This superfood black bean and quinoa salad is hearty, delicious and ready in less than 30 minutes! Toss this gluten-free easy spring- summer salad with fresh vegetables, cucumbers, red onion, red pepper and drizzle with lemon-honey dressing. Yum!!
Once Spring rolls around, I start looking for fresh produce to add to my salads. Here is Canada, some vegetables start in the greenhouses and I have to admit, they do have flavour, however, nothing beats the garden fresh vegetables! With that said, this salad is made with as fresh as you can get produce and I love quinoa, it is probably my favourite grain, well it is eaten as a grain but is actually a seed. Love it’s nutty flavour and all the benefits it offers!
This salad is rich in antioxidants, thanks to quinoa, black beans and all the vegetables in this salad. How I look at it, is our bodies need a break from those meals we so crave for something comforting, which I love to indulge as well. I so appreciate how my body feels once I eat something like this that is so healthy, helps to support our gut health, gluten-free that helps with digestion, great source of protein and reduces inflammation…the list goes on.
INGREDIENTS & SUGGESTIONS
SALAD:
- Quinoa: I used the tri-colour for this salad and you can substitute with any of the different types of quinoa
- Black beans: my preference for this salad is black beans, again you can substitute with a white bean
- Red onion
- Pepper: I like to add colour to my salads, and the red pepper pops, as coloured peppers tend to be more sweet in flavour
- Cucumber: choose a seedless cucumber
- Mango: offers some sweetness and brightness to this salad
DRESSING:
- Garlic
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- Himalayan salt or sea salt
- Feta: goat or sheep feta
- Herbs: parsley, mint, thyme or basil
Once the quinoa is cooked and cool, then start adding your ingredients to a large salad bowl. I took half the feta cheese and crumbed it on top after I tossed the vegetables, black beans, quinoa and dressing together. That way most if not all the feta cheese doesn’t get lost in the salad.
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS SALAD
Start by rinsing the quinoa under cold water using a fine mesh strainer. Bring water to a boil, then add quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes with lid on. Remove from stove, take lid off, separate quinoa by using a fork to fluff the quinoa and allow to cool.
For the dressing, use a small bowl or jar, whisk together garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Toss the salad using a large bowl, toss together quinoa, black beans, red onion, red pepper, cucumbers and mango. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat.
Garnish with fresh herbs – parsley, thyme, mint or basil. Enjoy!
To create a lovely presentation when serving this salad, I like to serve this salad with some of the feta cheese on top and add some fresh herbs as well.
Keep in mind, this salad makes a wonderful lunch or light dinner. It’s satisfying and super healthy for us! If you want to include this salad with other sides or mains, I would suggestion this makes a great side for any grilled meats, fish or seafood! If you prefer to cook your fish or meats indoors, then this would be a lovely side for most baked meats or fish.
FAQ
Do I have to use quinoa in the salad, what other grains can I substitute? You can use couscous, brown rice, farro or bulgar to name a few. As well, orzo or another pasta of your choice.
Can I use white beans or kidney beans instead of black beans? Yes you can, prepare them the same way, by rinsing them thoroughly.
What other fruit can I add other than mango? You can substitute mango for strawberries, blueberries, pear or apricots, all would be lovely choices.
STORE this delicious salad in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days.
Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 cup quinoa (tri-colour)
- 1 cup water
- 1-14 oz can black beans
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, quartered
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded or finely sliced
Dressing
- 1 garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
- pepper
- 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/4 cup parsley
- garnish with basil and mint.
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa under cold water using a fine mesh strainer. Bring water to a boil, then add quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes with lid on. Remove from stove with lid off, separate quinoa by using a fork to fluff the quinoa and allow to cool.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a medium to large bowl, first add quinoa, black beans, red onion, red pepper, cucumber, cabbage
- Drizzle dressing over the
