Quinoa Black Bean Salad with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and a cilantro dressing is an easy, flavor-packed option for dinners, sides, or meal prep.
Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Grain salads are a favorite here—they’re filling, fresh, and so delicious! My Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad and Avocado Cucumber Quinoa Salad have been fan favorites. Have you tried them?
I took the best of both salads and mixed black beans, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and the most amazing dressing that ties it all together. I’m hooked—this might just be my new favorite salad!
Quinoa Black Bean Salad Ingredients
- Quinoa: See my post for the best way to cook quinoa—so much flavor!
- Sweet Potatoes: Peel and dice evenly for perfect roasting.
- Olive Oil: Extra-virgin tastes the best.
- Spices: Adjust chili powder for heat and try smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Red Pepper: Choose firm, sweet peppers for the best crunch.
- Black Beans: Rinse well to remove salt and shake off excess water.
- Corn: Fire-roasted corn adds more flavor!
- Avocado: Adds the best creamy texture when perfectly ripe.
The Dressing
This dressing is one of my favorites and pairs perfectly with this Quinoa Black Bean Salad!
- Cilantro: Use fresh leaves and tender stems for the most flavor.
- Vinegar: Red wine vinegar brings the perfect tang.
- Honey: Adjust sweetness to your taste.
- Dijon: Adds flavor and makes the dressing creamy.
- Sour Cream: Light works great for a lighter dressing, but regular is just as good.
Change Up Quinoa Black Bean Salad
- Chicken: Add chopped chicken to the salad or serve it on the side.
- Grains: Swap quinoa with farro, couscous, or brown rice for a different flavor.
- Nuts/Seeds: Top with toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or pistachios.
- Veggies: Add cherry tomatoes, jalapeño for spice, or red onion for extra flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Space Out Sweet Potatoes: Spread in one layer to roast evenly and stay crisp. Overlapping makes them steam.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven fully before roasting for the best results.
- Dry Black Beans: Pat dry after rinsing to avoid extra water and keep sweet potatoes crisp.
- Add Dressing Last: Toss dressing right before serving. Shake or stir for even flavor.
Storage
Meal Prep or Make Ahead
- Meal Prep Salad: Mix quinoa, sweet potatoes, red pepper, black beans, and corn. Split into 4 containers or 1 large one. Store dressing and avocado separately.
- Store Dressing: Keep dressing in a separate container. Shake before using. Stays fresh 4–5 days in the fridge.
- Add Fresh Daily: Add avocado before eating. Toss with lime or lemon juice to keep it fresh.
More Veggie-Packed Recipes:
- Greek Couscous Salad with chickpeas
- Italian Salad with an herby dressing
- Cucumber Salad with avocado, corn, and tomatoes
- Vegetable Beef Soup with ground beef
- Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies with a great seasoning blend
Helpful Visual Guide: check out how to cut a bell pepper
Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Quinoa Black Bean Salad combines roasted sweet potatoes, corn, black beans, and a fresh cilantro dressing into a flavorful dish for any meal or weekly prep.
Equipment
- Small blender
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup quinoa measured dry
- 6 cups diced sweet potatoes 2 large potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large red pepper chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn fire-roasted preferred
- 1 large avocado diced, optional
Dressing
- 1/2 packed cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup sour cream I use light
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Cook quinoa (see note 1). Let cool.
- Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper (I add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast potatoes for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, add chopped red pepper, and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for another 10–20 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender and peppers are crisp-tender.
- Remove roasted veggies from the oven. Toss with rinsed and dried black beans and corn. Let cool to room temperature.
- Add cooked quinoa to a large bowl with the roasted sweet potato mixture. If serving immediately, add diced avocado.
- Blend all dressing ingredients in a small, powerful blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon each).
- This salad is best served immediately after it’s dressed, so wait to add dressing until you’re ready to serve (see note 2). Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. Add additional dressing to taste, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Here’s how to cook quinoa.
Note 2: Make Ahead: Prep the salad a few hours in advance. Keep the dressing and avocado separate, adding them just before serving. Meal Prep: Divide the salad into meal prep containers. Store dressing and avocado (if using) separately. Add dressing and avocado just before eating.
Storage: Store leftover dressing for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 913mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 11962IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
thank you for a very healthy and tasty meat alternative. I am making this again for church dinner for those fasting in January. The spices are amazing. thank you
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks!
The serving size says 6, but in the make ahead directions it says 4 containers. Just wondering if it is 4 or 6 for this recipe? Thanks!
Hey Kristin, sorry for the confusion! It’s for 4-6 servings. I’ve updated it to reflect that. Thanks for your comment!
Absolutely love this dish!!! The dressing amazing and really takes the dish to another level. Thanks for sharing this one. It’s a keeper!!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
Absolutely delicious. The family loved it. I kept the skins on the sweet potatoes and I did not include sour cream in the dressing, but I ran out of dressing and will need to make a second batch.
Yum! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed this! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
This may be a silly question…but do you roast the black beans and corn as well? Separately? Thanks.
Not silly at all 🙂 No need to roast; just toss on the hot pan and that will warm them through 🙂
Am I missing something? You talk about the delicious cilantro lime dressing but I don’t see lime in the ingredients or in the directions.
Ah! Thanks for pointing that out Jill! Optional ingredient to squeeze some lime over everything at the end; I updated the recipe card. Thanks so much for your help 🙂
Wow!! This was my first time attempting to make quinoa as well as sweet potatoes. Success! It came out fantastic and I just finished the leftovers ( a tiny portion carefully hidden from the rest of the family… Ahem!) on day 3. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this delicious dish!
Yay!! I’m sooo happy you guys enjoyed this! I seriously do the same whenever we have leftovers of this stuff! 🙂
DELISH!!!! If you love lime and cilantro , this is the meal for YOU!!!
Yay! SO happy to hear this is was a hit ? Thanks for the comment Regina! ?