Tropical Quinoa Salad with Pineapple (Printable Version)

Fluffy quinoa tossed with sweet pineapple, black beans, and crisp vegetables in zesty lime dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Fruits and Vegetables

03 - 1.5 cups fresh pineapple, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 0.5 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
09 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
15 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, pineapple, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black beans, and cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Just before serving, fold in the diced avocado.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can have a restaurant-quality lunch without the stress.
  • The lime dressing is so zingy and alive that even the simplest vegetables taste like they've been on an adventure.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you're not sacrificing flavor for dietary choices.
02 -
  • Adding the avocado at the end is non-negotiable if you want it to stay that perfect pale green instead of oxidizing into something nobody wants to eat.
  • The cumin is the hidden MVP of this dressing, so don't skip it or reduce it thinking you're being clever, because that's where all the magic lives.
03 -
  • If you love heat, a finely chopped jalapeño stirred into the dressing will transform this into something spicy that makes your mouth happy in the best way.
  • Swapping mango for pineapple changes the entire vibe while keeping everything just as bright and beautiful, so experiment once you've made it the traditional way.
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