Quinoa Salad With Black Beans & Mango

Serves 6

_{Photo by Kate Lewis}

This vegan quinoa salad with black beans and mango is one of the most popular recipes in Veganomicon, and once you make it you will understand why. Fresh mango, black beans, red pepper, scallions, and cilantro tossed with a simple red wine vinegar dressing over fluffy quinoa. It comes together in about 15 minutes if you have cooked quinoa ready, which makes it one of those recipes that feels way too easy for how good it tastes.

Every bite is a little sweet, a little tart, a little savory, and way more flavorful than the ingredient list would lead you to believe. That’s what a great grain salad does. Simple components, no drama, and somehow the whole thing is greater than the sum of its parts.

Bring it to a cookout and people will be happy. Bring it to a potluck and people will ask for the recipe. Make a big batch on Sunday for meal prep and you will be eating really well all week. It travels well, holds up in the fridge for days, and tastes good cold and even better at room temperature. There is basically no wrong occasion for this salad. Is this the one grain salad to rule them all? I guess you could say that.

A NOTE ON QUINOA

Thawed frozen quinoa is a great shortcut here and works perfectly. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight or run it under warm water (in the package) and you are ready to go. A 10 or 12 oz package should work.

If you are cooking quinoa from scratch, rinse it well first, then use a 1 to 2 ratio: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water or broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Then here’s the trick: spread it out on a sheet pan or put it in a mesh strainer and stick it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. It cools down fast and you can get on with your salad. Do not add warm quinoa to the dressing or everything will get sad and soggy.

VEGAN QUINOA SALAD FAQ

Can I make this quinoa salad ahead of time? Hells yeah. Make it a few hours ahead or even the night before. The flavors settle in and it gets better as it sits. Just give it a stir and taste for salt before serving.

What can I substitute for mango? Peach works great in summer. Pineapple if you want something a little more tropical. Pomegranate seeds in fall if you want to go in a completely different direction. One reader even used kiwi, which they said was great for anyone with a mango allergy. The sweet element is the point, so pick whatever looks good. I don’t know about the kiwi, tbh.

Can I use a different grain? For sure. Couscous comes up a lot in the comments as a swap and people love it. Farro and brown rice also work. The texture will be a little different but the flavor combination holds up no matter what you use.

Can I use a different oil? Olive oil works great. Grapeseed is a little more neutral but this salad is forgiving.

I hate cilantro. Now what? Fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley both work. Mint especially plays nicely with the mango. Several people in the comments have gone the parsley route and been happy. But truth be told, that isn’t my favorite.

Is this gluten-free? Yup yup yup. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and everything else in here is too.

How long does it keep? Up to 4 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Multiple people in the comments make a batch every week for lunches, which tells you everything you need to know.

How did I end up here? You were probably searching for “quinoa salad with black beans,” “mango quinoa salad,” or “vegan quinoa salad.” Maybe “easy vegan summer salad” or “vegan potluck recipes.” This is the one from Veganomicon that has been making the rounds for fifteen years for a reason. You did a great job finding it.

Quinoa Salad With Black Beans & Mango

Isa Chandra

A Veganomicon classic that has been feeding people at cookouts, potlucks, and weekday lunches for fifteen years. Fresh mango, black beans, red pepper, and cilantro over fluffy quinoa with a simple red wine vinegar dressing. Every bite is a little sweet, a little tart, a little savory, and way more flavorful than you'd expect. Ready in 15 minutes if your quinoa is cooked.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

To cook & cool quinoa: 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, South American Inspired

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 mango peeled and diced small
• 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced as small as you can get it
• 1 cup scallions chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cooked quinoa cooled
• 1 1/2 cups black beans drained and rinsed (a 15-ounce can)
• A few leaves of lettuce for plating

Instructions

 

• Combine the mango, red pepper, scallions, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, oil, and salt and stir to combine. Add the quinoa and stir until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the black beans.
• You can serve immediately or let it sit for a bit for the flavors to meld. To serve, place a few leaves of lettuce on a plate and scoop some salad onto it. It tastes good chilled and even better at room temperature.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!