Description
A vibrant and refreshing 30-minute Black Bean Quinoa Salad featuring a medley of mango, avocado, and crisp vegetables, tossed in a zesty cilantro lime dressing. This wholesome salad blends nutritious quinoa and black beans with fresh produce and crunchy pumpkin seeds for a perfect balance of flavors and textures, ideal for a light lunch or a colorful side dish.
Ingredients
Quinoa and Seasoning
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (or 2 cups cooked)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp taco seasoning
Salad Ingredients
- 2 handfuls arugula
- 1 can black beans (400ml/15 oz), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (6 oz) cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 mango, diced small
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup pickled red onions (or substitute with 1/4 cup finely diced red onion)
- 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 small jalapeño, deseeded (or a pinch chili flakes for heat)
- 1 tsp agave
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- Pinch sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa with 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and pleasantly chewy. Drain any excess water if necessary and let it cool slightly.
- Season Quinoa: Transfer the cooked quinoa to a bowl and add 1 tsp olive oil and 1.5 tsp taco seasoning. Stir well to combine and taste; add a pinch of sea salt if needed depending on your taco seasoning. Set aside to cool fully.
- Prepare Dressing: In a blender or food processor, add 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 small deseeded jalapeño (or chili flakes), 1 tsp agave, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, and a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, leaving small bits of cilantro for texture. Adjust flavor by adding more agave for sweetness or jalapeño/chili flakes for heat, then blend again.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, mix together the seasoned quinoa, 2 handfuls arugula, black beans, chopped cherry tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, diced mango, diced avocado, pickled red onions, 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Toss with Dressing: Drizzle the cilantro lime dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to evenly coat all ingredients.
- Serve: Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors or refrigerate for up to a few hours to let flavors meld. Enjoy this nutritious and colorful salad as a light meal or side dish.
Notes
- If you don’t have pickled red onions, finely diced raw red onion can be used as a substitute.
- To make this salad vegan, ensure your taco seasoning is free from animal-derived ingredients, as some blends include cheese powders.
- You can toast pumpkin seeds on a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Adjust the spiciness of the salad by controlling the amount of jalapeño or substituting chili flakes.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to 2 days but is best consumed fresh for optimal texture, especially the avocado.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired