Quinoa Bean Salad

Spring is the perfect time to enjoy a delicious, healthy, and refreshing salad. And that's why I'm so excited to introduce you to one of my favorite springtime recipes: Quinoa Bean Salad. This recipe is a great way to enjoy the flavors of spring without spending hours in the kitchen. Whether you're looking for a light lunch to take to the office, a side dish for a dinner party, or just something tasty and nutritious to enjoy at home, this Quinoa Bean Salad is a great option.

Best of all, this salad is incredibly easy to make, requiring only basic ingredients, and is incredibly versatile. Try pairing it with grilled salmon, roasted vegetables, or a light veggie soup for a complete meal. You can also add some diced fruit for a bit of sweetness and extra crunch, or experiment with different dressings, such as lemon vinaigrette, white or red wine dressings, or even a creamy strawberry dressing.

If you're looking for a delicious and nutritious salad that's easy to make and pairs well with a variety of other spring dishes, this Quinoa Bean Salad is the perfect choice. Read on for an ingredient checklist and pairing suggestions.

Ingredient Checklist

• Quinoa. The base for the salad. I'm using basic boil-in-bag quinoa, but feel free to use the quinoa of your choice.
• Red Beans. For a delicious meaty texture and a dash of red color.
• Butter Beans. For a meaty-yet-buttery texture, and a neutral flavor. The stark-white color also adds some nice contrast.
• Celery Heart. For crisp crunch and fresh vegetal flavor.
• Red Onion. I'm using red onion for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, red onion brings a beautiful red color. Second, in terms of flavor, red onion strikes a nice balance between the sweetness of sweet onions and the 'oniony bite' of yellow onions. However, feel free to use the onion of your choice.
• Fresh Cilantro. For those who don't like cilantro, feel free to use an equal amount of fresh basil or parsley.
• Garlic. We're grilling the garlic because I feel that tones down the 'garlicy bite,' while bringing out a nice 'roasted' flavor.
• Scallions. For subtle 'oniony flavor' and bright green color.
• Red Pepper. I'm using Korean Red Pepper, which has a nice background 'sweetness' and a delicious 'chili flavor.' However, plain red pepper will work just fine.
• Salt. A pinch of table salt is all we're looking for. However, if you have a preferred 'gourmet salt' such as Pink Himalayan or Black Hawaiian, this is one recipe where those salts would work.
• Black Pepper. I do strongly suggest freshly ground or even mortar ground for enhanced aromatics.
• Sugar. Plain granulated sugar is all we're looking for here.
• Sunflower Seeds. We're toasting them to enhance the texture and bring out a delicious buttery flavor.

What to Pair with Quinoa Bean Salad

1. Wine. A Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Grigio would pair well with this salad. Both of these wines are light and crisp, which would complement the light and refreshing flavors of the salad.
2. Grilled Chicken. A grilled chicken panini, perhaps with some spicy fermented veggies, melted cheese, and crusty bread, would be a delicious pairing with today's salad.
3. Tofu & Veggies. Panko fried tofu, paired with roasted veggies, such as string beans, and a side of rice, perhaps with a spicy dipping sauce, would pair deliciously with this salad.
4. Salmon. A meaty, oily fish, such as salmon, would pair deliciously with today's salad. Consider a zesty marinated salmon fillet, paired with figs and capers.

Quinoa Bean Salad

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Living the Gourmet
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 - 1/4 cup packets of boil in the bag quinoa
• 2 - 15.5 oz. cans of red beans - rinsed and drained
• 1 - 15.5 oz. can of butter beans - rinsed and drained
• 1 celery heart - with leaves - chopped
• 1/2 medium sized red onion - chopped
• 3 - 4 tbs. of fresh cilantro - stems removed and chopped
• 4 - 5 cloves of fresh garlic - charred and chopped
• 3 - 4 scallions - chopped
• 1 tsp. of Korean red pepper flakes - gochugaru
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. course black pepper
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbs. toasted sunflower seeds

For the Dressing:

• Juice of 1/2 fresh lime or lemon
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 - 4 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp. course black pepper

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Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa as directed and let drain.
2. Rinse and drain the beans.
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl with the quinoa and the seasonings and toss.
4. Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and mix.
5. Add the the quinoa salad and toss.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Salad

And that's my Quinoa Bean Salad. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you! Be sure to like, follow, and share!

As always, if you have questions, suggestions, or if you prepared today's recipe and want to let me know how it turned out, please let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you! Happy Cooking!