Quinoa Black Bean Salad (Printable Version)

Protein-packed quinoa, black beans, and fresh vegetables dressed with lime and spices for a vibrant meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

→ Legumes

02 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
08 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Dressing

09 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - Juice of 2 limes
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool to room temperature.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, black beans, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly combine all ingredients.
05 - Fold in the diced avocado just before serving to maintain freshness. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it the ultimate meal-prep win.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes and feel like you made something real.
  • The lime-cumin dressing hits that perfect balance between bright and warm.
02 -
  • Rinsed quinoa tastes noticeably better, and the salad won't have that slightly bitter aftertaste that makes people push it around their plate.
  • Canned beans are already cooked, so rinsing them removes excess sodium and the sticky starch coating that can make the salad gummy.
  • Avocado waits for no one—if you add it too early, it oxidizes and turns brown, which looks sad and tastes less fresh.
03 -
  • Make the dressing a day ahead if you can—the garlic and spices get friendlier as they sit together.
  • If you're meal prepping, keep the avocado separate in its own container and add it right before eating to avoid that sad brown oxidation.
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