Mango lime quinoa salad with black beans

Quinoa Salad with black beans, mango and lime is one of my summertime go to recipes. It is light and refreshing on a hot day and lasts for days in the refrigerator so I can eat it all week long for lunch. Gluten-free quinoa salads like this Mediterranean quinoa are perfect for meal prepping.

This delicious side is not only gluten-free, it is also vegan. It is dressed with a light vinaigrette, which makes it perfect for taking to the park or the beach for picnics or bringing to backyard cookouts.

Quinoa and black beans are tossed with vegetables and herbs for a light and delicious summer salad.

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Mango lime quinoa salad with black beans

I’ve been on a quinoa kick for about 6 years now and we’re still going strong. I guess we’re in full-on relationship status now.

I love this versatile seed for its many uses. Whether it is being used in a salad like this one, or packed in superfood veggie cakes, it’s always perfectly at home. I’ve used it for stuffing acorn squash in the fall, and I make simple salads like this one all year.

Making this quinoa salad is quick and easy. I used frozen corn and canned black beans. While the quinoa was cooking, I chopped up the bell pepper, scallions, mango and avocado (which you’ll notice I forgot to add to the bowl).

During the spring and summer months when I tend to make these kind lunches more often, I keep a container of diced veggies in the fridge to make it even faster to put this together.

Scallions keep for days in the fridge, so those are perfect for chopping up ahead of time, as are bell peppers, cucumbers and carrots.

Spending a few minutes the day before chopping up ingredients makes it easy to switch up your salads more frequently. You can swap out whatever you have chopped up to make a new creation almost every day.

How to cook quinoa

If you’ve never worked with quinoa before, here are a few tips:

• Give a good rinse it first before you use it.
• Stir occasionally while cooking, it can clump a little if left unattended.
• Lay it out on a sheet pan to cool after cooking to let the steam evaporate, this helps to keep the grains separate.
• Once it is cooked, it will have little rings around the individual seed – when you see those, that’s your sign for doneness.
• My preferred pan for cooking quinoa is a wide, shallow pan instead of a pot. This is personal preference, but I find it cooks more evenly.

What can I serve with this salad?

• Roasted chicken and vegetables sheet pan dinner is a quick and easy meal and this mango lime quinoa would go great with it.

• Lamb loin chops on the grill are a quick and easy protein to make with this delicious salad.

• Baked chicken meatballs are also a great meal prepping option and would be a tasty lunch.

Used in this recipe

• fine mesh strainer – essential for rinsing quinoa. If your strainer has holes that are too big, the quinoa will fall right through it.
• quinoa – most stores stock quinoa; but if you aren’t sure what you are looking for, or can’t find it, here it is!
• glass serving bowls – this salad is so colorful, I put it in a glass bowl to show it off.

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