Black Bean Salsa — Mango, Red Onion and Lime

Alsara Express opened in the village recently, replacing Francisco's fruit and veg shop. It is open on Sunday mornings, which is more than can be said for most things in rural Andalucía. This morning it had fresh mangoes. This black bean salsa is what happened next.

Five ingredients. Ten minutes. No cooking beyond draining a tin. The mango came from the village. The black beans are Eat Wholesome Organic — the fourth use of the case that arrived at Casa Adora on 3rd September. Eight tins to go.

Black Bean Salsa — Why This Combination Works

The black bean salsa is a Caribbean and Mexican staple, and the logic is straightforward: black beans bring earthiness, protein and fibre; mango brings sweetness and acidity; red onion brings bite; lime brings the sharp finish that pulls everything together. Parsley keeps it clean and fresh without the polarising effect of coriander.

The result is something thicker and more substantial than a pure fruit salsa — closer to a side dish than a condiment, though it works as both. Serve it alongside grilled fish or chicken and it does everything a sauce would do, with considerably more nutritional weight. Half a tin of black beans in a serving puts you at roughly 7g of fibre before anything else hits the plate.

If you want heat, a spoonful of Nearly Sriracha stirred through at the end is the right move. For a pure mango salsa without the beans, the Mango Salsa with Mango Ember Hot Sauce is the one to make.

Black Bean Salsa — Mango, Red Onion and Lime

Serves 2 as a side — 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ tin Eat Wholesome Organic black beans, drained and rinsed (~120g)
• 1 fresh mango, peeled and diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Optional:

• 1 tsp Nearly Sriracha for heat

Method

Prepare. Drain and rinse the black beans. Peel and dice the mango into roughly 1cm pieces. Finely dice the red onion. Chop the parsley.

Combine. Add everything to a bowl — black beans, mango, red onion, lime juice and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir gently to combine.

Rest. Leave for 5 minutes before serving — the lime juice softens the onion slightly and the flavours come together.

Serve alongside grilled fish or chicken, or as a dip with flatbread.

Add a teaspoon of Nearly Sriracha if you want heat — stir through just before serving.

Chef's Notes

Use a mango that gives slightly to the touch — firm enough to dice cleanly, ripe enough to be sweet. An underripe mango will be too sharp; an overripe one will collapse in the bowl.

The red onion benefits from a quick soak in cold water for 5 minutes before adding if you find raw onion too sharp. Drain well before using.

This salsa keeps in the fridge for up to two days, though it is best eaten fresh. The lime juice will continue to soften the mango the longer it sits.

The beans here are tinned cooked black beans — a completely different ingredient from the fermented salted black soybeans used in Nearly Lee Kum Kee Black Bean Sauce. Two traditions, two ingredients, both on this site.

This black bean salsa is featured in my Sauces, Salsas & Dressings hub — a growing collection of homemade sauces, salsas and dressings from the Casa Adora kitchen. It also features in my Black Bean Recipes and Veggie & Vegan collections.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef