Santa Fe Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-03-31 · Updated 2026-03-31

A modern twist on a classic Mexican grain salad, perfect for the trendy Santa Fe neighborhood, combining quinoa, black beans, and roasted vegetables. This mexican-inspired salads (vegetarian) ready in about 40 minutes pairs rinsed quinoa, drained and rinsed black beans, corn kernels into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, rinsed quinoa
• 1.5 cups, drained and rinsed black beans
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1, diced roasted red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup, chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2, diced avocado
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, combine 1.5 cups drained black beans, 1 cup corn kernels, 1 diced roasted red bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice, and 1/2 tsp salt. Gently fold in the cooled quinoa.
3. Step 3: Just before serving, stir in 1/2 diced avocado and 1 tbsp olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lime juice or salt if needed.