Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad
A bright, fresh-tasting and hearty salad with a great mix of flavors and textures. Easy to prep, it's perfect on it's own or alongside any protein. Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Note: this is a cold salad -- Cook time is for quinoa if you don't already have some cooked.
Servings 6
Calories 350kcal
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons fresh Lime Juice (approximately 3 limes)
- 1/2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped (use more for spicier dressing)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup red bell pepper seeded, stemmed and diced (approximately 1 medium pepper)
- 1 1/2 cup fresh mango, diced (approximately 1 mango, peeled and pitted)
- 1 - 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed (you can use up to 1 full 15oz can of black beans, depending on taste)
- 3 scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts or more to taste
- 1 avocado, cut into 1 inch pieces (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Mix together
Notes
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water before cooking to remove its natural coating, which can make it taste bitter.
- For the best flavor, let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour after mixing in the dressing; this allows the ingredients to meld beautifully.
- If you're short on time, cook the quinoa a day in advance and store it in the fridge; it can be used cold in the salad without sacrificing texture.
- Feel free to swap out the black beans for chickpeas or kidney beans if you're looking for a different flavor profile or texture.
- This salad stays fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days, but the flavors improve after a day, making it perfect for meal prep.