The easiest bowl you will ever make! This Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Lime Dressing is so simple + so healthy! The zesty lime dressing is made oil-free and everything is ready in under 10 minutes! Perfect recipe for meal prepping or to throw together on a busy weeknight!
I love this bowl because I love quinoa! One thing I always do on weekends is make sure I have a double batch of quinoa made. I also have a few cans of black beans in my pantry or I cook a pound of black beans in my Instant Pot to toss into bowls on busy weeknights. Both of these hacks are on my at the top of my list 10 Things To Do On Weekends To Make Weeknight Cooking Easier.
The other thing I love about this bowl is the dressing! It is ahhhhhmazing. Totally makes this bowl a winner. No oil! If you know me, you know I love a good oil-free salad dressing. This one will not disappoint. Seriously, you DO NOT need the oil! Save the calories for something else!!!!
Tara’s Tips For Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Lime Dressing Perfection:
- This bowl can easily be made for meal prep. Keep your bowl ingredients separate from the dressing until ready to eat. Can be eaten cold or hot!
- Change it up! I use red onions, jalapenos, avocado, and corn. You could add tomatoes, sliced green onions, or even chopped garlic.
- Let’s talk about the black beans. You can use a can of black beans simply drained + rinsed. That is how I like this bowl. You could make your black beans from dry beans in your Instant Pot following my recipe here.
- You can substitute bulgur wheat, couscous, orzo, or brown rice for the quinoa, yum!
- Not sure about quinoa? Read my Quinoa for Beginners article here.
- Start with cooked and cooled quinoa 👇🏻.
- The dressing!! Simply put all the ingredients in a jar and shake it up! Add red chili pepper powder if you like a little heat, leave it out if you don’t!
How To Cook Quinoa
Cooking Quinoa Stove-Top:
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cool water.
- Bring 2 cups of water + 1 cup of quinoa to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. You will know the quinoa is cooked when all of the water has been absorbed and you can see the quinoa open up a little. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
Rice Cooker Quinoa:
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cool water.
- Place 2 cups of water of water + 1 cup of quinoa in your rice cooker. Follow your device’s instructions as you would for white rice. The cooker should automatically turn off when quinoa is finished cooking.
Instant Pot Quinoa
- Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cool water.
- Place 1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water in Instant Pot.
- Put the lid on and set the lever to ‘seal’.
- Press ‘manual’ and adjust the arrows to 1 minute cook time.
- When your Instant Pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally (usually takes around 10 minutes).
- See my full post here on Basic Instant Pot Quinoa.
Need More Quinoa Ideas?
Try my recipe for Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa which is a FAVORITE in the MVF house and on regular rotation! Some other dinner ideas include Spinach Mushroom Quinoa, Quinoa Stuffed Peppers or Quinoa Vegetable Soup: Instant Pot or Stove-Top. After that, you could make a Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl, Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad or Toasted Quinoa 😍. Our favorite way to use quinoa in our snacks are Quinoa Crackers. For breakfast we love this Instant Pot Quinoa Breakfast Bowl or Pumpkin Quinoa Breakfast Bowl.
Quinoa Black Bean Salad Bowl with Lime Dressing
The easiest bowl you will ever make! This Quinoa Black Bean Salad Bowl with Lime Dressing can be made ahead for meal prep or thrown together on a busy weeknight in a few minutes! Simple AND healthy!
Ingredients
- For The Salad:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 can black beans (drained + rinsed) or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
- 2 cups frozen corn (thawed)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- chopped jalapeno (to taste)
- optional additional veggies: chopped bell pepper, diced tomatoes, sliced green onion, minced garlic, chopped cilantro
- For The Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sugar (I use coconut palm sugar)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- red chili pepper powder to taste (I use 1/4 tsp but be careful - this makes the spice level go up!)
Directions
- Step 1 Place all salad ingredients in a bowl and gently stir until combined.
- Step 2 Mix all dressing ingredients together in a glass jar and shake until mixed.
- Step 3 Pour dressing over salad when ready to eat and give it all a good stir so everything in the bowl is coated in the dressing. Best served cold but bowl ingredients can be heated before dressing is applied if you prefer a warm version. Taste and adjust salt + pepper to your liking.
- Step 4 Enjoy!
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