Edamame Salad with Black Beans and Quinoa (2024)

Published: May 10, 2023 by Alison Corey | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclaimer.

This edamame salad with black beans, quinoa, corn, and red peppers is packed with plant protein, nutrient-rich, and a family favorite. A slightly spicy lime dressing pulls the fresh flavors together.

This edamame salad recipe with black beans and quinoa is a simple and nutrient-rich dish that is an excellent addition to any potluck or picnic. It’s also a great recipe to add to your vegan meal prep rotation and enjoy for lunch or as a side dish at dinner throughout the week. If you love this salad, be sure to check out my 25 Hearty Vegan Salad Recipes!

💗 Why You’ll Love This Hearty Salad

Hearty and Nutrient Rich: This salad contains plant-based protein from edamame, black beans, and quinoa, making it a filling salad.

Low in Calories and Fat: Without any added oil in the dressing for this salad, it is low in calories and fat, flavored with lime juice and spices.

Vegan and Gluten-Free: This salad is made with plant-based ingredients and is naturally gluten-free.

Flavorful and Easy to Make: You won’t miss the calories and fat in this ultra-flavorful salad that is seasoned with cumin, chili powder, and lime juice. Plus, it whips up in no time at all!

🥣 Key Ingredients and Notes

Shelled Edamame: Using shelled edamame beans will save time preparing this salad. Shelling edamame for this dish adds to the prep time.

Black Beans: I use a 14 oz can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed.

Quinoa: There are many different types of quinoa available. I used a multicolored quinoa for this recipe. Quinoa is one of those superfoods that’s simply amazing. Quinoa is not a grain; it’s a seed, making this salad gluten-free.

Frozen Corn: You can use fresh or frozen corn in this dish. Frozen corn is the easiest and fastest way to go.

Red Pepper: Diced into chunks.

Lime: The lime juice gives this salad the needed acidity and tang.

Cumin: Cumin is an excellent and diverse spice to have on hand. It’s used in many recipes ranging from Mexican to Indian cuisine. It brings an earthy depth of flavor to dishes.

Cayenne Pepper: Leave it out if you or your kids dislike spicy food. Or if you have some in your family that like spicy while others don’t, sprinkle some cayenne on their serving. The measurement of cayenne in this dish does not make it super spicy. It’s just enough to give it a little heat.

🍴 Substitutes

• If you do not like black beans, you can substitute them for another type of bean, such as chickpeas, white beans, or any other type of bean you prefer.
• If you don’t have lime juice, use lemon juice instead.

🔪 How to Make Edamame Salad with Black Beans and Quinoa

1. Bring water and quinoa to boil in a small pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Take off of heat and fluff with a fork.
2. Rinse black beans, and set aside.
3. Dice red bell pepper.
4. Cook the corn according to package instructions.
5. Boil edamame if not already defrosted.
6. Combine the cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, and red pepper.
7. Add the juice of one lime and the spices, including the cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt.
8. Fold the ingredients together until combined. Enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips

• Thaw frozen edamame in the refrigerator overnight.
• However, if you haven’t had a chance to thaw the edamame, simply add it to a pan with water and heat on medium-high for about 5 minutes.
• If using frozen corn, don’t overcook it. You want it to have some texture and crunch.
• Prepare the quinoa before you make this recipe to whip it up in just a few minutes.

👩🏻‍🍳 Variations

Change the Spice Level: Leave the cayenne pepper out if you don’t like the heat, or substitute black pepper. You can also increase the amount of cayenne if you like more of a kick.

Add Different Spices: Swap out the cumin and chili powder for other types of spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, or curry powder.

Add More Veggies: Consider adding diced cucumbers, red onion, or vary the type of bell peppers you add.

Fresh Herbs: Toss in some roughly chopped cilantro or parsley.

🍽 How to Serve

You can enjoy this salad as a side dish or a main dish too! I suggest serving it over a bed of fresh spinach or arugula for added vitamins and nutrients.

This salad tastes even better the next day. It’s excellent for leftovers or to take to work for lunch the next day.

❓ FAQS

How to Store

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Serving Size

This salad makes eight large servings. Each serving size is about 1 cup.

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