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This deliciously simple Black Bean Quinoa Salad is made with fresh avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, and corn. You will love the smoky and tangy chipotle vinaigrette to top it off! It’s a simple make-ahead meal you can enjoy for meal prep, or as a crowd-pleasing side dish. Loaded with plant-based protein, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats!
I love this quinoa black bean salad that is loaded with texture and flavor! It’s officially that time of year where produce is exceptionally tasty. I am all about my salads for every meal and side dish! Main dish salad recipes like my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad or Buffalo Chicken Salad are on repeat. No one is complaining!
As a nutritionist, I love creating one dish meals that contain the four elements: protein, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants. This quinoa salad does exactly that!! It’s light and fresh, and loaded with great texture for quinoa, beans, corn, onion, and avocado. The tangy and smoky chipotle vinaigrette adds just the right amount of tang! It’s one of those feel-good meals that comes together quickly perfect for a simple lunch or dinner any day of the week.
Reasons you will love this recipe!
- Meal prep perfection: make on the weekend and enjoy for lunches throughout the week.
- Simple and easy. The only cooking required is making the quinoa!
- This healthy dish can also be a fantastic light dinner recipe!
How to make this Black Bean Quinoa Salad Recipe
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Dry Quinoa
- Can of black beans
- Can of corn (or you can use frozen corn)
- Tomatoes
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado
- Green onion
- Lime juice (using fresh limes)
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- sea salt
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Honey
- Red wine vinegar
Do not be intimidated by this list of ingredients! Many of them are for the salad dressing, and I promise that total cook time for this dish is less than 20 minutes.
To make this recipe, we first start off with making the quinoa. Boil water and quinoa, lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Depending on package directions, it takes about 15 minutes for quinoa to be nice and fluffy.
While the quinoa is cooking, prep your veggies. Cut up the green onion, cilantro, prep the corn, and slice the tomatoes and avocado.
Make the dressing by combining the chipotle peppers in adobo, lime, cilantro, olive oil or avocado oil, garlic, honey, and vinegar into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Toss the quinoa with black beans, corn, cilantro, onion, tomato, and avocado. Top with extra sea salt for taste!
Cooking Tips and Adaptations:
- One of my favorite ways to cook quinoa is to add chicken broth in place of water. This really brings out the flavor!
- If making this salad to enjoy for meal prep throughout the week, do not add the dressing or avocado. Instead, each day, toss in fresh avocado and keep the dressing in a separate container.
- Want to add more protein to this dish? Grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak make a perfect addition.
- Some of my other favorite ingredients to add include bell pepper, cotija cheese, crushed up tortilla chips, and arugula.
If you love vibrant, protein-packed meals like this Black Bean Quinoa Salad, be sure to check out my creamy and cozy Creamy Chicken Poblano Soup with Corn and Black Beans for a comforting bowl that pairs perfectly with this fresh salad!
Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups broth or water*
- 1 14 oz can of black beans
- 1.5 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes or vine ripened tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 med avocado (diced)
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 large lime (juiced)
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the quinoa and broth into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until all water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy (about 15 minutes). Remove to the side and let cool.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine oil, vinegar, cilantro, adobo sauce, peppers, garlic, honey, and sea salt into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
- Drain the black beans and rinse with water. Add to a large bowl.
- Place corn in a colander and run warm water over until no longer frozen. Add the corn to the black beans.
- Combine quinoa, tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, and avocado to the black bean mixture. Add the dressing and lightly toss to combine. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious and comes together pretty quickly! Great for meal prep!
Excellent meal prep, and delicious!