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Who doesn’t love a good quinoa salad? As the new year approaches, just about all of us want to get back into a healthy eating routine which often means incorporating more nutrient-rich foods into our everyday meals. The great thing about quinoa salad is that it’s not only gluten-free, but it also contains important nutrients such as protein, fiber, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. What’s not to love? Quinoa is also incredibly filling, so a little goes a long way!
Nutrient-Packed Lunch!
This recipe is seriously amazing! Full of fresh and colorful ingredients and crazy easy to make, sounds like a good deal doesn’t it? As with many of our recipes, you can always add and subtract ingredients as you please, so get creative and don’t stress if you’re missing something.
This salad is so full of good plant-protein! The beans and the quinoa are the stars of the show and make this quinoa salad such a good option for a filling and fresh lunch.
Quinoa Salad: Make-Ahead & Eat for days!
How many times have you told yourself you’ll start food prepping on Sunday so you’ll follow up with your healthy habits during your super-busy week? Same here! The key to beginning your food prepping journey is to start small and keep it basic. If you decide to make a huge batch of lasagna and a huge batch of muffins, then you will probably feel overwhelmed.
Why not set yourself smaller goals then? Goals that feel attainable and don’t involve spending a whole day in the kitchen. Ok, imagine telling yourself you’ll cook up some quinoa, steam some broccoli and make a few overnight oats in a jar. Better right? Sometimes less is more. Stick to basics and have the foundations to improvise during the week without stress.
Excited to start your food prepping journey? Let’s begin with this quinoa salad!
Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Lime
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of rinsed quinoa
- 3 cups of water
- 4 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes
- optional: a couple Tbs of salsa
- 1 1/2 cups of cooked black beans
- 1/3 of a large chopped yellow onion
- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
- black pepper and salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and water has evaporated. Be sure to set aside to cool.
- Whisk oil, lime juice, and spices together in a bowl to make the dressing.
- Combine quinoa, tomatoes/salsa, cuban black beans, cilantro, and onion together in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for a cold salad. The longer you chill the mix, the more the stronger the flavor will be.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.