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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    Easy Quinoa and Black Bean Salad (High Protein)

    Published: Jul 21, 2020 · Modified: May 15, 2023 by Maria · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Quinoa black bean salad in a glass serving bowl.

    This quinoa black bean salad is an easy, healthy side dish. Full of fresh ingredients and bright Southwest flavor thanks to the olive oil and zesty lime vinaigrette. The hearty black beans makes this a delicious main course for lunch as well and is easy to meal prep and take with you on the go.

    Quinoa black bean salad in a glass serving bowl.
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    If you’d love more healthy, fresh lunch ideas check out this Vegan Chipotle Mexican Bowl, Grilled Garden Vegetable Pasta Salad and this Kale Tahini Salad with Chickpeas.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
    • 🍅 Ingredients & substitutions
    • 👩‍🍳 Recipe tips
    • 🍴 Directions
    • ❄️ Storing
    • ❓ Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗 More easy recipes to try
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

    • High in plant based protein thanks to the quinoa and black beans and has zero cholesterol.
    • I love meal prepping a double batch of this delicious salad at the beginning of the week and having it ready to go for lunch every day.
    • Full of fresh flavors
    • Ingredients can be easily adjusted to match what you have on hand.

    🍅 Ingredients & substitutions

    This healthy quinoa recipe is full of fresh and easy to find ingredients. It only contains healthy ingredients and fresh Mexican flavors:

    • Quinoa – both white quinoa, red quinoa and multi colored quinoa work for this recipe.
    • Black beans – you can also use pinto beans or white beans. Make sure to drain and rinse the can of beans before adding to the salad.
    • Avocado – love adding this for it’s creamy texture and full of healthy fats.
    • Vegetables & seasonings– I love using red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and sweet corn. Sometimes I will also add either English cucumbers, bell peppers or cooked beets. To season I just use cumin powder and salt.
    • Fresh cilantro – fresh herbs really bring a lot of flavor to this dish.
    • Fresh lime juice – lemon juice would also work.
    • Olive oil – vegetable oil would work as well, but it won’t be as tasty as olive oil. I also add salt and black pepper.
    • Red onion – green onions or chives also taste great

    Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for full list of ingredients and amounts!

    👩‍🍳 Recipe tips

    Quinoa is has many health benefits because it’s loaded with vitamins, iron, phytonutrients, minerals and it’s and essential amino acids since it’s a complete protein.

    Quinoa (pronounced Kee-Nwah) will help you feel full without weighing you down and it’s extremely versatile.

    Always rinse the quinoa. Quinoa has a coating that makes it taste bitter if you don’t rinse it. Even if you get pre-rinsed quinoa, rinse it.

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    Cook the quinoa in vegetable broth to add flavor. You can also use veggie bouillon cube or bouillon paste.

    For more tips on cooking quinoa, check out my post on how to cook quinoa in the instant pot, rice cooker or on the stove.

    Are you a busy vegan? Click here to download my FREE Guide "Effortless Vegan Cooking: Time and Money Saving Hacks You Need to Know"!

    Make sure to chop up all of your fresh veggies to about the same bite-sized pieces. This ensures that you will get multiple flavors in one bite, instead of one large chunk of something overpowering each bite.

    If you want to cook your own black beans, check out my article on how to cook dried beans from scratch.

    Quinoa black bean salad in a glass serving bowl.

    🍴 Directions

    Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and instructions!

    Quinoa in a fine mesh strainer getting rinsed in a sink.

    Step one: Rinse the quinoa to get rid of its bitter taste. Use a fine mesh strainer.

    Cooked, fluffy white quinoa in an instant pot with a wooden spoon.

    Step two: Cook the quinoa on the stove or in a rice cooker or instant pot. Cook it in vegetable broth to give it more flavor. Set it aside to let it cool a bit.

    All the ingredients for quinoa black bean salad in a large metal mixing bowl before getting mixed.

    Step three: Chop up all of your vegetables. Mix the chopped vegetables in with the cooled quinoa in a large bowl, so you have enough room to stir the ingredients together.

    A hand squeezing a lime into a mixing bowl filled with black bean quinoa salad.

    Step four: Lime is what brings this whole dish together, so don’t skip this part. Roll out the lime on the counter to ensure you get the most juice out of it. Then cut it in half and use a citrus squeezer to juice the lime. Add the Olive oil, salt and black pepper and mix well.

    ❄️ Storing

    You can store leftover quinoa salad in an airtight container for five to seven days in the fridge. It tastes even better the next day after it’s had time to marinate.

    I’ve never tried freezing it before but I think this would freeze well. Don’t add the tomatoes if you’re freezing this, since it will make the tomatoes a little mushy. Just completely thaw it in the fridge before eating.

    ❓ Recipe FAQs

    What do you serve with quinoa black bean salad?

    This salad makes an amazing main dish or side dish. Try serving it with New Orleans Vegan Red Beans and Rice, Couscous Stuffed Peppers, Seitan Vegan Chicken or a Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger. This also tastes great in a Tahini Kale Salad.

    Are quinoa and black beans good for you?

    Absolutely! Quinoa is a protein-rich gluten-free grain with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that may lower the risk of chronic diseases. Beans are a source of protein, fiber, and vitamins, including iron and potassium, and can improve blood sugar, heart health, and lower cancer risk. Including them in a balanced diet provides multiple health benefits.

    What can I put in quinoa to make it taste better?

    The best thing you can do with quinoa is to rinse it in a fine mesh strainer. This will help get rid of its soapy, bitter taste. Next, make sure to cook it in vegetable broth and add a pinch of salt and olive oil. You can also add garlic powder, onion powder and your favorite seasonings.

    🥗 More easy recipes to try

    • Applebee's vegan oriental chicken salad in a bowl.
      Applebee’s Vegan Oriental Chicken Salad (copycat recipe)
    • Four quinoa chickpea curry patties stacked on top of each other.
      Crispy vegan quinoa patties
    • Overhead view of large mixing bowl filled with rainbow salad.
      Crunchy rainbow salad
    • Israeli couscous salad in a serving dish.
      Israeli couscous salad (pearl couscous)

    If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    Quinoa black bean salad in a glass serving bowl.

    Easy Quinoa Black Bean Salad (High Protein)

    This quinoa black bean salad is an easy, healthy side dish. Full of fresh ingredients hearty black beans and bright flavor thanks to the olive oil and lime vinaigrette. Makes a delicious main course for lunch as well and is easy to meal prep and take with you on the go.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 11 minutes minutes
    Servings: 7
    Calories: 402kcal
    Author: Maria
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    Ingredients

    US Customary or Metric
    • 2 cups uncooked quinoa (rinsed)
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 14 ounces black beans (drained and rinsed)
    • ½ avocado (diced)
    • handful of cherry tomatoes
    • ½ red onion
    • ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 cup frozen sweet corn (rinse under warm water)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 limes (juiced)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cumin powder

    Instructions

    • Rinse off the quinoa to help get rid of the bitter coating on the quinoa.
    • Put quinoa and vegetable broth in the pressure cooker and cook on high for 4 minutes. Quick release when done (directions for stovetop and rice cooker in notes section below)
      2 cups uncooked quinoa, 2 cups vegetable broth
    • Let quinoa cool for 10-15 minutes. While you wait, move on to the next steps.
    • Chop up your tomatoes, onions and avocado into the same bite-sized pieces. Chop up cilantro and rinse frozen corn under warm water to thaw.
    • Add the cooled quinoa to a large mixing bowl, then add all of the rest of the ingredients to the quinoa and stir well, adding the avocado last so it doesn't get smushed. Salt to taste.
      14 ounces black beans, ½ avocado, handful of cherry tomatoes, ½ red onion, ⅓ cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup frozen sweet corn, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 limes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin powder
    • Tastes great by itself, or over chopped romaine lettuce or kale massaged with some avocado and salt.

    Video

    Notes

    To cook quinoa on the stove top
    2 cups of quinoa, 4 cups of water and 1.5 teaspoon of veggie bouillon paste (or ½ teaspoon of salt)
    Bring to a simmer and keep the lid off. Cook until water is absorbed – about 10-15 minutes.
    Turn off heat and cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to fluff up the quinoa
    To cook quinoa in a rice cooker:
    2 cups of quinoa, 4 cups of water and 1.5 teaspoon of veggie bouillon paste (or ½ teaspoon of salt)
    Close the lid and let the rice cooker do its magic.
    Let it sit for 5 minutes in the rice cooker after it’s done to fluff up the quinoa
    Tastes great by itself, or over chopped romaine lettuce or kale massaged with some avocado and salt. Add in some cooked beats for even more flavor and nutrients
    I also sometimes love adding english cucumber, bell peppers or olives

    Nutrition

    Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 1291mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1570IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @DamnTastyVegan or tag #DamnTastyVegan!

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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    About Maria

    Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

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    Hi, I'm Maria Rose! I'm a professional singer by night, and recipe developer by day. I run this blog and am also the creator of the One Month (30 minute) Meal Plan. I love helping people learn how to cook easy and delicious plant based meals.

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