Refreshing Quinoa Black Bean Salad (Printable)

Vibrant salad featuring quinoa, black beans, fresh vegetables, and lime dressing, perfect for a light lunch or side.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Beans

03 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
09 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, black beans, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro.
03 - Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture and gently toss to combine evenly.
05 - Fold in diced avocado carefully just before serving to preserve texture and color.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It holds up in the fridge for days without turning soggy or sad, which means you can eat well even when life gets messy.
  • The lime dressing sharpens everything without feeling heavy, and you can taste each ingredient instead of drowning in oil.
  • You can prep it in pieces throughout the day and toss it together whenever hunger strikes.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the quinoa, you'll end up with a bitter, slightly soapy taste that no amount of lime can fix.
  • Don't add the avocado until you're ready to serve or it will brown and turn the whole salad murky within an hour.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it because limes vary wildly in acidity and you might need an extra squeeze or pinch of salt.
03 -
  • Let the red onion sit in the lime juice for five minutes before you whisk in the oil, it softens the sharpness and infuses the dressing with a subtle sweetness.
  • If your quinoa turns out mushy, you used too much water or didn't let it rest off the heat, next time use a two-to-one water ratio and let it steam with the lid on for five minutes after cooking.
  • Taste the salad after it's dressed and don't be afraid to add more lime, salt, or cumin, the flavor should be bold enough to cut through the mildness of the quinoa and beans.
Return