Refreshing Quinoa Black Bean Salad (Printable)

A protein-packed salad combining quinoa, black beans, fresh vegetables, and lime dressing for a bright, fresh taste.

# 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:

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 bowl, mix 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 well combined.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss gently to evenly distribute.
05 - Fold in diced avocado just before serving. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days, actually tasting better as the flavors marry overnight.
  • You can eat it cold straight from the container or let it come to room temperature, no reheating needed.
  • It's filling enough to be a meal on its own but light enough that you don't feel weighed down afterward.
  • The textures stay interesting, fluffy grains, creamy beans, crisp vegetables, all playing together in one bowl.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the quinoa, you'll end up with a faintly soapy taste that no amount of lime can fix.
  • Adding the avocado too early turns it mushy and brown, wait until the last possible moment for the best texture and color.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing, warm quinoa wilts the vegetables and makes the salad taste tired instead of crisp.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in a dry pan for a few minutes before boiling to bring out a deeper, nuttier flavor.
  • If your lime juice tastes too sharp, add an extra drizzle of honey or maple syrup to soften the edges without making it sweet.
  • For the best texture, fluff the quinoa immediately after cooking and spread it out to cool, clumpy quinoa makes for a heavy salad.
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