Mixed Bean Salad

Nothing says summer to me like the combination of lime juice, cumin, coriander, and cilantro, and this mixed bean salad has all of that in spades. That’s part of why this salad’s a summer staple, but it’s also because it’s just so easy – all you do is throw a few things together in a big bowl and let it sit for ten minutes – and the results are so good. Use any combination of beans that you want, or toss in some fresh or toasted corn, or maybe some diced cucumber, use more or less lime juice (I like my salads on the acidic side, so maybe omit the vinegar or use more olive oil if you want a little less bite) – the whole point is a lot of taste for a minimum of effort. Because sometimes you want to take it easy.

Ingredients

• 2 22.5-ounce or 3 15-ounce cans of any kind of beans you like (I used chick peas and black beans), drained, thoroughly rinsed, and drained again
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cider or sherry vinegar
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Method