High Protein Summer Salad with Quinoa & Black Beans

High Protein Salad with Quinoa & Black Beans

With summer picnics and gatherings in full swing, it's the perfect time to enjoy this versatile salad. Whether you're looking for a show-stopping side dish for your next BBQ or a light and refreshing meal on a hot summer evening, this recipe for a high-protein salad with quinoa and black beans is a great option to help you maintain your commitment to healthy eating.

I've been perfecting this salad for over a couple of decades. It originally started as a pasta salad, but as I delved deeper into understanding nutrition and crafting healthier meals, I made the switch to quinoa and never looked back.

Not just a basic salad of greens and a dressing served as a side dish. This recipe is for a high-protein salad packed with a variety of veggies and bright flavors, easily making it a complete vegetarian meal. You can also add your favorite grilled proteins (hint: make a second batch of the dressing and use it to marinate some chicken as the perfect salad topper).

• The stars of this salad are the black beans and quinoa, both of which are rich in protein and fiber, making them perfect for muscle and gut health, and ensuring that you stay satisfied.

• If your garden is starting to yield summer veggies such as zucchini and bell peppers, this recipe is an excellent way to savor your harvest.

• Packed with nutritious leafy green spinach, it also delivers a superfood boost.

• The dressing is delightfully simple, deriving its flavor from freshly squeezed lime, ground cumin, and just a hint of heat from the cayenne. It's best to dress the salad an hour or two before serving, allowing all the flavors to marry harmoniously.

This salad is versatile and can be customized to your liking. Feel free to add some avocado, cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, or even grilled chicken to boost flavor and nutrients.

Loaded with Garden Fresh Veggies

The recipe comes together quickly. The quantities listed yield four hearty meal-size servings or eight side servings, but you can easily double the recipe to prepare a larger batch for make-ahead meals to store in the fridge. Simply keep this salad in an air-tight container, and it will stay fresh for 3-4 days, ready to be enjoyed as a quick and satisfying lunch or dinner option on those busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 2 cup cooked quinoa* - cooled

• 1 cup zucchini – chopped into ¼” pieces

• 1 red bell pepper – chopped into ¼” pieces

• 1/4 cup green onions chopped ¼” pieces

• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed

• 1 cup corn kernels

• 4 cups spinach, chopped and loosely packed

• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

• 1 lime, juiced

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ - 1 tsp salt

• ½ - 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp cumin

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place all the salad ingredients, except for the feta cheese, in a large mixing bowl, and gently toss them together. Set aside.

2. Place all the dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined.

3. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until evenly coated.

4. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the salad, and gently toss until the cheese is evenly distributed.
   

*Notes: 2/3 cup dried quinoa cooked in 1 1/3 cup water yeilds 2 cups cooked quinoa.