This is the type of dish everyone will want the recipe for. Make the veggie-packed salsa and scoop it up with potato or tortilla chips (this is what you’ll want to do if you’re coming here from this video!), or use it as a topping for homemade tostadas. Plus, you can make the salsa ahead of time so day-of assembly is quick.
A corn and bean salsa you’ll want to put on repeat
The salsa in this recipe is reminiscent of Texas caviar, though my version is far from traditional. I’ve added corn, black beans, and avocado, and swapped the Italian dressing for a lime vinaigrette.
No matter your exact formula, the key is chopping everything the same size. That way, you can really pile the mixture high onto your chip or tostada shell and get a little bit of everything in every bite. I’m not promising it won’t be messy, but I am promising it will be worth it.
If you’re serving the salsa on it’s own and not with the smashed feta tostada, feel free to stir some cubed feta directly into the salsa.
more smashed feta recipes to try:
- smashed feta tostadas with green goddess corn salad
- smashed feta caprese flatbread
- smashed feta flatbread with cucumber-chickpea salad
- grilled yogurt flatbreads with crispy chickpeas
- smashed feta zucchini boats
- smashed feta sweet potato boats
- smashed feta spring salad
Ingredients
For the corn and bean salsa:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted very dry
- 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas or chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted very dry
- 1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced (or 4 diced mini peppers)
- 2 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed*, or 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1/2 cup loosely-packed finely-chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 avocado, diced (optional; wait to add until just before serving)
For the smashed feta and assembly (optional):
- 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 corn tortillas
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
Make the corn and bean salsa:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lime zest and juice, honey, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and several grinds pepper.
- Add the black beans, black-eyed peas, bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld while you make the smashed feta, if using. Alternatively, serve with a side of chips for scooping!
Make the smashed feta (optional):
- In a medium bowl, combine the feta, lime zest and juice, cilantro, and oil. Smash with a fork until fully combined and spreadable.
Make and assemble the tostadas (optional):
- Brush or spray the tortillas lightly with oil.
- To bake: Heat the oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Divide the tortillas between two baking sheets in a single layer and bake, flipping halfway and rotating the baking sheets top to bottom, until lightly browned and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total. Season with salt.
- To air fry: Heat the air fryer to 350°F. Air fry in batches in a single layer, flipping halfway, until lightly browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes total. Season with salt.
- Stir the avocado into the salsa, if using. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Divide the feta between the tostada shells, spreading it the edges. Top with the salsa.
