In his book What Can I Bring?, Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life, recipe developer Casey Elsass shares his mission to avoid using raw onions in salads. He presents a solution in the form of a black bean salad with a sazón vinaigrette that is packed with tasty vegetables and lacks the pungency of raw onions. By using a quick pickling method, Elsass creates a zesty, colourful salad that is the perfect addition to any gathering.
The recipe for this delicious salad uses rice wine vinegar to add tang. Allowing the vegetables to marinate in the vinegar enhances their flavour and prepares them for the sazón dressing. Elsass’s recommendation to use any canned beans of your choice highlights the versatility of this dish, making it a flexible and straightforward recipe.
Black Bean Salad with Sazón Vinaigrette
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Juice of 4 limes
- 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
- 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
- 8 sweet mini peppers, diced
½ medium red onion, diced - 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 ripe avocados, halved, stoned and diced
- Two 15.5-ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup of chopped fresh coriander leaves and stems - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 packets of Sazón seasoning (any flavour) - 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- Instructions:
- Whisk the vinegar, lime juice, salt and water together in a bowl. Add the diced vegetables and avocado and toss lightly to coat. Leave to pickle for 10 minutes.
- Add the black beans, coriander, vegetable oil and sazón, mixing thoroughly. Adjust the seasoning, then serve or refrigerate.
- The sazón adds a flavourful boost to the salad, offering a unique umami taste. If using a different seasoning blend, adjust the seasoning to your preference.
- This zesty and vibrant black bean salad recipe is reprinted with permission from Casey Elsass’s book ‘What Can I Bring?’ and is sure to be a hit at any event.
