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Close up bowl of quinoa salad with black beans

Black Bean Quinoa Salad Recipe

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Description

This popular black bean quinoa salad recipe is delicious, nutritious, and easy to make! It’s great for summer dinners and picnics. 


Ingredients

Units Scale

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 15oz. cans black beans
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onion
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions

  1. 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.
    Cooked quinoa for salad
  2. 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.
    Quinoa salad dressing in a small bowl
  3. Prep other ingredients:
    Drain and rinse black beans.
    Chop cilantro.
    Crumble cotija.
  4. 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.
    Quinoa salad with black beans in a bowl before stirring
  5. Chill for at least an hour before serving. 
    Healthy quinoa salad in a bowl
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Notes

  • Serving size: 1 1/4 cup. Makes about 8 cups. 
  • You can easily swap feta for the cotijia cheese if that’s what you have or if it’s easier to find. 
  • Swap the honey for maple syrup for a vegan salad. 
  • Use microwavable quinoa (in the freezer section) to cut off 15 minutes of cooking time. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup