Southwestern quinoa black bean salad is a tasty salad to bring to a summer party! It’s vegan, gluten free, and so healthy!
Okay, people, I am officially losing it.
Yesterday we had some friends over for a playdate, and it was a lovely time. I made lunch, everyone got along, we had chocolate banana milkshakes, it was just a nice time.
Then they went home, Baby Bee went down for a nap, and my six year old wanted a snack, so I threw some Daiya cheese on some tortilla chips, and stuck them in the oven. I had lined the cookie sheet with parchment paper, because once Daiya cheese melts onto something, it can be hard to get off. Then we started to color together, and after a bit I peeked at the nachos, and not much melting had happened, so I decided to turn on the broiler for a hot second just to speed up the process. Then I just sat back down to color and like, forgot about the broiler being on. With parchment paper on a cookie sheet. How ridiculous is that?!? I might as well have just thrown a newspaper under the broiler to see what would happen.
So, in case you don’t know what would happen if you do that…it starts a fire. I smelled smoke, looked over and saw smoke coming out of the oven, and then opened the oven door and there were flames inside. So scary! I shooed my son into the other room, and grabbed a pitcher of water and opened the oven door and threw the water at the flames. Thankfully, it worked and the flames went out. Of course the kitchen was a smoky mess, the smoke alarms were going off, it was just not a pleasant situation, and I felt so stupid. The moral of the story is never walk away when the broiler is on, and NEVER put parchment paper under the broiler.
Anyway, moving on, I thought I’d share this easy and tasty Southwestern black bean quinoa salad recipe. It’s easy and quick to make, and the fresh flavors are perfect for summer! Plus, no broiler is required. ;)
This quinoa black bean salad is just the thing to bring to a summer barbecue or picnic – it should work for many dietary needs. It’s gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and free of the top 8 allergens. Everyone can enjoy this Southwestern black bean quinoa salad.
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Southwestern Quinoa Black Bean Salad.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa cooked according to package directions
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels frozen or canned
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice or lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa according to package directions, then let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon or lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and spices.
- Add the cooled quinoa, onions, black beans, corn, and cilantro. Mix together to combine.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate to until ready to serve.
You can make some substitutions in this quinoa black bean salad if you need to:
- chickpeas instead of black beans
- red quinoa instead of white quinoa
- rice instead of quinoa
- vinegar instead of citrus juice
This recipe is easy to make your own! Be creative and have fun. I have a few more quinoa salads on my list to try…especially this one and this one.
How has your week been? Any harrowing almost burn down the kitchen experiences for you?
Oh my goodness. I can completely see myself putting parchment under a broiler, too. I’m sorry that happened, but rest assured – you’re in good company! ;) Gorgeous salad!
Megan
Thank goodness nothing worse happened, although any fire in any part of the house is scary, especially with little ones inside.
Love your salad, and I absolutely adore the serving bowl, so pretty!
That was scary, Kelly. I am glad all is fine now. I love your salad and black beans always bring me happy memories from my childhood in Brazil. Have a wonderful weekend ;-)
Thank you so much, Olivia!
This salad look like perfection! I also really love that bowl.
Glad everyone is okay and your kitchen is flame-free! I once started a small fire cooking beans on the stovetop. It was a starchy mess afterwards!
Thank you, Allison! Yes, burnt beans are hard to clean up, aren’t they?
I have totally done that before! Luckily it’s never started a fire, but has left me with some way burnt food. Bet you were laughing at yourself all day.
These bean salad sounds delicious! Love all those flavors!
Yes, it was kind of funny, I just don’t know how I could have done that!
Okay…so I must admit to something. I checked my personal email at work…when I’m supposed to be plowing through this daunting pile of paperwork. I saw the recipe, got excited, pinned, commented and THEN I read your post. Yeah, I know. Backwards. If I tell you I’m from the south will that buy me a pass? We do everything backward here. lol.
Oh. My. Word. An oven fire! I’m sure that was scary. My son and his wife experienced a bad fire at the day spa she owns back in February. The source was an overloaded clothes dryer. Ever since, I have a horrible fear of flames. I’m so glad you were able to keep it contained. Isn’t it crazy how quickly the simplest of things can get out of control?
It’s ok! I’ve done the same thing, saw the food, then missed the story! :) That is so scary about the clothes dryer! Yikes.
Consider this one pinned! I will be making it this weekend! Thanks for sharing.