Quinoa Black Bean Salad

This delicious Quinoa Black Bean Salad recipe will fill all of your Mexican food desires in the most nutritious way! Each serving contains about 15 grams of protein, lots of iron and fiber. You’ll only need one pan to make this recipe.
 
quinoa black bean salad

What makes this Quinoa Black Bean Salad so great?

  • Ready in about 30 minutes: Why spend so much time in the kitchen when you can be in and out in such a short time? 
  • Meal prep friendly: This is a great recipe to use for meal prep because it will only take you about 30 minutes to make a meal for 2-3 days or even a whole week. To batch cook or meal prep just double or triple the ingredients to meet the amount of servings you want to make.
  • Easy clean up: You will only need 1 pan/pot to make this Quinoa Black Bean Salad recipe! This makes your weeknights so much easier and gives you more time to relax.
  • High in protein and fiber: This meal will keep you full for a longer period of time since it is packed with all the essential amino acids (complete protein!) and lots of fiber.
  • It’s absolutely delicious: This recipe is simple but packs a ton of flavor! The spices, seasonings and Mexican ingredients make it one of my favorite meal-prep recipes.
quinoa black bean salad

Tips and Substitutes:

Beans
I recommend using black beans for this recipe but you can choose to use any type of bean. I have used chickpeas, pinto and Peruvian beans as well and they came out delicious. I normally use canned beans for this recipe but if you happen to have the time, make some homemade beans.
 
Quinoa:
I don’t advise using anything else for this quinoa black bean salad. Quinoa gives it the perfect texture and taste. There is multi-colored quinoa, white and red quinoa. Make sure to give your quinoa a quick rinse before using.
 
Spices and seasonings:
I highly recommend using vegetables broth for extra flavor. You can sub garlic cloves for garlic powder (about 1 tsp). Jalapeño is optional but gives it a nice kick! I would say the dish turns out mild with 1 jalapeño, 2 would be medium and 3 for extra spicy. You can also use serrano peppers for extra spice!
 
Veggies
I highly recommend adding more veggies if you’re up for it. I recommend adding bell peppers, pasilla peppers, mushrooms and zucchini. My favorite mushrooms to add are shiitake, portobello, and king oyster.
quinoa black bean salad recipe

Is Quinoa Black Bean Salad Healthy?

This recipe is packed with a variety of micro and macronutrients. Quinoa is a complete protein that offers all the essential amino acids that our body needs. It is also packed with fiber and iron. Oh and that’s just the quinoa! Don’t get me started on the beans, corn, veggies, avocado, and more. Let me just give you some highlights:

Protein: Each serving contains about 15 grams of protein. Each serving is about 1 cup and most people usually eat about 1.5 cups in a meal which is about 22 grams of protein!

Fiber: Each serving contains about 8 grams of fiber which is about 35% of your daily requirements. Did you know that 95% of Americans aren’t meeting their daily fiber needs?  Aim to get about 25-30 grams of fiber everyday.

Iron: Not only is this recipe packed with iron, it’s also easier to utilize for out body! When we eat an iron rich without alone we are able to aborb some of the iron it contains but when we pair the same iron-rich food with vitamin C, our body absorbs more iron. In this case it’s tomatoes and lime juice 🙂

More Delicious Meal Prep Recipes:

Hearty Chili Bowl

Orzo Pasta Salad

Avocado Black Bean Salad

30 Easy Vegan Meals for a Busy Week

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quinoa black bean salad

Quinoa Black Bean Salad


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  • Author: Anna Rios
  • Total Time: 35
  • Yield: ~4 cups cooked
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

The 1-pan Mexican-inspired Quinoa Black Bean Salad! This flavorful recipe is great for meal prep, easy weeknight dinner or take to a get-together. The clean up will be easy and quick and you won’t believe how delicious it is!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 cups of vegetable broth
  • 1/2 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup corn kernels
  • 1 jalapeño (optional)
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 can of black beans, drained
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt OR to taste

Toppings:

  • Lime juice, to taste
  • 12 avocados, diced
  • Cilantro to garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add the onion and jalapeño. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and then add the garlic and cumin. Sauté for another minute.
  2. Add the vegetable broth, quinoa, and diced tomatoes. Once it begins boiling, lower to simmer with a lid. Cook for 10-15 minutes until quinoa is done.
  3. Once the quinoa is cooked, add black beans, corn, chili powder and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt/seasonings.
  4. Let cool off completely to serve chilled or serve warm.
  5. Top off with avocado, cilantro, and lime juice to taste!

Notes

*stays refrigerated for up to 4 days

  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Category: Mexican
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup

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