Citric Acid Free Mediterranean Tomato, Olive & Black Bean Corn Salad
This vibrant, no-cook salad is a riot of color and texture — sweet corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny Kalamata olives, and hearty black beans all tossed together in one big, satisfying bowl. The dressing is built around fresh lemon juice and zest rather than any processed citric acid additives, so you know exactly what's going into it. Dried oregano, ground cumin, and a touch of turmeric give the vinaigrette a warm, Mediterranean depth that ties every ingredient together beautifully. Packaged dressings and store-bought salads are notorious for sneaking in citric acid as a preservative, but making this one from scratch means you stay completely in control. A short rest at room temperature lets the tomatoes release their natural juices and allows the flavors to meld into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. Optional crumbled feta and torn fresh mint on top push it into genuinely impressive territory — perfect for a weeknight side or a dish you'd proudly bring to a gathering.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ½ english cucumber, diced
- ¼ red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground turmeric, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels, Kalamata olives, cucumber, red onion, and parsley.
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