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 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