Quinoa Black Bean Salad (Print Version)

A refreshing quinoa and black bean dish tossed with fresh vegetables and tangy lime dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked, rinsed

→ Legumes

02 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - ½ small red onion, finely chopped
07 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
08 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Dressing

09 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - Juice of 2 limes
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
14 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa, black beans, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro thoroughly.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Fold in diced avocado just before serving. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling despite being completely meat-free, thanks to the protein power of quinoa and black beans working together.
  • The lime and cumin create such a bright, unexpected flavor that people always ask what makes it taste so good.
  • Throws together in half an hour and actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge overnight.
  • Works perfectly as lunch all week or as a crowd-pleasing side dish at gatherings.
02 -
  • The avocado situation is real—I learned this the hard way by adding it an hour before serving and watching it turn into brown mush.
  • Rinsing the canned beans genuinely changes the texture and prevents the salad from becoming gelatinous as it sits.
  • If you're making this for meal prep, keep the dressing separate from the salad until you're ready to eat, as the vegetables will release water and dilute everything.
  • The salad actually tastes better the next day because the quinoa absorbs the dressing flavor, but the vegetables stay crisp if you've stored it well.
03 -
  • Toast the cumin in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it to the dressing—it deepens the flavor immediately and makes the whole salad taste more sophisticated.
  • If you're serving this at a potluck or gathering, bring the dressing in a separate container and dress it just before people eat, so everything stays as crisp and fresh as possible.
Go Back