Sweet and spicy come together in this Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad with Smoky Pepitas and Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette. Perfect for lunch, potluck or picnic. Vegan + GF
How was your weekend? Did you have some time to relax and catch up with friends and family?
It was an early morning for us to catch sunrise at Artist Point, Mt. Baker, WA. We packed a cooler and snacks for lunching, plenty of water and headed out the door at 2 am. I had a green smoothie in one hand, coffee in the other.
The drive was beautiful as we approached the mountain. The moon was full, reflecting its light off the shimmering Nooksack river as we made our way up the Mt. Baker Highway. We arrived at Artist Point just before sunrise. A short walk took us to spectacular vantage points.
The air was cool and crisp, with a few clumps of snow scattered here and there, the birds were just waking up and the mosquitos were biting. Hard. (Why is this a recurring theme?). It was peaceful, save the two drunk men who felt it necessary to ask shout “are you having a good time?” on more than one occasion. I gave them the thumbs up in hopes they’d leave us alone, then pretended they weren’t there.
Just as the moon was getting ready to set over Mt. Baker, the Sun was cresting the mountains to the East. Then, the mountain turned pink.
I felt completely at peace, cradled in cool mountain air, and hugged by trees, despite the drunk men guffawing and biting mosquitos buzzing my ears.
After a few short walks, we lunched for breakfast, lounged among the fir trees in the company of the mountain, listened to the river, hearing the sweetest of songs from feathered friends. Away from the mosquitos, and drunks, it was now, perfectly serene.
Later we took a hike around the lakes, down the river and through the wildflowers, soaking our feet in a glacier-fed stream and watched an American Dipper preen and hunt for insects amongst the rocks and fast-moving water.
It was sublime, even after a bit of butt-kicking from the last mile of the hike.
Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad with Smoky Pepitas and Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette is a good one to pack for lunch. Although this one didn’t go with us because we inhaled it prior to the trip, it will be in the cooler for our next picnic. Instead I packed this one, with some watermelon, a few cookies, peaches and Kettle chips. We needed the stamina.
Cookies, you know, provide stamina.
This salad has the sweet from the mango, spicy from the chipotle and smoky paprika, creaminess of avocado and mango, with lots of texture happening from the quinoa and beans, to the smoky pepitas. The smoky pepitas alone are crave-worthy. Roast them up in a larger quantity for snacking. They’re just fabulous!
There’s plenty going on in this salad to make your mouth happy and your tummy full.
Speaking of happy, I’ve struggled with knowing how to cut a mango. So I did a bit of searching for Mango Kitchen Hacks and found a video here and here. My world will never be the same. It’s mango 24/7 now because I no longer dread getting to the good stuff.
With my newfound knowledge of mango cutting, canned black beans and fresh spinach from the Farmer’s Market, this salad comes together with ease.
It’s packed with good-for-you ingredients and makes a welcome addition to your next potluck or picnic. It’s also suitable for a variety of diets because it’s vegan and gluten free.
I think we’re heading back to the mountain this weekend and, I’ll be making another batch of this quinoa salad. It’s cooled a bit here in the Pacific Northwest, thankfully, so perhaps the biting mosquitos will be gone, as well as the drunk men.
What are you up to this weekend?
Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad with Spiced Pepitas and Chipotle Lime Dressing
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 1 C Quinoa rinsed under running water, 194g
- 1 3/4 C Water 420g
- 1/2 C Pepitas 72g
- 1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 Sea Salt divided
- 1/4 tsp Hot Smoky Paprika
- 1, 15 oz Can of Black Beans rinsed, 425g
- 3/4 C Purple Onion diced, about 1/2 an onion, 70g
- 2 C Mangos diced, 330g
- 2 C Baby Spinach chopped and packed, 88g
- 4 Tbs Cilantro finely chopped
- 2 Avocados diced just before serving
For The Dressing (makes 1/2 C):
- 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 in Chipotle Pepper adobo sauce*
- 2 tsp Adobo Sauce
- 1 Tbs + 1 tsp Lime Juice fresh squeezed
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
- 15 Stems of Fresh Cilantro leafless stem part removed
- 1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil 48g
Instructions
For the Salad:
- In a small saucepot, bring quinoa and water to a boil, turn to low and simmer uncovered for 13-14 minutes. Remove from heat, stir, cover and let set for 5 minutes. The quinoa is ready when all the water is absorbed,and the quinoa is tender with it's 'tails' showing. Remove lid and place in refrigerator while the rest of the salad is being prepared.
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C). Toss pepitas with olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and paprika. Toast pepitas for about 8 minutes. They will be slightly golden and fragrant when ready. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl combine the quinoa, beans, onion, mangos, spinach, cilantro, pepitas and the remaining 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt.
For the Dressing:
- In a food processor, combine the apple cider vinegar, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, salt, cumin and cilantro. With the processor on, pour in the olive oil. Process until smooth.
To Assemble:
- Before serving drizzle 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and mix well. Taste to see if more dressing is desired and adjust as needed. Add a few twists of fresh ground pepper and adjust salt as needed. If time is available, dress the salad about an hour before service. The flavors will come together as it sets in the fridge.
Just before serving, dice the avocado and gently toss into the salad. Store the salad in a lidded container for up to two days.
Recipe Notes
*Find chipotle pepper in adobo sauce in the Mexican food section of the grocery store. Store leftover chipotle pepper in adobo sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to one month.
Thank you for reading! If you make this recipe, be sure to post it to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter notify me @vanillaandbean and tag #vanillaandbean! I’d love to see what you’ve made! Follow me on Pinterest, too, for even more deliciousness!
This recipe is about using the best ingredients. I made & enjoyed the salad last night. However, the mangoes weren’t very good. Next time I’ll sub whichever fruit is the best…strawberries would have been great…in season & superfresh.
Sincere thanks for this yummy recipes.
Thank you for your note, Stacey! Agreed, in season ingredients always taste best!
I finally got around to making this…what had enticed me were all the healthy ingredients, plus the spiced pepitas (which I’ve become addicted to)! But, I ran out of mangoes couple days ago, which I’d been buying every week for the last few months. Go figure! So, I subbed by using apples instead. Wow, so delicious!! I can only imagine it would be equally, if not more, delicious with the mangoes (which I’d had my heart set on)! No worries…I’ll definitely be making this salad often, plus my weekly shopping day is tomorrow to get the mangoes. Thanks for sharing the delicious recipe.
Thank you for your note Jigna! Wow – what a delicious sub. I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Now, about those mangos… I hope you were able to locate one!
Made it for dinner last night and loved it! Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing Kym! :D
Hello Traci, this recipe looks incredible. I’ve bought all ingredients, including the Chipotle Pepper adobo sauce, but I’m missing the adobo sauce. Do you think you could explain to me as to what it is and where I can find it?
Thank you in advance,
Lillian
Hey Lillian.. the adobo sauce is in the can with the chipotle peppers. Just scoop out the sauce needed and you have your adobo sauce. I hope this helps!
Ohhh, yes! It makes complete sense now, thank you so much!
This was really good! I think next time I’ll use green onions though just because the red onion was a little to pungent for us. Otherwise loved it!
If you rinse the red onion under hot water (make sure you get between all the layers) before chopping, it’ll get rid of the ‘bite’!
I’m going on a ski trip and want to bring this with me. Can I make the dressing ahead of time and shake it up in a mason jar 2 days later?
Hey Caitie! Make the salad, but hold out the mango, avocado and dressing. When you’re ready, cut the mango and avo then dress the salad. It’ll be delicious!
I made the dressing last night and toasted some pumpkin seeds. I’ll make it the rest tomorrow before dinner time. The dressing seems fine in the fridge this morning. Thanks :)
Loooooved it!!! Made it tonight. I made it more like a giant salad. Used more spinach. Reposted to my favorites!
Thank you for your note Marieda! Hooray! :D
This is yummy. I made it pretty close to as is, no oil in dressing but then a lot more lime juice! And I wanted to make this lighter yet filling so I used loads of spinach as a salad base. The sweet mango and spicy chipotle is perfect together! Thanks.
Have you ever tried making quinoa in a rice cooker? I do a 3:1 water:quinoa and it comes out perfectly in a rice cooker!
Thank you for your notes, Jessica! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. I’ve not tried making quinoa in a rice cooker. Thank you for your tip!
This looks good, but 1/4 cup oil…wow that’s 500 calories just in oil, seems a tad excessive. And too much story. No one cares.
Hey Eh! Feel free to 1/2 the dressing recipe or use none at all (450cal for 6 servings is 75cal each). That’s the beauty of recipes and blogs; you can tweak recipes to suit your needs and choose to skip the story!
I loved the story. Some of is like to read AND eat ;)
Thank you for your kind words, Callisto! So happy you enjoyed reading and hopefully soon, eating this salad! :D
Hi Traci!
As always, your photographs are inspiring – I genuinely get the peaceful feeling just looking at them! Now the pics of this salad, this has brought on stomach rumbles and the distinct feeling of “I NEED this salad NOW!”
I do have one quick question, though. As with a lot of ingredients in recipes, my remote arctic grocery store does not carry extensive products (the produce section is as big as a large sofa). I do have frozen mango chunks (which have become MY favourite way of cutting up a mango! LOL) and was wondering if I dried them really well once they are thawed, would they work in this salad? Fresh cilantro – or any herb, to be honest, is also something we will never get, so I am going to add a bit of freeze-dried to the dressing to help infuse the flavours.
What is your opinion on the frozen mango? This salad just looks far too good to just dismiss because I have to get creative. Thx! Chris
Hi Chris! So nice to hear from you and thank you for your kind comments! :D Use those frozen mango chunks. Thaw them in a colander, so the moisture will drain off a bit and then toss them in just before serving. It’ll be fine. Freeze-dried herbs to the dressing is smart… it will add to the deliciousness for sure. I hope you enjoy it and good for you being creative and diligent! Thank you for writing! :D
Good Morning! I have a question about packing this for a picnic- we’re taking our daughter down to college in Georgia in a couple of weeks, and it’s a 12 hour drive for us. This looks perfect lunch for us – make the night before and eat it on the road, but I have a question regarding the mangoes- do they keep well for that long in the salad? Or should I cut them just before serving when I cut up the avocado? Thank you!!!
Hi Bettina! Oh what an event! A picnic will be a fabulous addition to your long trip. For this salad, I would hold the mango out and add it with the avocado. After an overnight rest and start to a road trip, I’m afraid the salad would be a bit soggy.. still good, but not quite as fresh! Wishing you and your family fun during this transition. Thank you for writing! :D
Traci!! I am in love with your photos – whether it’s the pic of the river or the last one where you’re pouring the vinaigrette over your salad! Gorgeous gorgeous light! :) btw, you’ve got a new fan here from Buenos Aires!
Thank you, Felicia! Welcome! So happy to have you here all the way from Buenos Aires! :D
Your vacation sounded like it was so serene and peaceful – I love the mountain pictures too! I was caught up in their beauty just reading through your post! I’m also caught up with this salad – the smoky pepitas and mango sound like a heavenly combo (also – I love that mango cutting trick!). Adding this to the menu soon!
Oh it was, Sarah! I think vacation should be mandatory at least 4x per year. The mangos? I know! Now instead of dreading the cutting of the mango, I embrace it!
Hi Traci,
Somehow I lost track of your blog for a while but, trust me, I’m all signed up now! Every recipe looks so beautiful! This is a gorgeous site and I can’t wait to start creating some of these amazing dishes, starting with this one. :) Thanks so much.
Awh, thank you Shannon, that means so much! I hope you enjoy the salad. It is fabulous! :D
I made this salad….. it was DELICIOUS!!! Thank you for sharing!
Hooray Toni! Thank YOU for sharing! So happy you enjoyed it! :D
Love your pictures, your hike must have been amazing!
And the salad, oh my goodness, the salad just looks fabulous! I love all the flavours and textures here, can’t wait to try it :)
Oh the hike… it was amazing. I hope you enjoy this Evi! :D
Gorgeous photographs of the mountains Traci! Stunning! You were up close by Debbie and I. Mount Baker is just a hop, skip and a jump from the Sumas border crossing where I live 5 mins from on the other side :). I so feel your pain about the mosquitos!!! They just love me and I have about 10 bites at all times, usually around the ankles or behind my knees. But its worth it to brave the elements to get out into nature and just have some quiet time with it.
As for the salad, it looks so yum, but I have never seen peppitas in Canada. At least not where I live. Maybe I can substitute pumpkin seeks??
Thank you Julie! Yup – very close to Sumas! Have you been to Artist Point? No doubt worth braving the mosquitoes… as the sun came up it was easier to forget about them (and the drunk men!). I find pepitas in bulk at our local Co-Op. Do you have one close by? :D
Traci, your hike sounds amazing, and those photos are beautiful! I certainly hope you manage to get back there soon!
This salad is so divine! Every single ingredient hits my flavour spot right on and I can’t wait for mangos to be back in season to make this salad exactly as it is! For now, I’ll have to sub in some bell pepper instead.
My favourite inner-peace place is always by the water. Whether our local harbour or the coastal spot we visit every Christmas, just take me to the water and the stress of the world melts away.
Oh, I miss mangos when they’re out of season too. Bell pepper is a fantastic sub for sure! Red would be excellent!
Ah, yes, by the water. Me too! Especially the ocean. Something to look forward to this Christmas for you. Sounds beautiful, Amy. Awhhh…
Your hike sounds wonderful and sooo relaxing, Traci!! I love your description at the beginning – I felt like I was on the hike with you, LOL! Sounds like an absolutely wonderful spot :)
This salad is right up my alley – so darn flavorful and delicious! Pinning :)
Thank you, Ceara, and for your Pin! :D You would have loved the hike – it was so inspiring!
Wow Traci, your pictures look amazing. The hike sounds like a wonderful time. And this quinoa salad is completely up my alley. I can eat quinoa every day and never get tired of it. Beautiful!!!
Thank you, Kathy. I agree, Quinoa never gets old! :D
Your hike sounds incredible, Traci! Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures! I can’t believe you saw snow, haha! I think I have forgotten what snow looks like!
This looks like one flavorful quinoa salad!! I love everything in here and am so intrigued by your chipotle dressing! I’m a little obsessed with homemade salad dressing, but have never experimented with chipotle before! I’m also really digging the mango :)
Hehe.. snow, no doubt you’ve not seen any recently! :D You’d really love this dressing, Izzy.. and surprisingly, it’s not too spicy with all the over flavors of the salad, especially with mango! :D
What a combination!! I need this in my life!
I hope you enjoy it, Cathleen! :D
Traci, your photos are (once again) breathtaking. Nature always grounds and connects me too – your weekend sounded lovely.
Now this salad, this salad. SO many colors and SO many textures. OMG. OMG. Making this so soon :D
You’re so sweet, Kate! Thank you! :D Indeed, just spending a little time in the forest or mountains is all I need to ground and reconnect. It’s cleansing for sure. I hope you enjoy the Salad! :D
loove this!! looks like such a perfect combination of flavours :D
http://www.aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com
Thank you, Anna! :D
Loved the Beautiful photos and essay of your trip. This recipe looks so fresh and simple I love all the ingredients and favors. I’ve it down on try- list.
Heeeyyy Meera!! So nice to see you here, thanks for stopping by! :D I love salads like this especially in the summer time! I hope you enjoy the it. :D
That dressing looks like just the right balance of sweet, savory, spicy, salty, and deliciousness ;) I LOVE the addition of that delish quinoa and mango. YUMMMM!
Oh yes, it has all those things! Enjoy Kennedy! :D
Seriously stunning photography – both of your hike and this delicious salad! The nature shots have me wishing I was surrounded by that tranquility, instead of the mass chaos of boxes in my house from packing to move! And wowza- the quinoa salad has me wanting to reach through my computer screen and gobble up a few bowls of that scrumptiousness! Love it! You make eating healthy look good!! I will most definitely be making this, just as soon as I’m moved an unpacked! Thanks for sharing the yum♡ Cheers!!
P.s.- that mango hack– genius!
Thank you, Cheyanne! Perhaps after getting settled in, you’ll be able to find some solstice in the forest and make this salad in your new kitchen! Yay for kitchen hacks – I know! That mango! :D
Traci, looks like you had a great time last weekend! Cookies AND kettle chips are essentials for a long hike–I’m definitely with you there!
The flavors of this salad are so great, I’m very intrigued by the dressing!
Thank you, Lisa! It was so fun and rejuvenating. I hope you’ll give the salad a go! :D
Wow, that hike sounds incredible, minus the drunks, haha! Your pictures and your writing make me feel like I was right there with you. So beautiful.
And this mango salad is also stunning! All of the flavors sound amazing together. If love to take it and lots of cookies on my next hike! ;)
Hehe… They sounded like they were having a good time.. but they were just slightly annoying. It WAS gorgeous. Can’t wait to get back with this salad and cooookies!! :D
Traci, I have missed so many amazing posts from you during my move! Now I get to enjoy them all at once :) First, your morning hike sounds absolutely amazing (save for the drunks!), and what gorgeous images you captured! I have been to Seattle and quickly fell in love with the city, but my husband and I are itching to get back to see more of your beautiful state. I’ve also done a hike at dawn – in Sedona, AZ – and it was an incredible experience too. Just as the sun came up, a coyote family started calling to one another across the desert. It was the most beautiful sound!
Onto this salad – where do I begin? I actually had a mango and black bean salad recently in SF, and vowed to recreate something similar at home. Now I have inspiration from your dish, too! You have done such a fantastic job pairing so many great flavors and textures together. I think my favorite element has to be those pepitas! I’m just now getting settled into our new kitchen, so thank you for the motivation, my friend :)
You’ve had so much going on, Julia! Well, you’re much closer to Seattle now, so I see a trip in your future! I’ve not been to Sedona, but would love to go sometime. I hear it’s spectacular. And that the coyotes started calling.. that must have been a spiritual experience. I think I would have melted.
Yup – the pepitas. Incredible. I want to roast up a pound and just snack on em’. They’re sooo good! Can’t wait to see what you whip up in your new kitchen! I’m anticipating a new post soon! :D
Thanks for the excellent recipe! Made it this morning as I just happened to have all the ingredients….got a text from my 22 year old son who took some to work for his lunch …..’ thanks for the delicious lunch Mom!’ -It’s a hit! WIll be filing this one to use again for sure! Thanks again!
Oh that’s great, Heather! Thank you for letting us know and I’m so happy it’s a hit! Welcome! :D
Glad you had a nice weekend Traci! Love the pictures (both food and nature)! Wish we had mountains around here, too! Lovely recipe, will be trying it soon! Can’t live without quinoa!
Thank you, Mira! I know, quinoa is ALWAYS in my pantry. It’s like toothpaste… I never run out! I hope you enjoy it! :D
omg i saw that first kitchen hack video (I think you shared in on FB?) and was like “I need to go out and get a mango and try this now!” My life will never be the same. Where was that video like 10 years ago? lol
Also yes, cookies do provide stamina. *nods head seriously* ahem, yup.
and WOW those photos are gorgeous. It looks so incredibly serene…forget spa day, I need to take a trip up where you live <3
As for your quinoa salad…I don't think there's any other way I want to eat quinoa now. Actually, I think I'd probably forget I'm even eating quinoa because there's so many other yummy things in this salad. I love the sort of Mexican fusion you've got going on here, and adobe sauce? Yes, please! Thanks for making me hungry again, Traci!! Gorgeous gorgeous food here, lady! <3
LOL on the kitchen hack! Love it. I’ll be cutting another tomorrow and will be using my new-found technique! It’s such a time saver… you should have seen my method before. It was ridiculous! Yup, skip the spa and go to the mountains! I was just waiting for a little cleaner fish to come do my toes.. LOL! Thank you, Beeta!! :D
Well, whatever is the average length of time a visitor spends reading a post – I just raised by many (many) minutes, enjoying your photography. It should come as no surprise to me, given my admiration for your food photography, but your nature shots are incredible. Such a beautiful post, Traci, with a lovely recipe to boot. Thank you for sharing your early morning adventure with us! xo
Yay for hanging out, Annie! So happy to hear you enjoyed the post. Landscape photog is new to me… and I’m really using the wrong lens, but hey, may as well use what I have, eh? :D
Love this salad, Traci! The addition of mangos is inspiring and the chipotle Lime vinaigrette sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try this. Great pictures from your trip – especially the shot with the moon – just lovely – it sounds like you had a wonderful time. And I’m super impressed that you got up at 2am!
Thank you Geraldine! Yeah, a good one to take on a picnic or trip. The 2am wake up call… it wasn’t easy for sure. But once I dragged myself out of bed, things got easier! :D
What a lovely weekend, Traci! Your story and photos make me miss my home in Seattle. I love the PNW and think about her all the time! Gorgeous salad. Looks perfect for taking on an adventure!
It was so fun, Liz! Indeed, the PNW misses you too.
This looks delicious! Those smoky pepitas sound amazing and mango/black beans are delicious together.
Thank you Medha! It’s packed with so many tasty things! :D
Please take me to that mountain Traci! What a beautiful way to start your day. It looks idyllic. And way to go waking up at 2am for the sunrise. You’ve inspired me friend! And how wonderful is this salad? The flavors sound amazing. Love the balance of smokey and spicy and sweet. Yum!
You come to Whidbey and we’ll go to that mountain Natalie! It’s an incredibly beautiful place. Thank you, Natalie! :D
Those photos are amazing and your trip sounded perfect! This salad has all the flavors I love and you are right, it would be perfect for a picnic!
Thank you Steph! We had a lot of fun and finally got caught up on our sleep. :D
Oh my! Those photos, the mountains, look gorgeous.. Just like this healthy dish. So beautiful.
We are going do some picnic-ing on the beach this weekend. This delicious looking quinoa bowl is going to be an inspiration for the food I am going to make for the picnic.
Thank you for sharing! Cheers from the Caribbean!
Thank you, Sunshine! Picnic-ing on the beach sounds divine! I can only imagine all the mouthwatering food you’ll take… Wishing you a lovely weekend, Aysegul! :D
I burnt myself out on quinoa about 25 years ago when my husband was a vegetarian, but this is still a lovely salad, with lovely goodies. Love your dressing. And spectacular photos!
Oh no! Perhaps give this a go with brown rice or consider leaving the quinoa out? Thank you so much Mimi!
I do love quinoa and mango, but I’ve never incorporated them together. Perhaps, I should steal this lovely idea, haha:) That’s the absolutely delicious salad – good job, Traci!
Thaaank you! I hope you’ll give it a go Ben….. if you love both, you’ll love em’ together!
Traci, your photos are simply spectacular. I feel the way you do about the beauty of a landscape being transcendent. Hawaii, Costa Rica, and yes, Whidbey, in addition to my Hudson Valley, have all given me that experience. Thank you for the gorgeous post and fab recipe!
Thank you, Deb. Indeed the beauty of the landscape. Oh my, I’ve not been to Costa Rica or Hudson Valley, but would love to visit both some day. Hawaii is spectacular for sure.. and you know, Whidbey :D !!
2 am!? Wow you guys are ambitious! But I can see why – the sunrise looks like it was gorgeous. It feels so good to escape into nature every once in a while. JZ and I are headed up to Algonquin Park this weekend for a few days of canoeing and camping, and I seriously cannot wait!
I adore black bean and mangos in quinoa salad! Such a great flavour combination.
Oh it was sooo worth it, Chelsea! Algonquin Park… I’ve not been but if your camping and canoeing, it sounds like fun and a place I’d like to go! :D It feels so good to get away, to recharge even if just for a few hours or a few days. Have fun, Chelsea!! :D
Those photos from your weekend are gorgeous! It’s been too long since I’ve visited someplace where I could just sit and enjoy the quiet. I am completely craving this salad. It’s on my list to make soon!
It’s time to goooooo Kristine! Find that spot! I hope you enjoy the recipe and thank you for stopping by! :D
Traci, it sounds like you had a wonderful weekend! I love your photos of the sunrise. It looks gorgeous there! This salad sounds so delicious! I love all the flavors in this one! Gorgeous colors too!
Awh, thank you Mary Ann! :D