This nutritious quinoa black bean salad comes with a warming, creamy garlic and chilli dressing and with a little preparation can be put together in minutes. Full of protein and veggie goodness it makes a satisfying, delicious salad meal.
With a little preparation this quinoa black bean salad can be thrown together in less than 15 minutes. It comes with a creamy garlic and chilli dressing, which gives this salad a gentle heat. This easy quinoa salad works great as a meal on its own as well as accompaniment to burgers or grilled dishes.
Another easy quinoa salad that comes with a healthy, creamy dressing is chicken quinoa salad with spinach.
Quinoa black bean salad ingredients
Quinoa is the perfect salad ingredient. It is light, healthy and tastes delicious in this simple salad. It also adds substance so you can enjoy your salad also as a meal (ideal at lunch time) and not just a side dish.
You can buy pre-cooked, ready to eat quinoa if you are really pressed for time though raw quinoa needs only about 15 minutes to cook. And if you cook a larger batch you can refrigerate it (once cooled) for up to 4 days and incorporate into all sorts of dishes. And not just savoury ones! Try making semi-sweet overnight quinoa or chocolate sweet potato pudding.
I used black beans from a can as it's quick and easy but you can soak dried beans overnight and then boil them until tender the next day (1-1.5 hours) if you prefer.
I briefly fried the chili flakes and garlic to tone down the sharpness of the garlic and create a warming heat in the dressing without making it too spicy.
Why you will love this recipe
- It uses simple ingredients which produce loads of flavour.
- You can prepare the ingredients ahead.
- It's light and low in fat, despite the creamy dressing, yet satisfying.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1. To prepare the creamy dressing briefly fry the garlic and chilli flakes in 1 tablespoon of oil for a few seconds. This will tone down the sharpness of these ingredients and give this salad a gentle warmth. Place in a bowl to cool.
2. In a small blender combine with the oil, lemon juice, yogurt, onion granules, salt to taste and water (you may not need to use all or it).
3. Blitz until creamy.
4. In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients.
5. Pour over a desired amount of the dressing, scatter lemon zest, season to taste and enjoy!
Top tips
- You can cook the quinoa ahead (according to packet instructions) and once cooled, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Using beans from a can is more convenient than cooking your own, but you could do either. If you are using the canned variety remember to rinse the beans. If you prefer to use dry beans, soak them in water overnight, then cook until tender (usually 1-1.5 hours).
- Zest the lemon before juicing it.
- Add a little more water into the dressing for a runnier consistency if you prefer.
- Make the dressing ahead and keep in a jar for up to 3 days. Shake before use.
- Add the dressing just before serving.
Serving suggestions
This recipe is a meal in itself but you can also serve it alongside other dishes if you are hosting a large party. It's delicious with pulled chicken, yogurt marinated chicken or pistachio crusted fish.
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Keep in touch!
If you make this quinoa salad recipe I'd love to know how it turned out! Let me know in the comments section below, your feedback is important to me! Thanks:)
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Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
- 1½ cup cooked quinoa lightly packed, you'll need approx. ⅔ cup raw
- 1 cup black beans canned, rinsed or cooked (and presoaked overnight)
- 20 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large avocado cubed
- 4 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
For the dressing
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil plus another for frying the garlic and chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp lemon juice plus zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp thick yogurt/Skyr
- ¼ onion granules
- 3 tbsp water or more for a runnier consistency
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- To make the dressing, heat up 1 tablespoon of the oil and fry the chilli flakes and garlic for about 20 seconds on low-medium heat stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl immediately and allow to cool. Combine with the remaining oil, yogurt, lemon juice (not zest), salt to taste and water (you may not need to use all of it) and blitz until creamy. Set aside.Â
- In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients, add the dressing (you may not need to add all of it), lemon zest, season and serve.
Notes
- You can cook the quinoa ahead (according to packet instructions) and once cooled, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Using beans from a can is more convenient than cooking your own, but you could do either. If you are using the canned variety remember to rinse the beans. If you prefer to use dry beans, soak them in water overnight, then cook until tender (usually 1-1.5 hours).
- Add a a little more water into the dressing for a runnier consistency if you prefer.
- Make the dressing ahead and refrigerate in a jar for up to 3 days. Shake before use.
- Add the dressing just before serving.
- Preparation time includes the time to cook and cool the quinoa.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Thanks, lunch that day was great!
A match made in heaven!