Healthy Quinoa and Bean Salad

Treat yourself tonight to a delicious, hearty and Healthy Quinoa and Bean Salad. A gluten-free, vegan salad that is packed with tons of flavor, fresh, colorful veggies, protein, and fiber.

I have to admit that I love Quinoa. Come over to my house, and there is a good chance that you will find a quinoa dish on the dinner menu. Be it a salad or soup, I can eat quinoa in any form.

And today’s recipe Healthy Quinoa and Bean Salad is one of my favorites. It’s so simple and has the perfect texture and flavors. I am seriously obsessed with this salad. 

THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS SALAD IS – THE HEALTH QUOTIENT OF QUINOA!

Quinoa is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants.

The health benefits of quinoa alone are the reason why this salad makes it to my list of nutrition-rich meals. Quinoa is considered as a superfood and extremely healthy and good for you. 

Quinoa is the perfect food for anyone. Pair it with literally anything (veggies or protein), and it delivers a variety of gorgeous textures and flavors. It’s a complete health food.

How to make Healthy Quinoa and Bean Salad?

This salad is a perfect blend of boiled quinoa, along with black beans, corn, and healthy vegetables. Making healthy quinoa and bean salad is a breeze. Anyone could do it, and it requires little to almost no cooking.

And the dressing is ah-mzing! Will talk about that later. For now, let’s concentrate on the salad first.

The base for this salad is quinoa. Start by rinsing the quinoa. Quinoa has a natural coating of saponin, so rinse it quickly before making the salad. Boil quinoa as per package instructions; the rest afterward is a simple mix of your taste.

For crunch and color, I have added bell pepper, cucumber, and onions. Corn kernels add the perfect sweetness, and the earthy flavor comes from the black beans.

Combine everything in a bowl and time to add the dressing. 

About the Dressing!

This Chili-lime-yogurt dressing is light, fresh, lemony, and not to mention highly addictive!

It has everything that you will love in a dressing. There’s a chili-garlic sauce, lime juice, vegan yogurt, herbs, and olive oil. Combine all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl, and mix.

In minutes, you will have a delicious dressing ready for you and your family. This homemade dressing adds a burst of flavor and a refreshing lemony kick to the salad!

Overall a nutritional healthy salad that is bursting with flavor and addicting!!

Highlights!

Besides the texture and flavor, this salad is –

• Vegan
• Gluten free
• Light
• Colorful
• Filling
• and makes a great lunch box meal. Also, a great salad for a game night or potluck or backyard picnic.

This tasty salad will surely impress everyone on the table!

Do give it a try and if you happen to make this salad, please comment below and leave your feedback. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Healthy Quinoa and bean salad

5 from 5 votes

Treat yourself tonight to a delicious, hearty and Healthy Quinoa and bean salad. A gluten-free and vegan salad that is packed with tons of flavor, fresh colorful veggies, protein, and fiber.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Calories: 326 kcal

Servings: 6 PEOPLE

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INGREDIENTS 

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BOILING QUINOA

• ▢ 1 cup Quinoa
• ▢ 2 cups Water

FOR THE SALAD

• ▢ 1 cup Black Beans
• ▢ 1 cup Whole corn kernels
• ▢ 1 cup Red bell pepper, cubed
• ▢ 1/4 cup Cucumbers, cubed
• ▢ 3 tablespoon Chopped Red onions
• ▢ 1 medium Avocado, cubed

FOE THE DRESSING - CHILI LIME YOGURT DRESSING

• ▢ 1/4 cup Olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Lime juice
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Vegan Yogurt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Chili Garlic sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Coarsely crushed black peppercorns
• ▢ Salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

INSTRUCTIONS

BOILING QUINOA

• Rinse and drain quinoa. Combine water and quinoa in a pan.
  
• Bring it to a boil.
  
• Cover and let it simmer on low heat for 12- 15 minutes.
  
• Cooked quinoa. Fluff it with a fork.
  
• Set it aside.
  

ASSEMBLING SALAD

• Meanwhile, wash and chop veggies. Drain and wash black beans and corn. Transfer all the 'salad' ingredients to a bowl along with boiled quinoa. Set it aside.
  
• Combine all the dressing ingredients (except oil) in a bowl.
  
• Slowly add oil and whisk until well blended. Adjust seasoning, if needed.
  
• Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad.
  
• Toss until well blended. Season to taste.
  
• Serve hot or cold.
  
• This spicy salad is bursting with flavor and homemade dressing adds a refreshing lemony kick to it!
  

RECIPE NOTES

 

A VERY VERSATILE SALAD!

The best part about this salad is that it can be modified to one’s taste. Almost any ingredient in this recipe can be substituted with another one. Some tested and tried substitutes are- 

• Black beans can be swapped with the beans of your choice - kidney beans, garbanzo beans or navy beans.
• Veggies can be mixed with any colorful/seasonal ones to create a zesty combination of tastes.
• Feel free to choose an alternative dressing
• For a protein-rich salad, toss in the protein of your choice for extra flavor.

 

NUTRITION

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 970IU | Vitamin C: 37.5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2.5mg

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided above is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. These numbers should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietician.

Author: Ruchi

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Are you Going to make this recipe? Take a picture and mention @ruchiskitchen! I would LOVE to see how it turned out for you!