:
FAQs
3 Bean Avocado Corn Salad Recipe
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This recipe was originally published May 2015 and updated July 2021.

Some call it Cowboy Caviar, some call it Texas Caviar, I have even heard Cowboy Salad–I am just gonna call this chunky, dippable goodness 3 Bean Avocado Corn Salad to help everyone understand what it is right off the bat!

You can eat it as a dip, as a salad, over top of Instant pot shredded chicken tacos, on chicken burrito bowls, in avocado quesadillas, you name it.

This salad is so versatile and full of flavor and a great way to get in all the delicious veggies and beans! It is just waiting for tortilla chips if you ask me!

Try these other simple salad recipes you will love: Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad, Black Bean and Cauliflower Rice Salad or this Shrimp Taco Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Why you will love this 3 Bean Corn and Avocado Salad:

It easily feeds a crowd. This salsa like salad is HUGE. It will make enough for the party and then some. If you are using it to dip, grab plenty of chips! This is a great salad when you know there are a lot of mouths to feed–always a crowd pleaser!
Super versatile. While I love this 3 bean avocado corn salad as a dip, there are so many things you can use it for. Taco or fajita toppings, quesadillas, omelets, nachos and so much more are perfect!
Packed with LOTS of goodness. A little protein and fiber, lots of colors and nutrients in this delicious avocado corn salad. You won’t mind eating the rainbow when it comes to this recipe!
Easy to prep in advance. I love meal prepping with this or even just getting all the veggies chopped ahead of time when preparing this recipe. You can eat off this salad for about 4-5 days so getting the work done of chopping everything in one day will benefit you throughout the week.

Tri color bean dip with fresh vegetables, corn, cilantro and other ingredients in bowl.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Ok, there are a lot of ingredients in this 3 Bean Avocado Corn Salad, but don’t worry, it’s still completely doable and there are some hacks to make things easier!

beans: I use a combo of black, pinto and kidney, my 3 favorite beans. If you don’t like one of the types of beans, you can omit it or sub out for another type.
bell peppers: I use a red bell pepper, yellow and green. I enjoy the sweetness of the red and yellow balanced out by the green. Use what you have on hand or prefer. To save time, you can buy these pre-chopped in the produce aisle!
corn: while thawed frozen corn is what I use a lot, grilled or roasted corn in this salad is AMAZING. You could even air fry the corn! Canned corn (drained), fresh corn (after cooked), etc. will work!
tomato: I use Roma tomatoes. When summer time tomato peak season is in full swing, there is nothing like a fresh, juicy tomato! I don’t suggest using grape or cherry tomatoes in this recipe.
avocado: while the recipe says 2-3 avocados, I essentially always add 3 and sometimes more as the week goes by and I pick out all of the avocado. Consider yourself warned! You want fresh avocados that are ripe but slightly firm. This will guarantee that they hold shape well versus getting mushy when added to the salad.
jalapeño: finely diced jalapeño adds a touch of heat but can certainly be adjusted as you like. For more heat, keep the seeds and add two of the peppers. For a mild variation, omit the seeds and use just one pepper.
onion: red onion adds color but may not be your favorite–you can use a white onion if you would like.
cilantro: lots and lots of chopped fresh cilantro! This is one ingredient I go all in and then some on!
garlic: fresh garlic minced, but if you don’t have any, about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon garlic powder will work as well.
lime juice: fresh lime juice is preferred in this easy salad for the best flavor!
olive oil: a good, strong flavored olive oil is great!
red wine vinegar: if you don’t have any, a white or even apple cider vinegar should still be tasty.
sea salt and black pepper: can be adjusted to taste easily!

Peppers, beans, cilantro, avocado, corn and other ingredients labeled on counter.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Diced tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, chopped peppers and other ingredients in mixing bowl.

Cilantro chopped and added to mixing bowl with prepped bean and corn salad.

Combine the beans and chopped peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl and toss well to combine. You can wait to salt until the end if preferred.
Add the lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar and chopped cilantro. Toss well to coat evenly.

Bean corn and avocado salad mixed in mixing bowl with spoon.

Cube the avocado and gently fold or stir it in with the other salad ingredients–trying not to bruise the avocado as best you can. *I like to add the avocado about 30 minutes before serving this salad. It’s ok if you add it earlier, the avocado may brown slightly.
Chill for about 30 minutes to one hour before serving to allow the flavor to really soak in! Enjoy with tortilla chips, as a side with grilled chicken breast, over tacos and more!

Recipe Tips

Wait to add the avocado until serving. To keep the avocado from browning too much before serving, add it into the avocado corn salad just a few minutes before serving. I sometimes will add it about 30 minutes ahead of serving so it can soak up some of the flavors.
You can adjust the bean options to your liking. If there is a certain bean you don’t like in the mix, swap out one of there others or add in some garbanzo beans in the omitted bean’s place.
You can serve this salad/dip in so many more ways than with chips. Add it on top of tacos, over grilled chicken or fish, mix it in with a salad–lots of different options. Don’t get me wrong, dipping is great and I encourage you to do so with at least a few chips. But this also makes a lot of dip and you may have options.
Add about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder for flavor variation. It will add a slight kick to the salad! You could even add a pinch of cayenne pepper for more heat!

Chips dipped into bean and avocado salad with corn and topped with chopped cilantro.

Storage:

Store this corn and bean salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days. The lime juice will help keep the avocado from browning too fast, but you can also just add avocado as you spoon it out through the week. This is always a good way to do if you like to meal prep.

I do not recommend freezing this salad. The texture and flavor will not be the same once frozen and thawed.

FAQs

Is this recipe vegan?

It sure is! No adjustments needed to make this dip vegan friendly because it already is! I love recipes I can share with all of my friends and family!

Can I make this Salad ahead of time?

Yes! In fact I think it is best when you make it at least an hour or so in advance. Just wait until before serving to add in the avocado. Otherwise it may be very brown by the time you get around to eating it. And no one wants that!

Can I use dry beans in this recipe?

You can certainly start with dry beans when making this 3 Bean Avocado Corn Salad. You will need to soak and cook the beans ahead of time and then allow them to cool. Use about 2 cups of each, cooked.