Hominy, black beans, sweet peppers, corn, tomatoes and quick-pickled red onion, tossed with fresh lime, cilantro and a few spices. No cooking, no mayo, about 20 minutes. It’s a crunchy, bright side that holds up well at potlucks and cookouts.

Why this works

• Hominy adds a chewy, toasty corn flavor you don’t get from regular corn.
• Quick-pickled red onion (red wine vinegar, grenadine and sugar) brings sweetness and tang.
• Lime juice is the whole dressing, so the vegetables stay the star.

My tips

• Rinse and drain the hominy and black beans well.
• Pickle the onion first so it softens while you chop everything else.
• Add half the lime juice, taste, then add more.
• The jalapeño seeds hold the heat; remove them for a milder salad.

The story behind it

Jump to Recipe

When you work with fresh ingredients, you do not need to add much to your recipe.

There are some recipes where you just want to taste the ingredients as GOD had intend them to taste.  My Hominy Black Bean Salad is just one of those recipes.  The dressing is fresh squeezed lime.  That is all the recipe needs.  Combined with spices and fresh cilantro, the recipe is bursting with flavor.  It also has great texture from the crunch of the peppers to the creaminess of the black beans.

I was looking for another hominy recipe because I bought a couple of cans of hominy.  The first recipe I made with the hominy was a HOMINY SMOKED SAUSAGE CHEESY CASSEROLE.  One other recipe that I used hominy in was my JERK CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA.  The hominy was actually served as a side dish in a curry sauce.  It was amazing and I am remembering that I need to make this dish again.  

What exactly is HOMINY?  Hominy is made from corn kernels.  The kernels are soaked in a alkali solution.  Doing so removes the hull and germ of the corn.  The corn itself then doubles in size and that’s it. 

It is winter here in Chicago, so the only ingredient in this dish that I used that was not fresh was the corn.  I used orange and yellow peppers for color and jalapenos for some kick.  I used the red onion for sweetness and the tomatoes for some acidity and tartness.  The texture came from the hominy and the black beans.  The recipe was finished off with spices and fresh cilantro.  It is that easy.  No cooking necessary.

The cast of characters.

The assembling of the hominy black bean salad.

The Hominy Black Bean Salad Plated.     

Make ahead & storage

• Make it up to a day ahead; add the cilantro and tomatoes just before serving.
• Keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Variations

• Add diced avocado right before serving.
• Toss in crumbled cotija or feta.
• Use pinto beans instead of black beans.

Questions people ask

What is hominy?

Dried corn kernels soaked in an alkaline solution, which removes the hull and makes them puff up. It’s sold canned near the beans.

Is this salad gluten-free?

Yes. Check that your adobo seasoning is gluten-free.

Can I use frozen corn?

Yes. Thaw it first, or char it in a dry skillet for extra flavor.

You might also like: Hominy Smoked Sausage Cheesy Casserole · Black Eyed Peas & Hominy Curry · Black Bean and Corn Salad

Made this? Leave a star rating in the recipe card below and tell me how it turned out in the comments. I read every one.