Here we are again with another addition to my healthy quinoa salad recipes. If you know me well enough, you know a hearty, colorful, comforting bowl of quinoa and fresh veggies is my go-to lunch.

I like to think of our recipe today as a mash-up of three of my favorite black bean recipes – Black Bean and Corn Salad, Southwest Quinoa Salad, and Texas Caviar. This is undoubtedly a great recipe if you are a fan of Southwest/Mexican flavors.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad in a bowl garnished with cilantro.

The best part is that it is completely gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. And on your table in less than 30 minutes – no cooking required! If you are a fan of Healthy Salad Recipes like I am, this one is for ya!

Why You Should Make This Recipe

The best aspect of this Quinoa Black Bean Avocado Salad recipe is our shortcut approach. This recipe is based on the use of leftover quinoa – an easy ingredient to have at the ready in your fridge. 

I love it because it’s:

  • Ready in 20 minutes and most of the work is simply chopping and prepping the ingredients.
  • An excellent way to use up that leftover quinoa I know you have hanging out in your fridge.
  • Packed with superfoods like quinoa (a complete protein meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own), black beans, and avocados.
  • A great make-ahead salad with just a few minutes of advance prep
  • Easy to double batch (or triple) to serve a large crowd and can be served room temperature or cold.
  • Great as a side dish in smaller portions, or you can serve as a lighter main course.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this black bean quinoa salad recipe comes together in two parts:

Ingredients for the quinoa salad dressing from top view
  • Zesty Lime Dressing: Gather together olive oil, garlic, lime, maple syrup, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper.

Don’t skimp on the olive oil! Heart-healthy fat like olive oil creates a luscious, super-addicting salad and helps your body absorb all the nutrients and phytochemicals from the quinoa and vegetables. I like to drizzle on an extra tablespoon or two at the very end for good measure.

Ingredients for the salad laid out one by one
  • Salad Ingredients: This is a balanced mix of the pantry and fresh ingredients. You will need cooked quinoa, canned black beans, fresh or canned corn, bell pepper, red onion, green onions, avocado, fresh cilantro, and/or parsley.

As I mentioned earlier, this salad recipe is a great way to use cooked quinoa, especially if you are like me; always cook some quinoa as a part of your meal prep, use some right away and freeze the rest for later.

If you do not have any, please know that this recipe uses three cups cooked quinoa made from one cup quinoa (raw). Feel free to use one of my foolproof recipes for microwave quinoa, rice cooker quinoa, stove top quinoa or instant pot quinoa to make some in minutes.

Substitution Ideas:

  • Vinegar: Replace half or all of the lime juice with raw apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
  • Quinoa: Any variety of quinoa would work here. As you can see, I used tricolor quinoa, but red or white quinoa would also work.
  • Sweetener: Maple syrup keeps this recipe vegan, but honey is a great sweetener, too.
  • Beans: I had black beans on hand, but pinto, kidney, or cannellini beans would work here.
  • Corn: Fresh, frozen, or canned corn works well. Canned corn needs to be drained and rinsed before using.
  • Pepper: I used yellow, but green or red bell pepper would also work. For a spicy kick, substitute two large jalapenos or Fresno chiles.
  • Herbs: I used a combo of fresh cilantro and parsley, but if you are not a fan of cilantro, you can skip it or add mint instead of parsley. Mint helps to cut that “soapy” cilantro flavor.

Grocery Tip: Packages of precooked quinoa are readily available in most grocery stores today, but these are usually made with low-quality cooking oils. When it comes to making your quinoa taste good, I think homemade is the best, especially if you cook it in vegetable or chicken broth.

And if you need a refresher on how to rinse quinoa before cooking, I’ve got you covered!

How to Make

Let’s see how easy it is to make this black bean quinoa superfood salad from start to finish.

person whisking dressing
  1. To make the salad dressing: Mix extra virgin olive oil, garlic, zest of a lime, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, ground cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or a jar.
salad being put together and then drizzled by a person
  1. To make the salad: Combine quinoa, beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, scallions, and avocado in a large bowl. Sprinkle it with cilantro or parsley. Drizzle it with the dressing and give it a gentle stir.
  2. Serve.

Variations

Add one or all of the following ingredients to really make this black bean quinoa salad your own and even take it to the next level.

Here are a few flavorful variations/additions for you to try:

  • Crumbled Feta, Queso Fresco, or Cotija: A light sprinkle of salty crumbled feta cheese, queso fresco, or cotija adds a special creamy touch. Note the recipe will no longer be vegan.
  • Tomatoes: A pint of sweet grape tomatoes is a nice touch during the summer. Sweet cherry tomatoes are easy to find all year round.
  • Pinto, Kidney, or Cannellini Beans: Replace the black beans or add an additional can of any of your southwestern inspired beans.
  • Grilled Chicken: If you have it, you can top it off with a piece of grilled chicken.
  • Spicy: If you wouldn’t mind a bit of heat, add 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes into the lime salad dressing.
Quinoa Black Bean Avocado Salad in a bowl from close up

Storage & Make Ahead

  • To Store: This quinoa salad with black beans will last for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Prep and assemble as directed, then enjoy it as a meal prep treat any craving hits.
  • To Make Ahead: Place all the salad ingredients, except the fresh herbs, in a salad bowl. Make the vinaigrette separately and store it in a mason jar. The next day, place it in a large bowl, drizzle with the dressing, and sprinkle with the fresh herbs. Give it a toss and serve.
  • Freezing: I do not recommend freezing the quinoa salad as the ingredients tend to get mushy.

More Recipes:

I think we can all agree that when packed with good-for-you ingredients like these, superfood quinoa salads are perfect when you need a healthy meal in less than 30 minutes. Here are a few more similar great salad recipes from the archives:

Quinoa Black Bean Salad Recipe

5 from 9 votes
Yields4 servings
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Try this Quinoa Black Bean Salad Recipe when you need something quick and healthy dish that you can make in just about 20 minutes with quinoa that you cook as a part of your meal plan. Vegan and gluten-free, this Southwestern Inspired quinoa salad is perfect for a make-ahead meal or weeknight dinner.

Ingredients 

The Lime Salad Dressing:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For The Salad:

  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 can black beans, (15 oz.) drained
  • 1 cup corn, fresh, frozen, or canned (and drained) would all work
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped, 2/3 cup
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks scallions, chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced into cubes
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Instructions 

  • To make the salad dressing: Mix olive oil, garlic, zest of a lime, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, ground cumin, salt and pepper in a jar.
  • To make the salad: Place quinoa, beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, scallions, and avocado in a bowl. Sprinkle it with cilantro or parsley. Drizzle it with the dressing and give it a gentle stir.
  • Serve.

Video

Notes

  • No cooked quinoa on hand? If you do not have cooked quinoa on hand, you can try one of the following methods to cook it in less than 15 minutes. Pressure Cooker Quinoa, Microwave Quinoa, or Rice Cooker Quinoa (this method will take longer)
  • Quinoa: Any type of quinoa would work here. Tricolor, red, or white quinoa would all taste delicious.
  • Pepper: I used yellow, but green or red bell peppers would also work. For a spicy kick, substitute two large jalapenos or Fresno chiles.
  • Herbs: I used a combo of fresh cilantro and parsley, but if you are not a fan of cilantro, you can skip it or add mint instead of parsley. Mint helps to cut that “soapy” cilantro flavor.
  • Storage: This recipe will last for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Prep and assemble as directed, then enjoy it as a meal prep treat any craving hits.
  • To Make Ahead: Place all the salad ingredients, except the fresh herbs, in a salad bowl. Make the vinaigrette separately and store it in a mason jar. The next day, place it in a large bowl, drizzle with the dressing, and sprinkle with the fresh herbs. Give it a toss and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 602mg | Potassium: 940mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1355IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican/Southwestern
Tried this recipe?Mention @foolproofliving or tag #foolproofeats!

About Aysegul Sanford

Hello Friend! I'm Aysegul but you can call me โ€œIce." Iโ€™m the cook/recipe-tester/photographer behind this site.

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5 from 9 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Your Mediterranean quinoa recipe has been my favorite. Now I have two favorites ???? love the dressing, the sweet and cumin combination was delicious. I loved all the ingredients together in this recipe. I added some water chestnuts because i had some leftover. It addedsome extra crunch. Yummy!!

    1. Ohhhh I love the idea of adding water chesnuts. Such a great addition.
      So happy to hear that you liked it.
      Cheers, my friend.

  2. 5 stars
    I made a batch of this quinoa bean salad. I didn’t have lime so I used lemon juice and lemon zest. I also added some chopped mango in there. I didn’t have any quinoa so I had to use your microwave quinoa recipe. I will never cook quinoa any other way.
    It was so good. Thanks.

    1. YAY! This makes me so happy. I, too, like cooking quinoa in microwave. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave are review.

  3. 5 stars
    Girl, you are doing such a good job with all these healthy quinoa salad recipes. Because of you we are eating quinoa every day. My husband, who is a meat&potatoes kinda guy loves it.
    Just made this one and it didn’t disappoint. Keep them coming.
    Thank you.

    1. Ha ha.. Thank you.
      My husband is the same way but these salads are so healthy (and addictive) that he doesn’t eat that much meat anymore.
      Thanks so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a review Nelly!
      Cheers!

  4. You’ve covered it all, Ayse! Thank you for the flavor variations… Cojita would be such a nice salty addition. This salad has all the flavors I crave and with a tangy lime dressing! Must make!

    1. You are the sweetest. Thanks my friend. I am thrilled to hear that you liked it.
      Cheers!