American · lunch, dinner, side
Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
Video by Elizabeth Rider on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Quinoa and black beans together give plant protein and around 14 g of fibre per serve, plus iron, magnesium and folate. Dressed with olive oil and lime rather than a creamy dressing.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 11
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve. Put it in a pan with just under twice its volume of water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 minutes until the water is absorbed. 1:21
- While it cooks, make the dressing in a large bowl: press in the garlic and let it sit a minute, then add the lime juice, cumin, cayenne and salt and whisk in the olive oil. 2:23
- Dice the bell pepper about the size of a bean, slice the white and light green parts of the spring onions and roughly chop the coriander. 4:07
- Add the warm quinoa, drained black beans and vegetables to the dressing and toss well so the warm grains soak up the flavour. Taste and add more salt if needed. 7:31
- Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled; it tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge.
Tip. Serves 4 as a main (our estimate); the cook's printable recipe uses 1 can of beans and makes 10 side servings. Keeps 4–5 days in the fridge, so it makes great packed lunches.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 42%
- Protein 18%
- Fat 40%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 47% of the 39 g of net carbs come from the black beans. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Folate High63%
251 µg a serve, mostly from black beans (71%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin C High61%
55 mg a serve, mostly from red bell pepper (87%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin K High54%
65 µg a serve, mostly from green onions (72%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Magnesium High37%
155 mg a serve, mostly from black beans (54%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin E High29%
4.4 mg a serve, mostly from extra-virgin olive oil (44%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Iron High27%
4.9 mg a serve, mostly from black beans (52%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc High24%
2.6 mg a serve, mostly from black beans (51%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B6 High20%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from quinoa (33%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Omega-3 High20%
0.3 g a serve, mostly from black beans (37%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Potassium Source16%
760 mg a serve, mostly from black beans (56%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Show the other 5
Vitamin A9%
78 µg a serve, mostly from red bell pepper (76%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Selenium8%
4.4 µg a serve, mostly from quinoa (59%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Calcium6%
76 mg a serve, mostly from black beans (43%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Elizabeth Rider; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.