Illinois Harvest of the Month

Cuban Black Bean Salad

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SALAD

This recipe is a great way to feature red/orange required vegetables!
This is a summer school food service recipe for Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers, Fresh Herbs, and Corn.
Cooking and prep level: Basic.
Adapted from Iowa Gold Star Menu Cycles, Team Nutrition Iowa
  • Prep Time1 hr
  • Total Time1 hr
  • Yield100
  • Serving Size1/2 cup
  • Energy69 cal
  • Cuisine
    • Cuban
  • Course
    • Main Course
    • Salad
    • Cold Vegetable Dish
  • USDA Meal Components
    • ¼ c alternate protein
    • ¼ c starchy vegetable
    • ¼ c red/orange vegetable
  • Diet
    • Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 10 lbs Sweet Corn Kernels, fresh, oven roasted and cut from the cob or 9 lbs 1 oz Corn, frozen whole kernel, thawed, drained
  • 11 lbs Bell Peppers, red or orange, finely diced
  • 2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and membrane removed, minced
  • 8 oz Onion, fresh, diced
  • ½ cup Canola or Olive oil
  • 1 cup Lemon Juice, fresh
  • 10 lbs Black Beans, (2.5 #10 cans) canned low-sodium, drained, rinsed OR 5 lbs 8 oz dry Black Beans, cooked and drained
  • ½ cup Parsley, fresh, chopped
  • 2 Tbsps Cumin, ground
  • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Garlic, granulated
  • 3 lbs 8 oz Salsa, canned, USDA
  • 2 lbs Monterey Jack Cheese, reduced fat, shredded

Method

1

Combine black beans, corn, green & red peppers, Jalapeno peppers, and onions in a large bowl or tote.

2

For dressing, combine lemon juice with parsley, cumin, and garlic. Slowly add oil to incorporate. Fold in salsa. Taste for seasonings.

3

Pour dressing over salad and toss lightly to combine.

4

Spread salad into shallow hotel pans (12x 20x 2½), using 5 lb+15 oz (approx 3 qt + ½ cup) of salad per pan. For 100 servings use 4 pans, 50 use 2 pans.

5

Refrigerate. CCP: Cool to, and hold at 41°F.

6

Just prior to service, sprinkle cheese across the top of salad.

7

To oven-roast fresh corn on the cob: Add 1-2 Tbsps olive or canola oil to sheet pans spreading evenly. Sprinkle your favorite spice blend over the oil. Roll cleaned shucked ears in the mixture and line up in a single layer on the pan. Bake at 400 °F (convection oven) for 15 minutes, turn corn and bake for 10 minutes longer until corn begins to deepen in color and registers at 135 °F for 15 seconds. Cool and cut kernels from cobs.

Note: If you oven-roast fresh sweet corn in season, you will end up with a sweeter and delicious addition to the salad.

A little about Cuban Cuisine: 
Although Spain and Africa contributed most to Cuban cuisine, the French, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures were also influential. Black beans, stews, and meats are the most popular foods. Root vegetables are most often flavored with mojo, a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, onions, garlic, and cumin. Hot spices are rarely used in Cuban cooking. Cuban cuisine is not about heavy-handed spices but, how efficiently you use them.
Buen Aprovecho!

  • Nutrition Facts

  • 100 servings per container
  • Serving Size1/2 cup
  • Amount per serving
  • Calories69
  • % Daily Value*
  • Total Fat3 g3.85%
  • Saturated Fat1 g5%
  • Trans Fat0 g
  • Cholesterol6 mg2%
  • Sodium129 mg5.61%
  • Total Carbohydrate7 g2.55%
  • Dietary Fiber1 g3.57%
  • Protein4 g8%
  • * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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