Bean Salad with Quinoa Recipe

This bean salad with quinoa recipe is a bright, flavorful, high-protein and plant-based meal! A great side dish or lunch idea for the week.

A classic twist on traditional bean salad, this easy recipe has a simple fresh apple cider vinegar dressing which adds so much flavor! A quick and easy dish you can meal prep or make ahead with pantry staple ingredients.

I love a tasty hearty plant-based lunch – and this bean salad with quinoa is in my monthly lunch rotation all year long. It’s light, flavorful, satisfying, and easy to prep for a few meals during the week. The creamy beans pair nicely with the soft quinoa, and each bite is loaded with crunch from fresh green onions in a tangy dressing.

This is one fantastic salad that everyone will love, and no one will guess that it’s plant-based. It makes a great potluck side dish, and a fun and flavorful take on classic 3 bean salad with adding quinoa.

This Bean Salad with Quinoa Recipe Is

• Bright
• Fresh
• Flavorful
• Hearty
• Satisfying
• Earthy
• Easy to Make
• A Great Plant-Based Side Dish or Lunch

A Light Refreshing Plant-Based Lunch Option

This easy bean salad is loaded with beans, grains, and veggies for a quick and easy lunch. This is one filling recipe that is high in fiber and plant-protein from the quinoa and beans.

I love light and simple plant-based lunches for an afternoon meal, and salads are a great option all year long. Browse all our lunch recipes for some quick and easy meal inspiration!

Ingredients for this Grain and Bean Salad

See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

• Quinoa – I used white quinoa as I had it on hand, but you can also use red quinoa or tricolored quinoa instead
• Black beans, Chickpeas, and Kidney beans – dark or light red kidney beans are great, you can cook yours from scratch or used canned like I did.
• Green onions – for a bright crunchy texture and fresh flavor.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar – we like to get dark cloudy apple cider vinegar which has a great taste.
• Fresh garlic cloves – for the dressing
• Soy sauce – has a really nice flavor in this sauce instead of salt.

How To Make Bean Salad with Quinoa

1. In a medium pot, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, and allow the quinoa to sit still covered for 10 more minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork once it’s been cooked.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, and green onions.
3. In a small bowl, or a mason jar with an airtight lid, add the dressing ingredients together: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well to combine into a smooth dressing.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well until all the quinoa and beans are coated. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to an hour before serving.
5. Store leftover salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Variations

• If you are using pre-cooked quinoa, or a cooked quinoa pouch, skip step one and add ~2 cups of cooked quinoa directly into the mixing bowl in step 2.
• Instead of using sugar, you can substitute a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup instead.

Dietary Modifications

This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and dairy free.

To make gluten free, swap out the soy sauce for a gluten free alternative like tamari or coconut aminos. Always ensure all ingredients in the salad and dressing are certified gluten free before using.

More Fresh Simple Lunch Ideas You’ll Love

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Bean Salad with Quinoa

Kelly Jensen

This bean salad with quinoa recipe is a bright, flavorful, high-protein and plant-based meal! A great side dish or lunch idea for the week.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Share Tweet

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 245 kcal

Equipment

• Medium Pot
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup quinoa I used white quinoa
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 can black beans
• 3 green onions sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon juiced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar

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Instructions

 

• In a medium pot, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, and allow the quinoa to sit still covered for 10 more minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork once it’s been cooked.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, and green onions.
• In a small bowl, or a mason jar with an airtight lid, add the dressing ingredients together: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well to combine into a smooth dressing.
• Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well until all the quinoa and beans are coated. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to an hour before serving.
• Store leftover salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 11gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 502mgPotassium: 497mgFiber: 10gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 58IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

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