Loaded with beans, roasted sweet potatoes, corn, red peppers, fresh cilantro, and fluffy quinoa, this zesty quinoa salad is super flavorful and extremely filling. This oil-free and gluten-free meal is easy to make, it's great for meal prepping, and it's ready to eat in about 45 minutes!
This vibrant salad is filled with protein-packed black and kidney beans, roasted sweet potatoes, corn, red bell peppers, and fluffy quinoa and it's tossed in a zesty lime dijon dressing. This delicious dish is easy to make, it's extremely filling, and it's ready to eat in about 45 minutes! I especially love to make it for meal prep on Sunday so I can have easy meals to eat all week long! This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This hearty vegan quinoa salad is very easy to make using a combination of fresh ingredients and pantry staples. Let's go over some of the star ingredients and substitutes if you need them.
- Quinoa: I used quinoa as the base of this recipe because it's delicious to eat warm or cold and because it's a complete plant-based protein. If you want to substitute, you can use any type of rice, einkorn wheat berries, farro, barley, orzo instead.
- Black & Kidney Beans: This recipe calls for canned beans so it's quick and simple to assemble. If you want to use dried beans, you will need to cook ½ cup each of dried black beans and dried kidney beans. To substitute, you can use pinto beans, chickpeas, great northern beans, or black-eyed peas.
- Red Bell Pepper: A red pepper adds a pop of color, crunch, and sweetness to the salad. However, you can use any color pepper you like.
- Red Onion: Raw red onion adds color and a little bit of a bite, but not too much that it's overwhelming. If you're not a raw onion fan, you can substitute chives or green onions for a milder flavor or omit it completely.
How to Make Zesty Quinoa Salad
First, start cooking the quinoa in a separate pot. When it's done, set it aside for later. While the quinoa is cooking, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle the dried seasonings over the potatoes and then bake them on a parchment-lined baking tray until tender.
While the potatoes are roasting, whisk together all of the salad dressing ingredients. Next, combine the (rinsed and drained) canned beans and canned corn, bell pepper, red onion, roasted sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa, and fresh cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine. You can eat the salad right away or put it in the fridge to chill.
Serving Suggestions
You can eat this salad as it is or you can serve it on top of a few handfuls of mixed greens with a drizzle of spicy chipotle mayo for a spicy twist on your salad. I also like to serve this quinoa salad with avocado slices or guacamole on top to make it even more substantial. You can also use this mixture as a filling for tacos, burritos, or lettuce wraps for an easy meal.
This recipe can be eaten warm or cold, so it's a great option to pack for lunch and bring with you to school or work! It also makes a delicious side dish to serve with any of the following main courses.
- Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Lentil Meatball Marinara Subs
- Caprese Tomato Sandwich
- Smoky Chickpea Lavash Wraps
How Long Does It Last in the Refrigerator?
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and it should stay fresh for 4-5 days.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, this quinoa vegetable salad freezes perfectly. Put it in a freezer-safe airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months for the best quality.
How To Reheat It
From the Fridge: You can eat this salad warm or cold, but I prefer to eat it cold. If you want to eat it warm, you can reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or put it in a saucepan and warm it over medium heat for a few minutes until hot.
From the Freezer: When you're ready to eat it, take the container out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. The texture of the salad might be a little wet once defrosted, so I recommend to reheat the leftovers and enjoy it warm. I usually end up using it as a filling for burritos or tacos.
Success Tips
- Make sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it or buy it pre-rinsed (I buy this brand from Costco). If it isn't rinsed before cooking, it will taste bitter once cooked.
- All components of the recipe can be made in about 40 minutes if you time it out. Get the quinoa cooking first so it has time to cook and fluff while the sweet potatoes are roasting. As soon as you get the potatoes in the oven, make the salad dressing and prep all beans and vegetables needed for the salad. Once all the ingredients are ready, combine everything in a large bowl and you can eat it right away.
- Try to cut the sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion in bite-sized pieces so it's easier to eat.
- Store the leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Want More Vegan Quinoa Recipes?
Italian Lentil Quinoa Meatballs
Zesty Quinoa Salad
Equipment
- Medium Sauce Pan
- Baking Tray
- Small Bowl
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 3 cups sweet potatoes (2 medium sweet potatoes)
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp chili powder (use a blend, not straight chili peppers)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
Dressing
- 5 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 3 small limes)
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¾ tsp salt (add more to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed & drained
- 15 oz can kidney beans rinsed & drained
- 1 cup sweet corn rinsed & drained
- 1 large red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. When it's done cooking, take it off the heat and set it aside until later.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the over to 400 degrees.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into ½-inch pieces. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and sprinkle cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika over the top. Toss to coat each piece and then bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Dressing
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the dressing. Whisk together lime juice, dijon mustard, maple syrup, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Salad Ingredients
- Combine the black beans, kidney beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, roughly chopped cilantro, roasted sweet potatoes, and cooked quinoa in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine.
- You can eat it right away or put it in the fridge for 30 minutes if you prefer it to be chilled. Garnish with lime wedges and fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it or buy it pre-rinsed. If it isn't rinsed before cooking, it will taste bitter once cooked.
- All components of the recipe can be made in about 40 minutes if you time it out. Get the quinoa cooking first so it has time to cook and fluff while the sweet potatoes are roasting. As soon as you get the potatoes in the oven, make the salad dressing and prep all beans and vegetables needed for the salad. Once all the ingredients are ready, combine everything in a large bowl and you can eat it right away.
- Try to cut the sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion in bite-sized pieces so it's easier to eat.
- Store the leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days or you can freeze it for a future meal.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted on 2/4/16 but I updated it on 10/2/20.
Made this to take to a potluck dinner yesterday. It was so good! Several people asked me for the recipe and raved about how good it was! This recipe is a keeper and is a great one to bring to this type of event. Thank you!
Thank you, Joanie!
Hi Stacey! I'm so glad I found your site - thank you!! I have a question: for recipes like this one that are meant to be spicy, if I take out three ingredient(s) that make it spicy, will it still be okay? I have severe acid reflux disease and just can't do spicy anymore. 🙁
Hi, Melanie! I'm so glad you found me! Which three ingredients do you need to omit? I'm sure it will still taste good without those ingredients and I'll help you come up with substitutes =)
Hey! Just made, so yummy! How much is a serving size?
Thank you! The recipe is for 8 servings.
Looks amazing! Do you have the nutrition info?
I don't, I'm sorry!
How many servings does this recipe make
Hi Lydia! The recipe posted is for 8 servings.
I'm so glad you dropped by. pinned this:) Hope you will join us again this week. http://www.akreativewhim.com/sleepless-solo
Oh yum! I'm a quinoa fan too! I don't know why I don't make it more often though. What a perfect salad, Stacey. I love everything about it, from the black beans, to all the veggies, and that yummy avocado chipotle sauce..it all sounds SO YUMMY! Looks fresh too, yet hearty and filling for a salad. Can't wait to make this for my family! I know they are going to love it!
Thank you, Joscelyn! We love it. I had it three days in a row and I'm still craving it lol Travis is obsessed with the chipotle sauce-- he would drink it straight if I let him! Haha
Ohh Stacey, this quinoa salad looks so good! I made something similar to this but with rice and I loved it! I love quinoa too so I know I'll enjoy your recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Brown rice would be a delicious substitute if you don't have quinoa on hand! Great idea, Ashleigh! Thanks =)
Pinned, looks delicious! Bowls are one of my favorite dinners to make!
Me too! Thanks, Leah!
I just made this salad and it’s amazing! I made the auinoa for the first time in my life and for sure not the last one! I will make it one more time!
Yum! This looks so delicious 🙂 I'm definitely bookmarking this for later!
Thanks, Hannah!
This looks absolutely amazing!!! I'll be making it soon! Maybe this weekend while the hubby is away since Quinoa isn't his favorite! Haha 🙂 would love for you to drop a link with us! http://www.akreativewhim.com/refreshed-100-hd-16
I will! Thanks Kate! Great idea to sneak it in while the hubs is out of town!
Delicious all in one meal.
I feel the same! Thanks, Candy!