Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad featuring protein-packed quinoa and black beans, sweet mango, crunchy bell pepper, and creamy avocado, all tossed in a zesty honey lime chipotle dressing. Perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner, this colorful salad is easy to prepare and stays delicious for days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the quinoa:
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 ½ cups water
For the salad:
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 large mango, diced (about 1 heaping cup diced mango)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup diced cilantro
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
For the honey lime chipotle dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, plus more if desired
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To garnish:
- Extra cilantro
- Pepitas
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Add 1 ½ cups water and ¾ cup uncooked quinoa to a medium pot. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for exactly 15 minutes. After cooking, remove the pot from heat and fluff the quinoa gently with a fork.
- Prepare the salad ingredients: While the quinoa cooks, dice the mango, red bell pepper, avocado, jalapeno (seeded), cilantro, and finely dice the red onion. Combine all chopped fruits and vegetables in a large bowl, then add the cooked and fluffed quinoa.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste until fully blended.
- Toss the salad: Pour the honey lime chipotle dressing over the quinoa salad mixture. Toss everything thoroughly to ensure the dressing evenly coats all ingredients.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish the salad with extra cilantro and pepitas for added flavor and crunch. Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Notes
- This salad can be served as a light main dish or a hearty side.
- Adjust the chipotle chili powder to your preferred spice level, adding more for extra heat.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime before serving to brighten flavors if desired.
- For a vegan version, substitute honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
