A healthy vegetarian sweet and spicy Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad drizzled with a Chipotle-Lime Dressing and smoky roasted pepitas. Serve this salad for lunch, dinner, or for a crowd. Everyone will love this!
A HEALTHY, VIBRANT, HEARTY VEGETARIAN SALAD
This Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad is not only full of flavor but so beautiful to look at. The colors are so vibrant among all the different textures of the ingredients. It has a base of Quinoa and black beans, a crunch from diced red onions and smoky roasted pepitas, crispness of baby spinach, creamy avocados, and juicy chunks of mangoes. The addition of the Chipotle-Lime Dressing adds the perfect spicy balance to the sweet and smoky flavors in the salad.
I really cannot describe how delicious this is! It really is a perfect Quinoa salad that I think you’ll crave and make many times! If you want to maximize the flavors of this salad, then prepare it ahead of serving time and let it sit mixed with the Chipotle-Lime Dressing for at least 1 hour. Do not add the garnish until serving.
This is a great dish for a Vegetarian or Vegan. It can be served for brunch, lunch, or dinner. I’ve made this for a potluck dinner because it makes a large bowl and I got a ton of compliments. If you want to add a meat or serve this salad as a side, it’s delicious with chicken, pork, or fish.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE QUINOA MANGO BLACK BEAN SALAD
- Quinoa- for this recipe I used white Quinoa but Tri-Color or a mix of white and Tri-color works great as well.
- Water (to cook the Quinoa)
- Pepitas
- Extra-Virgin Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Canned or dried black beans, cooked
- Red onion
- Mangoes
- Baby spinach
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocados
- Limes
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CHIPOLTE-LIME DRESSING
- Apple cider vinegar
- Canned Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt
- Ground cumin
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Extra-virgin olive oil
HOW TO CUT A MANGO
HOW TO MAKE QUINOA MANGO BLACK BEAN SALAD
- To Cook Quinoa:
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring quinoa and water to a boil, turn heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fluff with a fork; set aside to cool completely.
- To Roast Pepitas:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. On a large baking sheet, toss together the pepitas, olive oil, salt, and smoked paprika.
- Roast for about 8-9 minutes until slightly golden and fragrant; set aside to cool.
- To Make the Chipotle-Lime Vinaigrette:
- In a food processor, combine the apple cider vinegar, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, salt, cumin, and fresh cilantro; pulse a few times and scrape with a rubber spatula.
- With the food processor running, add the olive oil and process until smooth; set aside.
- To Assemble Salad:
- In a large serving bowl, stir together the quinoa, black beans, red onion, mangoes, baby spinach, cilantro, and roasted pepitas.
- Drizzle with ¾ of the Chipotle-Lime Dressing; taste for seasoning.
- Add more dressing plus more salt and pepper, if needed. (If time permits, let the salad sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving).
- Garnish with mango, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.
- Store in an airtight container for up 2 to 3 days.
NOTES
- TO STORE REMAINING CHIPOTLE PEPPER IN ADOBO SAUCE: Refrigerate remaining chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 1 month.
- FOR MORE FLAVOR: If time permits, assemble salad mixed with the Chipotle-Lime Dressing and refrigerate for 1 hour before garnishing to let the flavors combine. (Do not add the garnish until serving).
Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad
Ingredients
Cook Quinoa:
- 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups Water
Roasted Pepitas:
- ½ cup Pepitas
- ½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 (15 oz can) black beans, drained, rinsed
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 2 cups (2 mangoes) mangoes, diced plus ¼ cup for garnish
- 2 cups baby spinach, large chopped
- 4 Tbsps cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
Garnish:
- 2 avocados, diced before serving
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Chipotle-Lime Vinaigrette:
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Chipotle pepper in adobe sauce (*see notes)
- 2 tsps adobe sauce
- 2 Tbsps Lime juice, (1 lime)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- To Cook Quinoa: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring quinoa and water to a boil, turn heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork; set aside to cool completely.
- To Roast Pepitas: Preheat oven to 325°F. On a large baking sheet, toss together the pepitas, olive oil, salt, and smoked paprika. Roast for about 8-9 minutes until slightly golden and fragrant; set aside to cool.
- To Make the Chipotle-Lime Vinaigrette: In a food processor, combine the apple cider vinegar, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, salt, cumin, and fresh cilantro; pulse a few times and scrape with a rubber spatula. With the food processor running, add the olive oil and process until smooth; set aside.
- To Assemble Salad: In a large serving bowl, stir together the quinoa, black beans, red onion, mangoes, baby spinach, cilantro, and roasted pepitas. Drizzle with ¾ of the Chipotle-Lime Dressing; taste for seasoning. Add more dressing plus more salt and pepper, if needed. (If time permits, let the salad sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving).
- Garnish with mango, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges. Store in an airtight container for up 2 to 3 days.
Notes
- TO STORE REMAINING CHIPOTLE PEPPER IN ADOBO SAUCE: Refrigerate remaining chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 1 month.
- FOR MORE FLAVOR: If time permits, assemble salad mixed with the Chipotle-Lime Dressing and refrigerate for 1 hour before garnishing to let the flavors combine. (Do not add the garnish until serving).
