This Spicy Corn and Black Bean Quinoa Salad is loaded with quinoa, black beans, roasted corn, and fresh cilantro, all tossed in a chipotle lime vinaigrette. It's refreshing, spicy, and perfectly tangy. Scoop it up with chips or serve as the main course!
Enjoy it as an easy lunch throughout the week, a flavorful side dish, or even the base of a loaded grain bowl.
Scoop it with chips, add it to a wrap, or dig in straight from the bowl.
However you serve it, this salad is one you'll keep coming back to!
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Ingredients
This black bean quinoa salad combines fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and corn with pantry staples like quinoa, canned black beans, and chipotle peppers in adobo.
It's spicy, tangy, and perfect for spicing up your summer meals!
Quinoa: The hearty base to our salad! You can use tri-color or white quinoa.
Black Beans: Black beans are my favorite addition to this salad. Using canned beans saves time but just be sure to drain and rinse them well before adding them to the salad.
Corn: I prefer frozen roasted corn for extra flavor, but fresh or unroasted corn works well. You can char it a bit when you cook the red bell peppers and onions.
Red Onion & Red Bell Pepper: Feel free to add this raw, but I prefer to sauté it briefly on the stovetop with the corn and spices like chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin for extra flavor.
Cherry Tomatoes: Adds freshness!
Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro adds a bright, fresh flavor this salad needs to feel complete and well balanced. I know some people hate cilantro so feel free to add green onions instead.
Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette: Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and agave are blended until smooth to create a spicy, tangy, and rich vinaigrette that adds so much flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful Equipment
A large glass bowl with a lid makes salad prep super easy. Just toss everything in, seal it up, and scoop out portions as needed. Perfect for meal prep.
You'll also need a small pot to cook the quinoa, a medium pan for sautéing the veggies, and a blender for the dressing. I like using a Nutribullet.
How to Make This Recipe
This black bean corn salad is simple to throw together and great for meal prep.
Cook the quinoa, quickly sauté the veggies with a few spices, blend up the smoky chipotle dressing, and then toss everything together.
Serve it immediately or stick it in the fridge for later!
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Rinse ⅓ cup quinoa, then combine with ⅔ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and cool.
Step 2: Heat a pan over medium-high with a drizzle of oil. Sauté corn, red onion, and bell pepper for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the cooked quinoa and cooked veggies to a large bowl and let them continue to cool.
Step 4: Add all the chipotle lime dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt or spice level as needed.
Step 5: Once cooled, add black beans, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro to the quinoa mixture.
Step 6: Stir to combine.
Step 7: When you're ready to serve, pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
For best results, store the salad and dressing separately and add the dressing to individual portions as needed.
Note: Chipotle peppers can be quite spicy, so start with a small one and add more to taste.
Substitutions & Variations
The best part? It's totally customizable! Change up the grain, use a different bean, and make it as spicy or mild as you enjoy.
Quinoa: Swap quinoa with farro or brown rice if that's what you have on hand.
Black beans: Pinto beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas all work great in place of black beans.
Veggies: Feel free to mix it up with whatever's in your fridge. Vegetables like charred zucchini, avocado, or shredded carrots would be great!
Corn: I love using pre-roasted frozen corn for more flavor. But you can use fresh or unroasted corn, and easily char it in the pan while cooking the red pepper and onion.
Herbs: Not a fan of cilantro? Green onions make a great substitute. While the flavor will be a bit different, it still adds a fresh flavor. But an herb is necessary to brighten up this salad.
Spices: Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Add cayenne for additional heat or skip the chili powder for a milder version.
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce bring a bold, smoky flavor to the dressing. But they're pretty spicy! If you're sensitive to heat, use less, but don't skip them altogether as it's key component to the salad's delicious flavor.
Red Wine Vinaigrette: Lime juice adds a bright acidity, while the red wine vinaigrette brings a delicious tang to the salad. If you want less tang, you can leave this out.
Serving Ideas
This black bean corn quinoa salad is perfect for a quick snack, a base for your grain bowls, a fresh meal prep lunch idea, or a flavorful side dish!
Appetizer: Scoop it up with tortilla chips and top with guacamole or diced avocado for a crowd-pleasing starter.
Side Dish: Perfect alongside grilled or pan-fried tofu, vegan chicken, or crispy tempeh.
Lunch Meal Prep: Make it ahead for an easy, delicious lunch that's ready to grab and go on busy workdays.
Wraps & Tacos: Use as a hearty filling for wraps or tacos. Add some vegan sour cream or salsa for extra flavor.
Bowl: Serve over a bed of greens for a nourishing grain bowl. Or as a base with all your favorite toppings!
Picnic or Potluck: This salad travels well and makes a colorful dish to share at picnics or potlucks.
Tips & Tricks
Rinse your quinoa well to remove its natural bitterness and get a fluffier texture.
Let the quinoa and cooked veggies cool before mixing with other ingredients to keep the salad from getting mushy.
Adjust the spice to your preference. The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are super flavorful but spicy. Add a small one, and go from there!
Store dressing separately if you're meal prepping to keep the salad fresh and crunchy longer.
Storage
Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best results, keep the dressing and salad separate until you're ready to eat but honestly, it's still super tasty even if it's already mixed.
Make Ahead: Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl or container with a tight-fitting lid. Blend the vinaigrette separately and store it in a sealed jar. When you're ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad, give it a good toss, and enjoy!
Freezing: Freezing isn't recommended. This salad is best enjoyed fresh, as the ingredients can turn mushy once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it holds up well in the fridge for up to 3 days and is perfect for meal prep.
It can be served immediately at room temperature or cold. I wouldn't recommend warming it up.
It depends on how much chipotle peppers you use! If you're sensitive to spice, start with half a pepper. I usually add one medium pepper, and it turns out pretty spicy.
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Recipe
Spicy Corn and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup Lime Juice
- 2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup or agave syrup
- 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce or to preference, see note
- 2 teaspoons Adobo Sauce from can of Chipotle peppers
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa from ⅓ cup dry
- 1 cup Frozen Roasted Corn or fresh
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper diced
- ½ cup diced Red Onion
- ¼ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper
- 1 15 ounce can Black Beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup diced Cherry Tomatoes
- ½ cup chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse ⅓ cup dry quinoa under cold water. In a small saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with ⅔ cup water.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit (still covered) for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, add the roasted corn, diced red onion, and diced bell pepper with a tiny drizzle of oil. After 4-5 minutes (when they start to soften), sprinkle in ¼ teaspoon each of chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked quinoa and cooked veggies to a large bowl and set aside to cool.
- Add all the chipotle lime dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt or spice level as needed. Chipotle peppers can be quite spicy, so start small and add more to taste. Store the dressing in a jar or airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
- Once the quinoa mixture has mostly cooled, add the drained and rinsed black beans, cherry tomatoes, and chopped cilantro. Stir until everything is well combined.
- When you're ready to serve, pour as much vinaigrette over the salad as desired (start with a little less than half and add as needed) and toss until everything is evenly coated. For best results, store the salad and dressing separately and add the dressing to individual portions as needed.
Notes
Disclosure: This page contains some affiliate links. Please know that I may receive a percentage or commission from a link included on this page, at no extra cost to you. I will only ever recommend a product that I have used and believe has substantial value to my readers.
Kerry N says
This was excellent and easy. I used a touch more than half the dressing. Def don’t want to use it all.
Liv says
Hi Kerry, thank you for making this recipe! I added a note about the amount of dressing to use to the recipe card, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed!