Black Beans Salad with Feta, Onions, and Tomato

A delicious side dish for any of your summer meals. Black beans, feta, basil, red onion, and tomato salad goes great with anything and everything. I recently made it for a family gathering, and it went over really well. Having said that, I thought I'd share the latin fusion with all of you. Spread the love, you know!

Black bean nutrition

Being Latin American, I am crazy about black beans. They're not only delicious and versatile, but healthy too. They're chock full of fiber, protein and antioxidants. I told you they were healthy! Black beans are native to the Central America and Mexico. Archaeologists believe that black beans are one of the first legumes to be cultivated. They've been grown for over 5000 years.

This black bean salad is earthy, has salty feta, plus sweet and savory basil. It's a true flavor kaleidoscope.

This awesome salad can double up as a relish for broiled fish, or can be eaten with tortilla chips. BTW, if you love black beans as much as I do you might want to check out my recipe for mango black bean salsa, just saying.

This salad is one of the easiest things I've ever made. All you need to do is chop and mix. You can make this dish in about 30 minutes or less depending on your chopping skills. I like to use the basil from my garden. I haven't managed to kill it yet. Down the street from my house are two farm stands with red and juicy tomatoes. It doesn't get any better than this.

This recipe is seasonal, as two of the main ingredients are tomatoes and basil. On the East coast, tomatoes thrive during the summer. Basil requires lots of sunlight to live too, which makes them a quintessential summer herb. Seasonality of ingredients is important. You not only respect the Earth’s natural food production cycle, but you also indulge in flavors just at the right time. Try comparing the taste of a winter tomato to a summer tomato, and you’ll notice there is a clear difference in quality between them. 

Black beans, feta, basil, red onion, and tomato salad is my new go to picnic dish.

Black bean history

Known as turtle beans in Louisiana and frijoles negros across Latin, Central, and South America, black beans are a common staple across many communities. Black beans date back at least 7000 years ago, when indigenous communities ate them across what we know today as Central and South America. All beans are excellent replacements for meat, and you’ll find worldwide that many vegetarians and vegans use them to supplement their protein intake. Their flavor is unmatched too, with the signature blackish purple exterior and creamy interior. A half cup of black beans gives you 8 grams of protein, and it’s likely you’ll eat even more than that in just one serving.

Black bean nutrition

Beyond their high protein, black beans also have lots of fiber. With their high nutritional rating, black beans help to prevent serious health conditions such as cancer and diabetes. So not only will you eat black beans because they’re delicious, but because black beans are good for your health. 

Other black bean dishes

I don’t exclusively use black beans for salads, in fact this is one of the few healthy-ish dishes I make with black beans. I’m from Panama, so I’m accustomed to eating black beans in Latin and South American dishes. 

When I’m not in the mood to eat meat, I love using black beans as a substitute. Most frequently in my rotation I make these spicy black bean enchiladas. Plant-based burgers have become more popular in recent years too, which is why I developed this delicious black bean burger recipe. They’re great for when you want to indulge in a burger, but don’t want to have a belly ache afterwards from all of the beef grease.

I also absolutely love my black bean plantain empanadas recipe! Black beans and plantains aren’t typical empanada fillings, but I love empanadas because you can get really creative with them. 

Substitutions

That said, you can easily substitute the black beans in this recipe for garbanzo beans or cannellini beans. If you opt for those white beans, consider roasting them first. The crispiness will pair well with the freshness of the tomato and onion. 

For the cheese, I understand feta is not everyone’s cup of tea. It can be very salty to some folks and maybe even a little too stinky! I personally love it, but I understand. If you want to substitute the feta, consider shaving some fresh parmesan or pecorino. If you really dislike nutty cheeses or slightly smelly cheese, you could also use some fresh mozzarella in place of it. Just know you won’t get that salty, umami flavor from the mozzarella like you get from the feta. 

Step by step photos

1. Prepare all the ingredients and have them ready. Chop, measure, drain and rinse the beans then have them all set to go.
2. In a large bowl mix together the black beans, feta cheese, basil, red onion and tomatoes.
3. Mix until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Kosher salt, oregano, thyme, lemon juice and Dijon mustard.
5. Whisk vigorously until well combined. Tip: If you are taking this dish to a picnic keep the dressing separate until you are ready to serve.
6. Add the dressing to the salad, mix to combine and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long will this last and can I make it ahead? You can make this dish 1 day ahead of serving but do not add the dressing until ready to serve. It is always best as fresh as possible.
• Can I freeze this dish? Do not freeze this dish as it will will be completely wilted and soggy when thawed.
• How long will it last in the refrigerator? After you have added the dressing and have some left, I have eaten this the following day and it is still very crisp and fresh. More than 1 day old it will not be nearly as crisp and will needed tossed.
• Can I make my bean salad Mexican? Not per se, but feel free to add spice.

If you enjoyed my Black Bean Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, and Onion then I recommend more of my Latin-inspired recipes to make it a full meal.

Tostones with Avocado Cream Sauce - A delicious twist on one of my favorites. These tostones get dunked into a sauce made with blended avocado, spices, fresh cilantro, and mayo. 

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5 from 5 votes

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Black Beans, Feta, Basil, Red Onion, and Tomato Salad Recipe

You will love this black bean, feta, basil, red onion and tomato salad. Try a great cool summer salad with bright herb flavors of basil and thyme.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword cold dish, fresh, healthy, herbs, picnic, summer

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings: Change to adjust-> 5 people

Calories 172 kcal

Author Analida Braeger

Ingredients

• 15 oz black beans 1 can, drained, rinsed
• ⅓ cup feta crumbled
• 10-12 basil fresh, cut into strips
• 1 Roma tomatoes cored, diced
• ¼ cup red onion dices

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ¼ tsp oregano dried
• ¼ tsp thyme dried
• 1 tsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. To prepare the salad:
2. In a large bowl, mix together the black beans, feta cheese, basil, red onion, and tomatoes.
3. For the dressing:
4. In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Kosher salt, oregano, thyme, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until all ingredients are well blended.
5. Pour over the bean mixture and mix until ingredients are well coated.
6. Chill until ready to use.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long will this last and can I make it ahead? You can make this dish 1 day ahead of serving but do not add the dressing until ready to serve. It is always best as fresh as possible.
• Can I freeze this dish? Do not freeze this dish as it will will be completely wilted and soggy when thawed.
• How long will it last in the refrigerator? After you have added the dressing and have some left, I have eaten this the following day and it is still very crisp and fresh. More than 1 day old it will not be nearly as crisp and will needed tossed.
• Can I make my bean salad Mexican? Not per se, but feel free to add spice.

Nutrition Facts

Black Beans, Feta, Basil, Red Onion, and Tomato Salad Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 172 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 350mg15%

Potassium 338mg10%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 190IU4%

Vitamin C 2.1mg3%

Calcium 72mg7%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.