Black Bean Veggie Quinoa Salad

Update May 2020: Happy Cinco de Mayo! Made this for lunch today and so happy because now we have extra for the rest of the week!

This simple, gluten-free salad is one of our favorites and is made minimal ingredients and pantry staples in mere minutes!

Plus it has a surprise 1 ingredient dressing that makes it super fresh tasting!

Hope you love it as much as we do!

Original post…

This Black Bean Veggie Quinoa Salad is a staple in our house!

Fresh, hearty, gluten-free and vegan, it is a perfect salad to keep in the fridge and have at the ready for snacking or meal time.

My husband and I both love having it in the refrigerator so that we can make a quick lunch.

Add to a bowl or plate with greens, grilled chicken, avocado, chips, a quesadilla or any assortment and you have a totally satisfying meal!

It’s based on our favorite Black Bean Veggie Salsa….

If you’ve followed me a while, you know one of our favorite snacking and entertaining foods is a Black Bean Veggie Salsa that we serve alongside a big bowl of tortilla chips.

It’s fresh, crisp and tangy and when paired with crunchy chips is second to none!

The Salsa recipe is from my Aunt and it’s been a fan favorite for years!

Not only is it delicious, it is super quick and easy, taking merely minutes to assemble as it’s just 6 main ingredients: canned black beans, canned corn, red onion, green pepper, cherry or grape tomatoes and fresh parsley.

It is all mixed together and seasoned with Rice Wine Vinegar, salt and pepper.  That’s it.

And best part… these are ingredients we usually have in the house, so it can be prepared without a lot of planning.

Well, this fresh and yummy salsa can easily transform into a fresh and hearty salad by simply adding quinoa!

My husband and I were adding quinoa to any leftover salsa and eating as part of a salad so often that we decided it would be fun to just serve it as a salad sometimes!

You transform the salsa into an amazing salad but simply adding cooked quinoa at a ratio of 2 cups salsa to 1 cup quinoa.  Still using the same main 6 ingredients…

So if you’re looking for a quick dish to bring to a party or enjoy on your own (can anyone say meal prep?), make a big batch of salsa, a batch of quinoa and mix them together immediately or when you’re ready to eat.

And you could even add avocado to the salad to make it extra special and satisfying!

Whether you enjoy this as a salsa or a salad, this quick and easy (an super versatile dish!) is perfect for entertaining, meal prep, summer barbecues, Cinco de Mayo and any number of occasions!

Hope you love it as much as we do!

Scroll down to see the recipe and leave a comment if you try.