My mom subscribes to Canadian Living magazine, and it usually includes a really good vegetarian or vegan recipe. She diligently puts the vegan (or easily made vegan) recipes aside for me, and better yet, she makes a couple of the recipes for me whenever I’m in town. She made me this black & white bean quinoa salad for me last summer and it’s been one of my favorite recipes ever since.
Why do I love this black & white bean quinoa salad?
- It’s a great summer salad – The cold cucumber contrasts so well with the tangy and spicy dressing.
- It’s got black beans in it – I have yet to try anything with black beans in it that I didn’t like.
- It’s super healthy – As per the magazine: This salad packs not only a protein punch but also good amounts of fibre and iron. It’s not just the two types of beans that make this such a protein-dense meal, but also the addition of quinoa, which itself is jam-packed with protein. Check out my post on quinoa for more info about this super-grain!
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{See my recipe binder in the background? I’m trying to post all of my favorite recipes from it on this website. So much food, so little time!}
Notes – Black & White Bean Quinoa Salad
- I used Cannellini beans this time around but I found them to be slightly too big for this salad so try to stick to navy beans if you can find them (in case you’re interested, here’s a write-up on Cannellini beans vs. Great Northern beans vs. Navy beans). Chickpeas will also work in a pinch.
- You can eat this right away, but like most bean salads, it’s even better after it’s been marinading in the fridge for a couple hours. Once chilled a little, it will be that much more refreshing.
- If you’re looking to make this as a make-ahead meal, you may want to substitute the cucumber for green beans, as the cucumber may get a bit mushy after a while.
Looking for more quinoa salads?
Black & White Bean Quinoa Salad
This salad packs not only a protein punch but also good amounts of fibre and iron.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 22 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad, Side
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) quinoa
- 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (250 mL) diced cucumbers
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I’ve never used it and find the dish spicy enough for me, but feel free to add it if you like things hot!)
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Dressing
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) vegetable oil (I use cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil)
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) lime juice
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) chili powder
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
Instructions
- In saucepan of boiling salted 2/3 C water, cook quinoa until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse.
- Dressing: In large bowl, whisk together oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, coriander, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Add quinoa, black beans, navy beans, cucumber, onion, jalapeño pepper and coriander; toss to combine.
Notes
Source: Canadian Living magazine
Keywords: bean, cilantro, easy, favorite, gluten-free, high-protein, low-carb, quinoa, summer, under 30 minutes, salad, vegan
