Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn
Bright, fresh, and packed with wholesome goodness, this Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn is a flavor-filled dish you’ll love! Fluffy quinoa is tossed with hearty black beans, sweet corn, crisp veggies, and a zesty dressing for the perfect balance of texture and taste.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked), rinsed
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups cooked corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced (optional for creaminess)
For the Lime Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of 2 limes (about 4 tbsp)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (for sweetness)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a medium pot, combine quinoa with water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, zest, honey/maple syrup, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro.
- Toss u0026 Adjust: Pour dressing over salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Optional: Gently fold in diced avocado right before serving for creaminess.