This superfood black bean & quinoa salad recipe is one of the most popular recipes on this blog—people love it so much, they don’t even notice it’s vegan.
It also happens to be one of the very first recipes I posted on this blog over 10 years ago, so it’s stood the test of time! I still often make a double batch on a Sunday afternoon to last me a few days.
Black Bean Quinoa Salad Ingredients
This black bean quinoa salad is packed with good-for-you ingredients. Here are the nutrition facts about some of these superstars:
- Quinoa: This is a complete protein filled with fiber and all 9 essential amino acids, not to mention a great source of complex carbohydrates and antioxidants. Quinoa is also full of essential minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and folate, just to name a few. Learn how to cook quinoa here.
- Black beans: Like quinoa, these are packed with fiber, protein, iron, potassium, magnesium, and folate. They’re also low on the glycemic index and may moderate blood sugar spikes after meals.
- Bell pepper: Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C to boost the immune system and other antioxidants that help reduce harmful free radicals in your body. They also provide vitamins A, E, and K.
- Grape tomatoes: Tomatoes are loaded with fiber and lycopene in addition to tons of other vitamins and antioxidants.
- Cilantro: Cilantro is a powerful chelator, which is something that helps pull heavy metals from your system. If you don't like the flavor, sub with parsley or leave it out.
- Fresh garlic: Fresh garlic is one of the most potent superfoods on the planet.
- Fresh lime: Lime juice is full of vitamin C, antioxidants, and flavor. Go for the fresh juice out of a lime and avoid bottled citrus juice as they're mostly citric acid and artificial flavorings.
- Extra virgin olive oil: EVOO is full of healthy fats that will help you absorb the vitamins from all of the other ingredients.
- Cumin: Ground cumin is a spice that's full of antioxidants and flavor.
The video to make this quinoa salad recipe has over 775,000 views on YouTube, and one reader recently commented,
"I never review recipes but I have to leave a 5 star for this one because I make this salad so frequently. I eat this with a sliced avocado on top, and add cucumber and baby tomato. Thank you so much for the recipe! ★★★★★"
Quinoa Is a Versatile Superfood
Quinoa’s fluffy texture and versatility easily add protein, antioxidants, and B vitamins to vegetarian or vegan dishes, and it’s yummy at any temperature. Whether you're serving it cold in a salad or hot in soup, it's bound to make a tasty addition.
Is quinoa gluten-free? Yes, quinoa is entirely gluten-free while still providing complex carbs.
This superfood is easy to substitute into almost any recipe. Its subtle, nutty taste makes it an excellent fit for beefing up soups, salads, side dishes, or even breakfast bowls with a little extra nutrition.
Why You'll Love Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Everything in this black bean & quinoa salad is brimming with both flavor and nutrition.
The veggies are full of essential nutrients, while the extra virgin olive oil adds the perfect amount of healthy fats to help you absorb all of the healthy foods in this flavorful dish.
This quinoa salad is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and soy-free.
Reasons To Make Quinoa Salad A Weeknight Staple
- This salad is a fantastic make-ahead for meal prep and almost tastes better the next day.
- The recipe is easily doubled or tripled.
- It is delicious whether hot, room temperature, or even cold.
- Since it’s dairy-free, it’s OK to leave out for a few hours– so it's great for bringing to a potluck.
- It’s really cost-effective while still packing a flavorful punch.
I love eating this salad as a main dish for lunch or light dinner. It also makes a great side dish or main course when pumped up with some grilled or shredded chicken breast for non-vegans.
I hope you love this delicious superfood salad as much as I do!
Superfood Black Bean & Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil, Chop
- Cuisine: America
Description
This Superfood Black Bean & Quinoa Salad Recipe is one of my absolute favorite quick meals to make because it is packed with vital nutrients and so easy to make.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry quinoa yields about 2 cups cooked)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic, pressed, grated or finely chopped
- juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained well
- 1 red bell pepper, quarter inch chopped (about 1 cup)
- 6 green onions, root removed, white and part of the greens chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 handful of cilantro, rough chopped (about ⅓ cup)
Instructions
- Prepare the quinoa:
- Rinse it well in a fine mesh colander and drain all the water.
- Add the rinsed quinoa to a pot and add double the amount of purified water or veggie stock.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Fluff with a fork, and you’re done.
- While the quinoa is cooking, whisk the olive oil, cumin, garlic, lime, salt, and cayenne together in the bottom of a large bowl to let the flavors marry.
- Rinse and drain the black beans.
- Chop the veggies until roughly the same size as the black beans.
- Add in the cooked quinoa, beans, and diced veggies to the bowl and gently fold it together with the dressing and cilantro.
- Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. It tastes best served at a chilled or room temperature.
Notes
What is the best way to store quinoa salad? The best way to store quinoa salad is in an airtight glass container inside of the refrigerator.
This quinoa salad keeps well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
I always make at least double the quinoa I need—it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for another recipe.
When using green onions, remove the root end and peel off the outermost layer if it looks tough. Use everything else; both white and green parts are delicious.
To add extra spice, you could throw in some jalapeño, chipotle, or extra chili powder.
Nutrition
- Calories: 321 per serving
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KandieSandie
I have been making this recipe for a few years now. I fell in love with it when Lucky's Market was still open in Montana. I had to have the recipe before they closed their doors here.
Now I can make it with my eyes closed! Sometimes I try a few veggie twists: Celery, fresh corn, sm pieces of cauliflower, broccoli, avocado, ect. That dressing pretty much works with everything under the sun!!! Bravo!
★★★★★
jan
Do you have the nutritional info on this?
solaca15
I had this yesterday, made by a friend who followed the recipe exactly. Yummy, but it made my blood sugars spike very high! I ate & drank nothing else. As with another asked above, I am a (skinny) Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic. What is the carb count on this recipe? Please?
Eva Schuelke
OMG my first bites and I was in love!! The subtle layers of spice and citrus with the texture made my eyes pop. So simple to make too! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Cynthia A Ramirez
can you tell me what the calories are. I'm a type 1 diabetic and need to count my food on carb manager. I love this recipe!
Thank you
★★★★★
Jessica Montaigne
Love this recipe I do add sautéed kale, with the garlic which softens the sharpness of the garlic add corn and avocado and feel beaming with health, perfect for my vegan friends;-)
Danielle
Hello! I’m going to be making this for dinner and I’m wondering how much is one serving size (in cups) and also could you tell me the macros in it, like protein, carbs and fat?
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Danielle, one serving of a quinoa salad is about 1/2 cup. I don't count calories or macros as I don't feel it's healthy for me in the long run. ~E
Nicole
Love this recipe, but some people DO need to count calories for a variety of reasons therefore it would be helpful…
★★★★★
Christian Weber
What is 115 ounces of black beans? Is this fluid ounces? I am in canada and would appreciate cups or ml?
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Christian, that is not 115 ounces of black beans, it's one fifteen-ounce can of black beans (that's about 1.5 cups of cooked black beans). I edited in the recipe to make it more clear. Thanks! ~E
Heather
This recipe is Delicious!!! This takes quinoa from bland to fantastic! I could eat this every day with any slab of meat on top. I wonder if that dressing could make everything that yummy!
Elizabeth Rider
Heather, glad to hear it! ~E
Xenith
Hi there. Would it be advisable to eat this salad every day? I'm obsessed! 😀
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Xenith, you can absolutely eat this every day. We love it, too! ~E
Nicole
This recipe is brilliant! I've made it countless times and everyone loves it. I use a little less olive oil but keep everything else the same as the recipe. It's hearty, but fresh and I cannot speak highly enough of the flavour and texture. Thank you for opening my eyes to black beans 🙂
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Nicole, so happy to hear it! This recipes encompasses all of my favorites, too. Glad to hear it's been such a hit. Thanks for being part of our online community and stopping by to comment. ~E
Darren
Delicious. Easy recipe.
Barbara
Looks delicious. Ever tried adding spinach?
Brooke
I never review recipes but I have to leave a 5 star for this one because I make this salad so frequently. I eat this with a sliced avocado on top, and add cucumber and baby tomato.
Thank you so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Elizabeth Rider
So glad to hear it! Thanks for stopping by to let us know 🙂 ~E
Chris Johnston
This is good. Made it today.
Would have like to see the nutritional information about the dish.
Shannon Elhart
O M G - I made this dish this afternoon, and I now feel gluttonous - seriously.so.good! Thanks, Elizabeth, this will be a go-to for me! Love your healthy recipes... am going to be paging through them all as I take my health to the next level and release sugar!
Phuong Bich Nguyen
Thank you
Brian R
Maybe skip the lime juice, cayenne pepper and cilantro and add a can of rotels with lime and cilantro?
Rosemarie B. Luciaja
Thank you so much.everyone's enjoying for this yummy vegan dish and requesting me to have your recipe👍👏😍
Jenni
I made this by watching your YouTube video. There you say to use two cans of black beans. I'm eating while reading your blog recipe. Here is says one can of black beans. So I have extra beans, yay!!! I love it. I only had a yellow pepper. If I was going to take this as a dish to pass I think red would definitely make it look better. It's delicious!!
★★★★★
peaches pie
hello i live in england and i was wonderibg can u put recipe in grams or oz. the cknversion charts keep givkng different figures
Nancy
This looks delicious. I am going to make it today for a lunch tomorrow. I have a question though - I have been cooking quinoa in a rice cooker for ages, never doing the straining over the sieve part at all. I have some vegetarian stew recipes that call for tossing a handful of uncooked quinoa directly into the vegetables - nothing about washing and draining. What is the purpose of this step?
Ericka Turner
I came across this recipe today - made it for dinner- delicious!! Seriously, this will be in heavy rotation. Thanks so much!
Shasha Serene
Very delicious! definitely turned out exactly like I expected. Thanks.
Kendra Porter
This is amazing! I was looking for a very simple black bean quinoa salad recipe that didn’t require much fuss to assemble & this recipe fit the bill right down to the delicious smell once everything was put together! A fabulous side dish!
Amy Rutter
I'm so pleased I've found your blog! I have PCOS so try to eat low GI, but I'm also vegetarian and recently diagnosed as gluten intolerant. I've been finding it so hard to figure out what to eat but your recipes have given me loads of ideas already! Thank you!
Elizabeth Rider
So glad to have you in our community 🙂
Lea
Love this! I just made it and finished a bowl. I added a large tomato to it and only used a quarter of the cilantro suggested (I find it to be a show-stealing herb- too overwhelming in a dish with so many flavours).
The full half cup of oil made it taste really smooth and creamy, but it was definitely a bit much. For anyone wondering, I think it is going to be just as good with half the amount or less. Just use enough to carry the marinade around- I'm doing that next time 🙂
Elizabeth Rider
Agreed! Per suggestions I tried it with 1/4 cup oil and it was great so I changed it here.
Lea
Awesome! I threw in some avocado with the leftovers just for fun...soooo yummy =D
Mailmam
Thanks sounds great I will be making this on Friday. BTW although not low in calories olive oil has so many tremendous benefits. But I may try using a bit less Thanks for the tip
John Warren
This is good, but really oily. And, with 1/2 cup of olive oil for only 2 cups of quinoa, I count 112 grams of fat. That's a lot of fat... a lot of calories. "Eat all you want guilt-free"? Am I missing something.
CathyK
I did a rough calorie count, and with the oil, this recipe is like 600 calories a 1/2 cup serving!
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Cathy, I did a calorie count on the recipe in MyFitnessPal and it's about 225 as a side (when split into 8 servings) and 450 as a meal (when split into 4 servings.)
Joy
Delicious and very easy!