Spicy Sombrero Salad

This main-dish salad comes together in twenty minutes or less, using pantry ingredients and fresh greens. No special cooking skills needed and easily adapted to use what you have on hand. Get zing from the salsa, crunch from the seeds or nuts, umami from the beans and green onion, and sweetness from the raisins and corn.

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Spicy Bean Salad

Pile warm beans and corn drenched with salsa on chopped greens with raisins for a satisfying, full-meal salad. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Salt-free and oil-free options. Makes 2 main-dish servings. (Note: I can't get the display below to say that this recipe serves two. What is going on? Please ignore the 4.)

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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Mexican

Prep Time

20 minutes

Servings

servings MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans from a 15 or 16 ounce can or home-cooked
• 1 cup corn kernels frozen or canned
• 2 cups chopped fresh kale stems removed before chopping
• 1 cups chopped lettuce
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or chopped nuts
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil or olive oil, optional
• salt to taste, optional
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• sriracha sauce to taste, optional

Course Main Dish Cuisine Mexican Prep Time 20 minutes Servings servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans from a 15 or 16 ounce can or home-cooked 1 cup corn kernels frozen or canned 2 cups chopped fresh kale stems removed before chopping 1 cups chopped lettuce 1/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or chopped nuts 2 teaspoons avocado oil or olive oil, optional salt to taste, optional 1/2 cup salsa 1/4 cup chopped green onions sriracha sauce to taste, optional

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Instructions

1. If using canned beans or corn, drain well, then heat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. I used canned beans and frozen corn, put them in a microwave-safe bowl, covered with a saucer, and microwaved on high for four minutes.
2. While beans and corn heat, tenderize the chopped kale by massaging it for a few minutes, about twenty firm squeezes between your clean hands. Put in a bowl with chopped lettuce, raisins, sunflower seeds, and avocado oil if using. Toss to mix well and coat greens with oil. Divide evenly onto two plates. Sprinkle with salt if your diet allows.
3. When beans and corn are hot, drain again, then stir in salsa. Heat for another minute. Just before serving, heap a mound of spicy beans and corn in the center of each salad. Top with a wiggle of sriracha sauce and chopped green onion. If you squint, each serving may now look a bit like a hat with a big brim.

   
4. Serve at once, while the hot beans and corn contrast with the cool salad base. We usually eat every bite, but if I had leftovers, I'd toss them in my Stoup container.

Recipe Notes

• Can you add chopped avocado, tortilla chips, or olives? Of course!
• Can you make part of this ahead? Yes. You can get the bean, corn, and salsa topping ready to reheat and use up to five days in advance. This is handy if you are cooking for one or want this for lunch every day. You can also chop and squeeze the kale two or three days in advance.
• Can you make it faster? Yes. Use a boxed or bagged baby kale or salad mix. You can skip removing the stems and maybe the squeezing, but rinse well.