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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

    Jan 24, 2016 by Kaitlin

    A fresh and healthy Mexican-style Quinoa Salad recipe with black beans and cumin lime dressing! So nourishing and great for meal prep, picnics, and take-along lunches. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

    Bowl of Mexican Quinoa Salad with cilantro and lime

    This Mexican-inspired quinoa salad is so fresh and easy to prepare!

    Plus it's a good source of plant-based protein and fiber.

    It's light and healthy yet satisfying and nourishing. The cumin-lime dressing adds such tasty flavor.

    Plus you can make it ahead of time. So it's a great main dish or side dish for meal prep, potlucks, BBQs, and summer get-togethers.

    Uncooked white quinoa in a glass jar on wooden table

    Ingredients for Mexican Quinoa Salad

    For this recipe you will toss together in a large bowl:

    • White quinoa: You will cook quinoa on the stovetop, but feel free to do this ahead of time for faster prep.
    • Black beans: I like black beans best in this salad, but you can substitute pinto beans or red kidney beans if desired.
    • Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes: I use these because they are so flavorful and sweet. Feel free to substitute roma tomatoes or other garden tomato however.
    • Orange bell pepper: Or you can use red bell pepper or yellow instead.
    • Sweet corn: Either cooked fresh corn, canned corn, fire-roasted, or you can thaw frozen corn kernels.
    • Green onion: Or substitute finely diced red onion for a stronger flavor.
    • Fresh cilantro
    • Ground cumin + garlic clove + lime juice: These are for the simple oil-free dressing. (But you can include a teaspoon or tablespoon of good quality extra-virgin olive oil if you wish.)
    Fresh chopped ingredients arranged in a large glass bowl

    Customizing

    Personalize this salad based on your own favorite flavors. A few ideas include:

    Avocado: Top your bowl with creamy avocado right before serving if desired.

    Make it spicy: Add jalapeno, chili powder, or cayenne pepper to taste.

    Sweetness: Add a teaspoon of maple syrup, agave nectar, or your own favorite sweetener to the dressing if desired.

    Mexican-style quinoa salad with black beans in a white bowl

    Serving

    Either serve this dish immediately, or let it chill in the refrigerator first to let flavors further combine.

    Storing

    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. We find they keep for about 4-5 days.

    Make it ahead! This is a great dish to prepare in advance because the flavors intensify and blend together by the next day.

    Vegan Mexican-inspired quinoa salad in a bowl with cilantro and lime

    For more inspiration, also browse all quinoa recipes or Mexican-inspired recipes.

    Bowl of Mexican Quinoa Salad with cilantro and lime

    Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

    A fresh and healthy Mexican-style Quinoa Salad with black beans, sweet corn, and tomatoes. So nourishing and great made ahead!
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Mexican-inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 6 medium bowls

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
    • 15 oz. can black beans
    • 8 oz. grape/cherry tomatoes
    • 1 orange bell pepper
    • 1 1/2 cups cooked sweet corn (canned, cooked fresh, frozen, or fire-roasted)
    • 4 green onions
    • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
    • Optional: avocado for serving

    For the cumin-lime dressing:

    • 1 tsp. ground cumin
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 2 Tbsp. lime juice (about 1 lime, or more to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • Optional: lime zest

    Instructions

    • Rinse and cook quinoa according to package directions.*
    • Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a small bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
    • Rinse and drain beans. Dice the tomatoes and bell pepper. Slice the green onions and chop cilantro. Place in a large bowl.
    • Add the cooked quinoa. Then pour dressing on top and toss well to combine. Salt to taste if needed.
    • Can serve immediately or chill in the fridge first to let flavors blend.

    Notes

    *To cook quinoa: Place 1 cup quinoa (rinsed well + drained) in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
    Serving: If serving this as a small side dish, it can serve about 8 people.

    Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    3
    g
    5
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Potassium
     
    629
    mg
    18
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    42
    g
    14
    %
    Fiber
     
    9
    g
    38
    %
    Sugar
     
    4
    g
    4
    %
    Protein
     
    10
    g
    20
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1090
    IU
    22
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    42
    mg
    51
    %
    Calcium
     
    56
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating or comment below!

    If you are enjoying this Mexican-style Black Bean Quinoa Salad recipe with Cumin Lime Dressing, also check out:

    • Easy Vegan Avocado Quesadillas
    • Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
    • Mexican Sweet Potato Bowl

    Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

    More Vegan Salad Recipes

    • Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (Oil-Free)
    • Roasted Chickpea Salad with Hummus
    • Asian-Style Kale & Tofu Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Dill Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating:




    1. D

      April 18, 2022 at 12:16 am

      I make this all the time and have for a few years now. It's great for camping. People always love it when I bring it out with some chips. The rainbow makes me happy.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        April 18, 2022 at 10:34 am

        Fantastic! That's so great to hear, and I love that you take it camping. Awesome idea. Thanks for the kind feedback!

        Reply
    2. Pam

      June 02, 2019 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      How do I tell serving size for the posted calorie count and other nutritional information? Great recipe!!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        June 11, 2019 at 12:57 pm

        Hi Pam! I estimated this recipe to yield about 6 medium bowls (so the posted nutritional content would be per bowl.) Feel free to adjust the counts as necessary for bigger/smaller bowls. Hope that helps - have a beautiful week!

        Reply
    3. Lindsey Brophy

      September 29, 2017 at 3:19 pm

      I made this and added a jalapeno pepper, it was really tasty! Next time I would juice 2 limes instead of one for the dressing for some extra citrus flavor.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        October 02, 2017 at 4:11 pm

        So great! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Sierra Hunter

      September 19, 2016 at 2:24 am

      I loved it!!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        September 19, 2016 at 3:18 pm

        Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Myriam Melendez

      August 23, 2016 at 1:18 pm

      I have made this salad several times - absolutely delicious every time. I have people asking for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

        September 17, 2016 at 3:32 pm

        So great to hear!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kaitlin!
    I share vegan recipes that are easy & healthy. (Mostly whole food plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free.) About Me →

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