Refreshing Quinoa Black Bean Lime (Printable)

A protein-rich salad combining quinoa, black beans, fresh vegetables, and zesty lime dressing for a light meal.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Beans

03 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
09 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooled quinoa, black beans, diced red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped red onion, and cilantro.
03 - Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Fold in the diced avocado carefully just before serving to prevent browning.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste if needed and serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, which means less work when you need it most.
  • Every bite has texture, crunch, creaminess, and a little burst of lime that keeps it interesting.
  • You can eat it cold straight from the fridge or let it sit on the counter while you finish other things.
02 -
  • If you don't rinse the quinoa, it can taste soapy or bitter because of the natural coating.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing or the heat will make the vegetables soggy and sad.
  • Add avocado right before serving or it will brown and lose its buttery texture.
03 -
  • Toast the cumin in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it to the dressing, it deepens the flavor in a way that feels almost smoky.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss it right before serving so the vegetables stay crisp.
  • Use a little less lime juice if you're sensitive to acid, you can always add more but you can't take it back.
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