Simple Quinoa Black Bean Salad

It keeps well, making it perfect for BBQs, picnics, or quick lunches throughout the week. Simple ingredients and just 30 minutes required! Let us show you how it’s done!

How to Make Black Bean Quinoa Salad

This SIMPLE black bean and quinoa salad begins with: quinoa! We often have this nutrient-packed pseudo-grain (it’s actually a seed) cooked and ready to go in our fridge, whether we’re using it to make breakfast cookies, fritters, stir-fries, or power bowls. For this salad, you can use quinoa that you’ve made ahead, or make a fresh batch when ready to make the salad. Quinoa cooks in about 15 minutes on the stovetop and is also very easy to make in the Instant Pot (a great option for beating summertime heat!). Next, we chop up fresh, crunchy veggies (cherry tomatoes + bell pepper + red onion) and add corn for sweetness and cilantro for an herby touch. If you don’t like cilantro, you could leave it out or try fresh dill and/or parsley. Then it’s on to the other main component of this salad: black beans! They boost the fiber and protein content, making this salad quite the nutrient powerhouse. The final component is the lime vinaigrette, made with lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, and sea salt. To keep things super simple and ensure a 1-bowl, 30-minute situation (once your quinoa is made), we add the dressing ingredients directly into the salad and give it a stir. After that, it’s ready to enjoy right away on its own…or topped with avocado and pepitas to make it extra filling. We hope you LOVE this quinoa black bean salad! It’s:Fresh CrunchyHerbyVeggie-packedMeal prep-friendly& SO delicious! This protein and fiber-packed side is a great make-ahead dish for summer picnics and BBQs, lunches throughout the week, or when it’s too hot to cook!