Quinoa Black Bean Salad

When I’m in charge of hosting a book club or a gathering where I don’t want to worry about keeping food warm, this quinoa black bean salad is the recipe I reach for. It’s easy to make ahead of time, and it stays fresh and flavorful for serving.

Even if you’re not the biggest fan of quinoa, you need to try this recipe. It’s not the first quinoa salad I’ve shared, but it’s probably the one I make most often. Everyone will ask you for the recipe after they taste it!

This is also the perfect meal prep option when you want something you can eat straight from the fridge. It will make your life easier (and more delicious) all week.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“I have never loved quinoa, but in my quest to have more nutrient dense food, I made this salad, and I blew me away! It’s so delicious, it almost didn’t make it to the fridge to chill!” – Kathleen

Ingredients You’ll need

• Quinoa. You can use any variety of quinoa you like for this recipe, including white, red, or black. I have a full tutorial on how to cook quinoa here. (White quinoa has the most tender texture if that matters to you.)
• Black Beans. I use canned black beans for convenience. Make sure to drain and rinse them in a fine mesh strainer before using them in this salad.
• Veggies. Bell pepper, red onion, corn, cherry tomatoes, and green onion add flavor and texture. If you’re missing one, your salad will still be tasty, though! Just keep in mind that the quantity of veggies affects how much salt you should use. If you cut back on a veggie, start with less salt as well.
• Lime Juice. For the best flavor, don’t use bottled lime juice. It doesn’t taste the same, and this salad relies on its fresh flavor. (Fresh lemon juice can be swapped, though.)
• Spices & Herbs. The combination of ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and fresh cilantro takes this salad to the next level. I don’t recommend leaving out the fresh cilantro (unless you think it tastes like soap).
• Oil & Vinegar. This salad doesn’t require much oil or vinegar, so you can substitute these with another option from your pantry if needed. (For example, red wine vinegar and avocado oil would work just as well.)

How to Make Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Step 1:

To get started, place the dry quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse it under running water. This will make it taste better later. Then transfer it to a saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups of water. 

Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat on the stovetop, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat but do NOT remove the lid. Let it rest for 5 more minutes covered. This will let the quinoa finish cooking without burning to the bottom of the pot. 

Alternatively, you can cook quinoa in the Instant Pot for a more hands-off method.

Step 2:

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the dressing in a large bowl. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, minced garlic, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt, then stir well. 

When the quinoa is done cooking, add it to the bowl of dressing.

Then add in the corn, tomatoes, red bell pepper, green onion, and red onion. Stir well to ensure everything is evenly coated in the dressing. 

Step 3:

Next, add in a can of drained and rinsed black beans, along with fresh cilantro. (Use as much or as little cilantro as you like.) Stir again, then season to taste with extra salt. 

This dish tastes best when allowed to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour. But you can also serve it right away if you’re in a hurry!

Note: Flavors tend to mellow when a salad is served chilled, rather than at room temperature. Because of this, you might feel the need to add more salt or lime juice later. Feel free to taste and adjust right before serving!

How to Serve Quinoa Salad

Serve this recipe chilled or let it come to room temperature. It makes an excellent side dish for chicken fajitas or healthy tacos. You can also serve it as a main course with your favorite protein on top, like chicken or shrimp.

Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

5 from 61 votes

This is probably not the first quinoa salad you've tried, but it's about to become your favorite. It tastes fresh and flavorful, with a variety of textures, and makes an easy meal prep lunch idea that you can eat straight from the fridge. (Read the glowing reviews— everyone loves it!)

prep15 mins cook15 mins total30 mins

Servings:6

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup dry quinoa , rinsed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
• 1 red bell pepper , seeded and chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or thawed from frozen)
• ½ red onion , finely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes , sliced
• 3 green onions , chopped
• ½ cup freshly chopped cilantro , or more to taste
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans , drained and rinsed

Instructions

• To cook the quinoa, rinse it in a fine mesh sieve under running water. (This helps to remove its bitter flavor.) Add the drained quinoa to a saucepan and cover it with 1 ½ cups of fresh water. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Then lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let it gently simmer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pot from the heat but keep the lid on for 5 more minutes. Then fluff it with a fork and set aside to cool.
• While the quinoa is cooking, add the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Stir well.
• Once the quinoa is done, add it to the bowl of dressing, along with the bell pepper, corn, red onion, tomatoes, and green onion. Stir well.
• Next, add the drained beans and fresh cilantro. Stir again, then adjust the seasoning to taste. (I usually add another ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt at this point and sometimes another tablespoon of lime juice. The flavor will mellow when chilled in the fridge.) Transfer the salad to a storage container and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Feel free to add any extra toppings you love, like sliced avocado or crumbled cheese.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for roughly 1 heaping cup of salad. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in July 2024 to add corn and tomatoes. If you prefer the original version, simply leave them out! (This will also mean you don’t need to season with extra salt at the end since the quantity is smaller.) Find the original recipe here.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 839mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1020IU | Vitamin C: 47.2mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: quinoa black bean salad

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If you try this Quinoa Black Bean Salad recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below to let me know how you like it.