Shelter in Place Plan

Black Bean and Corn Salad

A no-cook salad from three cans and a few spices. Ready in 10 minutes with no power, and it works as a meal or a side.

  • Serves 4 servings
  • Time 10 min
  • Heat None needed
A bowl of black beans, corn and tomato beside three plain cans

This is the “canned bean salad with corn” from my 14-day meal ideas, written out properly. Every ingredient keeps on the shelf until you open it, so it suits the first night of an outage as well as day ten.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 398 mL) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) vinegar or bottled lime or lemon juice
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp (1 mL) garlic powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • Manual can opener
  • Large bowl
  • Spoon or fork
  • Colander, or the can lid to hold back liquid

Steps

  1. Check each can before you open it. Wipe the lids clean, then open them.
  2. Drain the beans, corn and tomatoes. Rinsing the beans is optional; if you rinse them, use safe drinking water.
  3. In the bowl, stir the oil, vinegar or juice, cumin, garlic powder and a pinch of salt.
  4. Add the beans, corn and tomatoes and stir until everything is coated. Taste and add salt and pepper.
  5. Serve right away on its own, with crackers, or rolled in tortillas. Without a working fridge, finish it within 2 hours.

Swaps from the pantry

  • Any canned beans work: pinto, kidney or chickpeas.
  • Canned peas, mixed vegetables or a drained can of diced tomatoes with green chiles instead of plain tomatoes.
  • Half a cup (125 mL) of jarred salsa can replace the tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices.
  • Stir in a drained can of chicken or tuna to make it more filling.

Allergens

None of the main allergens in the base recipe. Serving it with crackers or tortillas adds wheat, and tuna adds fish. Check labels on salsa and seasoning blends.

Ingredients vary by brand, so read every label for your household's allergies.

Food safety

  • Check every can before you open it. Do not use food from cans that are leaking, bulging or badly dented, or that have a deep dent on a seam.
  • Once opened, eat it within 2 hours, or 1 hour when it is above 90°F (32°C). If your fridge is working and at or below 40°F (4°C), put leftovers in a covered container and refrigerate them. If not, throw leftovers out. See food safety when the fridge fails.
  • Use safe drinking water for everything here, and especially for water that is not cooked: bottled, or boiled or treated as in treating water.
  • When in doubt, throw it out. Do not taste food to test it.

Where to buy

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Sources

Updated