Black Bean Quinoa Salad

4.75 from 12 votes

This vibrant 30-minute black bean quinoa salad with cilantro lime dressing is fresh, zesty, and packed with protein—A crowd-pleasing, wholesome meal prep meal!

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: - 6

Calories: 475kcal

Author: Shannon

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Salad:

1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
1 cup frozen corn thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
1 small red onion diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 lime zested and juiced
½ teaspoon salt

For the Dressing:

Juice of 2–3 limes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Once cooked, set it aside to cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Mix well and let sit while the quinoa cools.
In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of 2 limes, olive oil, water, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Once the quinoa has reached room temperature, add it to the bowl with the vegetable mixture. Pour in the dressing and toss until well combined.
Taste and adjust the lime juice, salt, or other seasonings as needed.
Optionally, cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve with lime wedges and additional cilantro on top.

Notes

Rinse the quinoa: If it’s not labeled pre-rinsed, rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove the bitter saponin outer layer.

To enhance quinoa flavor: Toast it in the pan until fragrant before cooking, and use low-sodium broth instead of water.

Let it chill: If you have time, I highly recommend chilling the quinoa bean salad for at least 30 minutes for the flavor to meld and enhance.

Nutrition