Black Bean Quinoa Salad
This black bean quinoa salad recipe has been a fan favorite for more than 10 years and should be on the top of your recipes-to-make list if you haven’t tried it yet! It’s light and bright, satisfying and nutritious, and loaded with plant-based protein and fiber, all with tons of layered flavor. Because it can be made ahead, it’s a great salad for everything from picnics to summer cookouts to healthy meal prep salads to get you through the week, just like my cowboy caviar!
It’s delicious, easy, and nutritious. 😍
Back when quinoa salads were all the rage (2010s?) this recipe was really popular, and while it’s super old, it’s one that I (and you!) keep coming back to for a reason.
We’ve been making this salad for more than a decade and now it’s one that my kids even request. I actually remember writing about this while I was pregnant (more than 10 years ago!), worried that my kids would never appreciate kale and quinoa. It may have taken a bit of time and many exposures, but they now enjoy both!
🥗 Protein-Packed – Quinoa and black beans deliver plant-based protein that is incredibly satisfying and filling.
⏱ Quick to Make – Made with simple ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes with minimal prep.
🍋 Bright & Fresh – Zesty lime dressing adds vibrant flavor.
🥣 Meal Prep Friendly – Holds up well in the fridge for easy lunches, summer dinners, and picnics.
🌿 Naturally Vegan & Gluten-Free – Fits multiple dietary needs.
🌽 Fully Customizable – Add avocado, corn, or your favorite veggies to turn this into a full meal.
You’ll also want to try my quinoa arugula salad, quinoa and veggies salad with peanut dressing, Greek quinoa chickpea salad, and creamy cucumber salad.
Delicious. With two newly diagnosed Celiacs in a household of 5…everyone loves this. A fabulous side dish with an oven roasted chicken. –Jenny
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make this quinoa salad: quinoa, black beans, olive oil, honey, shallot, lime juice, green onions, cilantro, cotija cheese, black beans, salt, and pepper.
- Quinoa – Use uncooked, raw quinoa. If you prefer to take advantage of a shortcut, you could use frozen quinoa that you microwave. Either will work beautifully! I love cooking it in the rice cooker, though it takes less time than the quick cook program on my cooker.
- Broth – I like cooking quinoa in vegetable broth for a deeper flavor (plus, I don’t love the flavor of plain quinoa), but it’s totally optional and still delicious and flavorful without it. You could also use chicken broth or bone broth if you prefer.
- Green onions – The green onions add great, mild onion flavor to the salad. You could also use chives if you prefer or use minced red onion or white onion if you want a stronger onion flavor.
- Cotija cheese – Cotija is a crumbly and flavorful cheese similar to feta, so if you can’t find it, you can swap feta cheese for the cotija. PRO TIP: Cotija stores really well in the freezer, so I always store in the freezer as we don’t go through it super fast.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Whisk the dressing in a large mixing bowl and then finish mixing the rest of the salad in the same bowl to cut down on dishes.
- Cooking methods: Cook your quinoa on the stovetop or use a rice maker to make it easy.
- Shortcuts: You can also buy microwavable quinoa to skip the cooking step all together.
- Additions: Add extra fresh ingredients like grilled corn, halved grape tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced avocado, or thinly sliced romaine lettuce.
Black Bean Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minute
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This popular black bean quinoa salad recipe is delicious, nutritious, and easy to make! It’s great for summer dinners and picnics.
Ingredients
For Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1/4 cup olive oil + 1 Tbsp.
- 1 shallot (about 3 Tbsp. minced)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
For Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth (optional, can use water)
- 2 15–oz. cans black beans
- 1/2 cup sliced green onion
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Cook quinoa. Add quinoa and 2 cups of broth and cook according to package instructions. Remove quinoa from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- While quinoa is cooking, make vinaigrette. Add lime juice, olive oil, minced shallot, honey, sea salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Whisk until emulsified.
- Prep other ingredients:
Drain and rinse black beans.
Chop cilantro.
Crumble cotija. - Fluff quinoa with a fork and add to large bowl with vinaigrette. Add beans, cilantro, and cotija cheese to bowl and toss together until incorporated.
- Chill for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
- Serving size: 1 1/4 cup. Makes about 8 cups.
- Storage: Store leftover easy quinoa salad with black beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.
- Prep ahead: 1) Mix salad dressing in a small jar. Store in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature before mixing with quinoa and beans. 2) Cook quinoa and store in the refrigerator.
- Cheese: You can easily swap feta for the cotija cheese if that’s what you have or if it’s easier to find.
- Vegan option: Swap the honey for maple syrup for a vegan salad.
- Shortcut: Use microwavable quinoa (in the freezer section) to cut off 15 minutes of cooking time.
- Special tools: Cooking the quinoa in a rice maker makes things so easy!
- Serve with: Grilled chicken drumsticks, shrimp kabobs, or summer tomato salad.
- Love easy weeknight meals? Check out my stress-free weeknight dinner hub with 100+ family-friendly recipes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup
Serving Suggestions
We will often serve this as a main meal at our house, but you could also add some extra oomph with a little extra protein and/or veggies. Try serving with grilled drumsticks or chicken thighs or shrimp skewers. Diced tomatoes, corn, and avocado would also be delicious last-minute additions to add right before serving.
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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Alright I clearly need to pick up some cojita cheese! This looks like the perfect side dish to any dinner and I love that quinoa feels like eating a carb, but it has all of that protein!
Quinoa salad is the best – True Food Kitchen has a Mediterranean quinoa salad that I can’t get enough of.
I like how you added in black beans for extra protein!
Can you believe that I’ve never been to True Food?! I think I’ve had take out/catering but I need to get there ASAP.
i love quinoa & black beans together..but never add cheese. i’ll have to remedy that soon!
I’m late on the quinoa train, too! I really should work it into my regular rotation, but it’s still a couple-times-a-year type of thing. I love this recipe, though!
Same, but then once I started I couldn’t stop! 🙂
Thinking I’m going to sub feta for the cheese, and this will be a great 4th of July weekend, hot weather treat!
Feta would be a great sub (they are so similar)!
Looks like a delicious salad that is versatile enough to satifsy most allergies. Your photos are fabulous.
Thanks so much Judee!
Fantastic photos! I haven’t had a quinoa salad in a long time – need to remedy that. Addition of cheese is brilliant!
I agree with you on behind behind on the quinoa salad trend. I’ve been eating and enjoying them for plenty of time but only recently started making it and thinking: “what can I actually do what this?”
Thank you for posting this! I made a huge batch of it for lunches for me and my husband, and also to send along as a meal for a vegetarian coworker who is going through a rough time right now. It has been a hit all around!
One quick edit, though: It’s cotija cheese, not cojita. That threw me for a loop at the grocery store. 🙂
Ahhhh! Thank you so much for letting me know, I’m so sorry for the confusion. So glad you like it. 🙂
Hey Emily! Thanks for the recipe…I tried it and gave it a review on my blog, check it out at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com Have a good one!
Best
That’s So Jacob
Made this tonight & added grilled chicken. Sooooo yummy! Thanks.
Great addition! So glad you enjoyed, thanks for letting me know!
I have made this twice now and love it! The first time, I followed the recipe’s ingredients list and the second time, I had to improvise with what I had available. I didn’t have a shallot and cilantro, but I did add well-shredded kale and used 1 can of black beans and 1 can of garbanzo beans along with some diced grape tomatoes. Both versions are great! Thanks so much for this recipe!
That sounds like an amazing twist!
Oops! I forgot to mention I added some red onion too 🙂 Thanks again! 🙂
Tasted like a healthy chipotle bowl. Very easy and delicious recipe. Added some tomatoes I had to use and it was a nice touch.
Hi Colin, so glad you enjoyed it and tomatoes sound like a delicious addition.
Last night we ate the best summer dinner! It was this salad, with grilled chicken thighs (using your grilled chicken drumstick marinade) and a fresh cob of corn. OMGosh, we both remarked that the dinner was beyond satisfying, it was perfect! Thank you Emily.
Perfect summer meal! 🙂
Delicious. With two newly diagnosed Celiacs in a household of 5…everyone loves this. A fabulous side dish with an oven roasted chicken.
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed, Jenny! Sounds like a perfect dinner that I need in my life.
Made this to eat for lunch during the work week. So delicious!
It is the best lunch! Working on a Mediterranean version right now that will be published soon! 🙂
This is yummy! It was super easy too; I made the quinoa in the rice cooker like you suggested (although it did stick quite a bit). Eating leftovers with some mashed avocado.
So glad you enjoyed, EJ!