“One of my big motivations for writing this book… is my crusade to never have to eat a raw onion in a salad ever again,” writes recipe developer Casey Elsass in his party-ready cookbook What Can I Bring? Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life. “I simply hate feeling like my esophagus is under attack.”

If you’re similarly fatigued by raw onions, Elsass has the solution to your woes. He’s dishing up a black bean salad with sazón vinaigrette that’s full of delicious vegetables — none of which will make your eyes water. “If there’s one thing this recipe teaches you… it’s this,” he proclaims. “There’s always time for a quick pickle.”

When you craft this easy, yummy salad, you’ll utilize a half-cup of tart rice wine vinegar for a crucial sharpness: “Letting these veggies mingle with some acid for a few minutes mellows their harsh edge, brightens their natural colors, and builds flavor for the very liquid that is about to become a savory sazón dressing, an ideal partner to a bean salad if there ever was one.”

If you don’t have black beans on hand — or vastly prefer a pinto — don’t sweat: “I love the dense texture of black beans as a base here, but any of your favorite canned beans can slide right in.” Which means this salad is as adaptable as it is stunningly simple.

Black Bean Salad with Sazón Vinaigrette

Serves 8

Ingredients

½ cup rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
Juice of 4 limes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 jalapeño, diced
8 sweet mini peppers, diced
½ medium red onion, diced 4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and diced
2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 packets Sazón seasoning, any flavor
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a medium serving bowl, whisk the vinegar, lime juice, salt, and ¼ cup of cold water. As you dice the jalapeño, peppers, onion, scallions, and avocado, add them to the bowl and lightly toss to coat in the vinegar mixture. Set a timer for 10 minutes to lightly pickle.
Add the black beans, cilantro, vegetable oil, and sazón. Toss to completely mix, then taste for seasoning. Serve immediately, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. Stir again before serving.

Party trick: Sazón is a pan-Latin pantry staple, made from vibrantly colored annatto, turmeric, or saffron mixed with fragrant spices like coriander, cumin, garlic, or oregano. The magic ingredient is MSG, which gives this salad irresistible umami. If you’re using a bottle of sazón instead of packets, measure out ½ tablespoon per packet. You could also use an equal amount of Tajín or a chili powder mix instead and adjust the salt as needed.