Refreshing Quinoa Black Bean (Printable)

A protein-packed salad featuring quinoa, black beans, fresh vegetables, and zesty lime dressing.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, black beans, diced bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro.
03 - Whisk lime juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Fold in diced avocado carefully just before serving to prevent browning.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days, getting tastier as the lime soaks in.
  • You can eat it cold straight from the container or let it sit out while you finish other things.
  • Every bite feels bright and filling without that heavy, sluggish feeling afterward.
  • It works as lunch, dinner, or the thing you bring to a potluck that actually gets finished.
02 -
  • If you don't rinse the quinoa, it will taste bitter and nobody will want seconds.
  • Add the avocado at the very end or it turns brown and mushy within an hour.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing or the heat will wilt the vegetables and make everything sad.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in the dry saucepan for a minute before adding water, it deepens the flavor and adds a nutty note.
  • If the dressing tastes too sharp, add another drizzle of honey or maple syrup to smooth it out.
  • Use a fork to fluff the quinoa instead of stirring it, or it clumps together and gets gummy.
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