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Healthy Quinoa Salad with black beans, jalapenos, bell peppers with a touch of spice, and a ton of flavor. Make ahead for a great lunch or dinner!
This is a great make-ahead lunch or dinner and is perfect for …. right now. I love this salad, it is GREAT to have in the fridge for dinner when you get home after work!
It has a bit of a kick to it, thanks to the fresh jalapenos, but if you can’t handle that – just leave it out, or reduce the amount.
I personally like a little heat, but like to still have feeling in my taste buds – I do go easy on the jalapeno. If you can handle it – add more!
I make a batch of this on the weekend, and eat it over the next few days. The flavors improve in the days after it was made, making this a winner for me! Healthy quinoa is SUPER filling, too.
Throwing a container of this in my bag for work, means I’ve got a healthy and yummy lunch that keeps me full and satisfied much longer than a burger and fries!
This is a great recipe to make your own. You can use this as a side dish, or make it a main. We add chicken to ours but you totally don’t have to.
Why this recipe works:
- HEALTHY. Quinoa is a super food, and add black beans and veggies? It’s a toal winner!
- MAKE AHEAD. Make this on the weekend and eat it all week long!
- EASY. You really need a culinary degree to make this recipe (or any recipe on this site)
Kylee’s FAQs & Notes
- Is quinoa salad healthy?
- Yes! Quinoa and black beans are AWESOME super foods, and we then add bell peppers, arugula, onion etc. Add some cherry tomatoes and green onions if you really want to round it out!
- How do I store this? How long does this last in the fridge?
- I keep this quinoa salad recipe in the refrigerator, in a well covered dish for up to 5 days.
- PREPPING:
- Rinse the quinoa in a sieve until the water runs clear before cooking
- Mince the garlic and the jalapeno very small. Dice the onion, and bell peppers in similar sizes, about the size of a pea.
Ingredients:
Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
- QUINOA – I use a rainbow quinoa in this recipe, but plain will do just fine. Check out more info on how to cook quinoa. It will take about 15 minutes to cook.
- BLACK BEANS
- VEGETABLE STOCK you can use chicken stock or vegetable stock – depending on your dietary needs!
- BELL PEPPERS – we use both yellow and red peppers – because they’re so pretty! red peppers are sweeter, and balance the flavor of the spicy jalapeno.
- ARUGULA, CILANTRO, RED ONION, JALAPENO, GARLIC
- OLIVE OIL
- LIME JUICE – I use lime juice as the acid in the dressing, but red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are great substitutes
- SALT AND PEPPER, CUMIN, GROUND CORIANDER
How to make this recipe:
Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
Make the dressing
- Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Cook the quinoa
- Heat the broth into a small saucepan until boiling, add rinsed quinoa and simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the salad
- In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa, beans, arugula, bell peppers, cilantro, onion and jalapeno (if using).
- Pour the dressing over the top, and mix well until fully combined.
- Set aside in the refrigerator until serving time.
- Devour.
Want more healthy recipe ideas? Of course you do!
- Roasted Beef Salad (with Feta and Walnuts)
- Grilled Zucchini with Lime.
- Crustless Quiche (low carb Spinach, Tomato & Feta)
- Mexican Fruit Cup (with Tajin) – from Aubrey’s Kitchen
- Grilled Vegetable and Couscous Salad – from Lemon Blossoms
Want to try this recipe?
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Super Healthy Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For salad:
- 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable stock can sub chicken stock
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup red/yellow bell peppers diced
- 1 cup cilantro washed and rough chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion diced
- 2 tsp jalapeno diced (optional)
For dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 tsp cracked pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
Instructions
Cook the quinoa
- Heat the broth into a small saucepan until boiling, add quinoa and simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
Make the dressing
- Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Assemble the salad
- Add cooled quinoa, beans, arugula, bell peppers, cilantro, onion and jalapeno (if using).
- Pour the dressing over the top, and mix well until fully combined.
- Set aside in the refrigerator until serving time, or …
- Devour.
