Healthy Camping Recipes

Mandarin Black Bean Salad


In my search for healthy camping recipes, I was delighted to come across Mandarin Black Bean Salad. Like all good camping recipes it is easy, uses easy-to-pack and non-perishable ingredients, tastes great, and is nutritious.

This mandarin orange, corn and black bean salad recipe makes a nice lunch on a hot day. 

It can also be a side dish for dinner.

Mandarin Black Bean Salad in a blue bowl

Portable Shower for Camping

This portable rechargeable camping shower set means you can shower anywhere!

Read more at Amazon here and find the best price!!

“As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.”



Healthy Camping Recipes

This is a great salad to take to a potluck supper!

I especially like that this mixes up in just one bowl! When I'm camping, I want to wash as few dishes as possible!

You might want to make a double batch so that you can enjoy the leftovers. This will keep for a couple of days in the cooler.

This is one of my very favorite healthy camping recipes. I hope you enjoy it too!

What to pack

Food

In the food box

  • 2 cans (each 19 oz/540 mL) black beans
  • 2 cans (each 10 oz/284 mL) mandarin oranges
  • 2 cans (each 12 oz/341 mL) corn
  • vegetable oil
  • red wine vinegar

In the cooler

  • an onion
The ingredients for mandarin black bean salad


Pots and utensils

  • large bowl
  • sharp knife
  • cutting board
  • can opener
  • measuring cups (1/4 cup/60 mL and 1/3 cup/80 mL)
  • whisk (or fork)
  • metal strainer (optional - for draining the cans)


At camp

Assemble your ingredients!

Salad ingredients on a picnic table

Dice some onion. (You'll need about 1/2 cup/125 mL.) Put it in the large bowl.

Open and drain the cans of beans and corn. Dump them into the bowl with the onions.

Open the cans of mandarin oranges. Save 1/3 cup/80 mL of the juice. You can drink or discard the rest. Put the orange slices into the large bowl, and stir gently to mix with the beans and corn and onion.

In a small bowl or mug, whisk together 1/4 cup/60 mL oil, 1/4 cup/ 60 mL vinegar, and the reserved 1/3 cup/80 mL mandarin orange juice. A fork works well for mixing, if you didn't bring a whisk.

Salad dressing in a mug

Add this dressing to the large bowl. Stir gently until everything is well mixed.

A large steel bowl of mandarin black bean salad


Substitutions

  • Use your favorite vinegar in place of red wine vinegar. How about balsamic vinegar, or cider vinegar?
  • Try using another variety of beans. (Black beans are my favorite, so I've never experimented with others, but I bet that pinto beans would be tasty, or romano beans, or chickpeas!)


Tips

  • These instructions are for making the salad at camp - but you could also make it at home and bring it along - as long as you put it in a leak-proof container.  A large ziploc bag works well.
bean salad in ziploc bag
  • I prefer using a red onion (because it is sweet and colorful), but any onion will work.


Looking for more healthy camping recipes? I have lots! Just go to my Food Ideas page!


Click here to go to The Camping Family home page.






More tasty camping meals

Coconut Chicken

Fancy Baked Beans

Taco Salad





Most Popular

Camping Lists

Food Ideas

Screen Tents

Tin Foil Dinners

Planning your Trip


Product of the Month

Camp Stove 2025

Iwatani Camp Stove

The perfect portable cooktop!

CLICK HERE for more information and best price



Recent Articles

  1. Easy Mexican Taco Salad Recipe

    Apr 30, 25 02:55 AM

    taco salad on plate
    This easy healthy taco salad recipe is a perfect meal for camping. You do most of the prep at home. At camp, you just reheat the mixture and put it together!

    Read More

  2. Small Motorhomes And More: Westfalia Camper Vans to Luxury Motorhomes

    Apr 29, 25 09:12 AM

    small motorhome
    Investigate small motorhomes with this guide to Class A, Class B or Class C motorhomes.

    Read More

  3. Folding Table And Chair Sets For Camping - Which Will Suit You Best?

    Apr 24, 25 07:32 AM

    Picnic table and bench set and a tent
    Find out which folding table and chair sets for camping will be best for you! What's important, what to look for, and what to avoid.

    Read More

Find Us on FB 2025

Like and Follow Us HERE