• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Pretty Bee
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Sort By Allergen
    • View all recipes
  • cookbooks
    • Quick Start Bundle.
  • contact
  • subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Start Here
  • View All Recipes
  • Sort By Allergen
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact
×

Home » Salad » Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad.

Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad.

May 31, 2021 · Modified: May 31, 2021 by Kelly Roenicke · 15 Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Southwestern black bean quinoa salad is a tasty salad to bring to a summer party. This easy dish is full of flavor from corn, cilantro, onions, and a zesty dressing. Make a big batch and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week!

southwestern quinoa salad in a large bowl

Quinoa salads are a great option for easy, make-ahead gluten free lunches, which is why we enjoy them fairly often around here. I love to make a big batch of salad and have it ready to go during busy weeks.

This Southwestern quinoa salad is so simple to prepare, but it packs a lot of flavor! The secret is the zesty dressing with fresh citrus and lots of fresh cilantro leaves.

With lots of protein from black beans and quinoa, this is a salad that’s sure to keep you full. Serve it as a vegan main dish, or on the side of your favorite grilled chicken or these ground turkey sloppy joes.

ingredients for southwestern quinoa salad in a bowl

This quinoa salad is the perfect addition to your next summer gathering. If you’re looking for a selection of summer salads to serve, try any of these vegan salads:

  • Garlic dill green bean salad
  • Curried broccoli quinoa salad
  • Simple zucchini noodle salad
  • Apple brussels sprouts slaw

Should I use red or white quinoa in this recipe?

You can use either red or white quinoa! Red quinoa has a little bit of a stronger flavor and a firmer texture than white quinoa. There are other varieties of this ancient grain, like black or even purple, but those aren’t as common or easily found in the store. Read more about the types of quinoa here.

Can I use a different gluten free grain?

Yes, you could use millet, white rice, or brown rice in this recipe.

quinoa salad ingredients in bowl with dressing

You can make some substitutions in this black bean quinoa salad if needed:

  • chickpeas or pinto beans instead of black beans
  • red quinoa instead of white quinoa
  • parsley instead of cilantro
  • rice instead of quinoa
  • vinegar instead of citrus juice

You can make this ahead of time if you need to – just make the dressing and keep it separate, then add it to the salad right before serving.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. 

southwestern quinoa salad in a large bowl
5 from 1 vote
Print

Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad.

This tasty black bean quinoa salad is a quick and easy summer salad with flavors of the Southwest!

Course Salad
Cuisine Dairy Free, gluten free, Mexican, vegan.
Keyword barbecue side dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 289 kcal
Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa cooked according to package directions
  • 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn kernels frozen or canned
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ cup green onions chopped, or sweet onion
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
  • 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅓ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions, then let cool.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and spices.

  3. Add the cooled quinoa, onions, black beans, corn, and cilantro. Mix together to combine.
  4. Serve immediately or refrigerate to until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

You can use red or white quinoa in this recipe.

If you don't have quinoa on hand, you can use rice.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for about 3-4 days.

You can make this salad the night before serving if you wish. Just make the dressing separately and add to the salad right before serving.

Nutrition Facts
Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 289 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 446mg19%
Potassium 503mg14%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 429IU9%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

quinoa salad with beans and corn in a white bowl

 

This post was originally published in June 2014. It has been updated.

Related

« 40 Tasty Vegan Barbecue Recipes.
Easy and Tasty Roasted Carrot Fries. »

Filed Under: Dairy Free, food, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish, Vegan Tagged With: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Fish Free, Gluten Free, Mustard Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, Sugar Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kelly Roenicke
Kelly Roenicke
Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
Kelly Roenicke
Latest posts by Kelly Roenicke (see all)
  • Homemade Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. - June 29, 2022
  • Gluten Free Wild Rice and Orzo Salad. - June 22, 2022
  • Yummy No Bake Granola Bars (Gluten Free, Nut Free). - June 20, 2022

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Darryl

    May 31, 2021 at 8:16 pm

    5 stars
    We made this recently and it was great!

    Reply
  2. Allergy Free Alaska

    June 12, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    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

    Reply
  3. riitta

    June 09, 2014 at 2:37 am

    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!

    Reply
  4. Olivia - Primavera Kitchen

    June 07, 2014 at 8:47 am

    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 ;-)

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 08, 2014 at 10:18 pm

      Thank you so much, Olivia!

      Reply
  5. Allison

    June 06, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 08, 2014 at 10:17 pm

      Thank you, Allison! Yes, burnt beans are hard to clean up, aren’t they?

      Reply
  6. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely

    June 06, 2014 at 11:36 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 08, 2014 at 10:16 pm

      Yes, it was kind of funny, I just don’t know how I could have done that!

      Reply
  7. Lisa Howard

    June 06, 2014 at 10:29 am

    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?

    Reply
    • Kelly

      June 08, 2014 at 10:14 pm

      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.

      Reply
  8. Lisa Howard

    June 06, 2014 at 10:23 am

    Consider this one pinned! I will be making it this weekend! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 50 Salad Recipes to Kick Start The New Year - Primavera Kitchen says:
    January 5, 2015 at 11:30 pm

    […] Southwestern Quinoa Black Bean Salad from The Pretty Bee. […]

    Reply
  2. Creamy Breakfast Quinoa with Peaches and Berries. - The Pretty Bee says:
    August 23, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    […] and makes a tasty hot cereal, but I just hadn’t tried it yet. I love quinoa in salads, like this one and this one, but I finally took the plunge and made a sweet version.  I loved it! Topped with […]

    Reply
  3. Individual Microwave Cherry Crisp. - The Pretty Bee says:
    July 16, 2014 at 8:44 am

    […] gets hot! I didn’t want cherries exploding, or oats catching on fire. You know how I love to set things on fire in my appliances. :( Your microwave may be different, but I would still recommend starting on with […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

kelly roenicke portrait

Hi! I'm Kelly, and I believe that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.

Learn more →

Find the perfect recipe

Filter all recipes by allergen

Search & Sort Recipes by Allergen

Footer

↑ back to top

Browse my allergy friendly cookbooks.

Why, yes, I DO have a print cookbook!

Allergy Friendly Chocolate Cake Your Family Will Love

best dairy free gluten free chocolate cake recipe

Copyright © 2022 The Pretty Bee | Disclosure | Privacy Policy