Name: Easy Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked quinoa*; 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 red or orange bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, diced; 4 green onions, diced; 1/2 red onion, finely diced; 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, large stems removed, leaves chopped; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 limes, juiced; 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon fine salt

This easy vegan Mexican quinoa salad with a Southwestern-inspired dressing is full of delicious flavor and a variety of textures while offering nutritious ingredients! It is simple to prepare and uses mostly pantry ingredients you likely have on hand like dry quinoa and canned black beans. It also holds up well in the refrigerator, making it an excellent meal prep option.

Every time I make this easy Mexican quinoa salad I am blown away by how good it is! All you need for the salad is quinoa, black beans, green onions, red bell pepper, red onion and cilantro. For the dressing, it's just olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, cumin and salt. So simple, yet so incredibly delicious - trust me!

I typically enjoy this salad as a main dish, but it works just as well as a great side dish for summer BBQs! As one that can be served at room temperature, this is also the perfect salad to pack for an easy lunch when you're out and about. Make plenty of it as it tastes just as good the next day!

Ingredients

This healthy Mexican quinoa salad consists of whole foods, each of which add delicious flavors and texture. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

The Salad Ingredients

Quinoa - I use one cup of uncooked quinoa and prepare it either on the stovetop or Instant Pot. It comes out perfectly cooked each and every time!
Black beans - I drain and rinse a can of black beans for convenience. In addition to the quinoa, the black beans are a great source of plant-based protein.
Bell peppers - I like to use either a red or orange bell pepper. It adds nice color too!
Green onions
Red onion
Fresh cilantro

The Dressing Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh lime juice
Maple syrup
Fresh garlic
Ground cumin
Fine salt

How to Make this Mexican Quinoa Salad

The salad comes together quickly and easily. The key is to chop up the veggies and herbs and prepare the dressing while the quinoa is cooking. When the quinoa is done, I toss everything together and enjoy immediately or store for meal prep.

Cook the quinoa. While the quinoa cooks, prepare the dressing and other ingredients.
Prepare the dressing. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a measuring cup or small bowl.
Put it all together. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the black beans, bell pepper, onions and cilantro. Pour the dressing overtop the salad and stir well to combine.
Serve! Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container (or separate smaller airtight containers for lunch on-the-go). The salad will last in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Recipe Variations

This easy recipe is by no means the only way to enjoy a quinoa salad (although I will say this combo is absolutely perfect!). Feel free to add other ingredients you're craving while still enjoying all the Mexican flavors:

Fresh corn
Pinto beans
Sweet potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Garbanzo beans
Vegan feta cheese
Creamy avocado

Health Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa is one of my favorite pantry staples. It is light, absorbs flavor wonderfully and adds great texture to salads. It is so easy to prepare and offers such amazing health benefits.

It is loaded with fiber (one serving has over 5 grams) and is considered a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. In fact, it has more protein than any other grain. Quinoa is a good source of folate, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and many phytochemicals. It also offers important minerals such as calcium, potassium, copper and zinc.

More Quinoa Recipes

Recipe lightly adapted from Detoxinista.

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