Sweet and spicy come together in this Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad with a scrumptious Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette and Smoky Pepitas. Cook Black Beans from scratch and make this ahead, perfect for lunch, dinner, potluck or picnic. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
~ This recipe was updated with new photos and recipe notes 5/20 ~
A Hearty Salad for Lunch or Dinner
Vibrant color, flavor, texture and so hearty!
During the warmest of days, salads for lunch and dinner are made weekly around here. Too, I love having them on the ready should a picnic kind of mood strike. For this salad, there’s only a bit of cooking involved, and if needed, any of the cooked components can be made ahead during a meal prep sesh so it’s easy to pull together when dinner time comes.
This Mango Black Bean Salad is simple to make, packed with good for us ingredients that are filling and so satisfying. Suitable for a variety of diets, it’s vegetarian, vegan and gluten free which makes it easy to share.
There’s plenty going on in this salad to make mouths happy and tummies full.
How to Make Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad
Use canned or homemade cooked black beans in this salad, whatever fits your schedule. Look for ripe mangos and avocados that give just a bit when their skin is gently pressed. They need to be softish, yet still firm. In summary, here’s how to make the salad (see recipe card for full recipe):
- First, put the quinoa on to cook. When done, transfer to the fridge to chill.
- Second, toss the pepitas with salt, paprika and olive oil, then toast in the oven.
- Meanwhile, chop the spinach, onion, cilantro and dice the mango.
- Next, make the chipotle lime vinaigrette in a food processor.
- Last, put all the ingredients together, toss and top with sliced avocado.
If making ahead, hold out the avocados and add just before serving. Otherwise they tend to brown a bit.
How to Cut that Mango?
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 on YouTube that shows several mango cutting techniques. My world will never be the same! Finding it easier to get to the good stuff, I’m enjoying mangos more often.
With my newfound knowledge of mango cutting, a batch of homemade black beans and fresh spinach from the Farmer’s Market, this salad was next on my agenda.
A Few Recipe Notes
- This salad’s flavor improves with a bit of time. If holding the salad in the fridge before serving, add the avocado just before sharing as it tends to brown a bit otherwise.
- The chipotle lime vinaigrette calls for chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. Look for cans on the Mexican food isle of your grocery store, gluten free if needed. It’ll last for weeks in the fridge, and store for months in the freezer. Use your leftovers in Vegan Black Bean Dip or easy Mexican salsa.
- For meal prep, the quinoa can be made up to two days in advance, and the toasted pepitas, up to a week in advance. Cook Black Beans from scratch up to a week in advance and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Hearty Make Ahead Salads to Love
- Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango and Coconut Curried Dressing
- Spinach Brown Rice Salad
- Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
- Summer Quinoa Veggie Salad
- Lemon Orzo Salad
Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 C (195g) Quinoa rinsed under running water
- 1 3/4 C (420g) Water
- 1/2 C (70g) Pepitas
- 1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp Fine Sea Salt divided
- 1/4 tsp Smoky Paprika
- 1 3/4 C (300g) Cooked Black Beans rinsed, drained, about one 15 oz can
- 3/4 C (70g) Purple/Red Onion small diced, about 1/2 an onion
- 2 C (330g) Mangos diced, about one mango* (see note)
- 2 C (90g) Baby Spinach chopped and packed
- 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 Chipotle Pepper in adobo sauce** gluten free if needed
- 2 tsp Adobo Sauce
- 2 Tbs Lime Juice fresh squeezed, about two limes + more for serving
- 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
- 15 Stems of Fresh Cilantro leafless stem part removed
- 1/4 C (50g) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
For the Salad:
- In a small saucepan, 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 8-9 minutes. They'll be slightly golden and fragrant when ready. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl combine the chilled quinoa, beans, onion, mango* (see note), spinach, cilantro, pepitas and the remaining 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt. Set aside.
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. Set aside.
To Assemble:
- If time is available, dress the salad about an hour before service. The flavors will come together as it sets in the fridge. Drizzle 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and toss 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.
- Just before serving, dice the avocado and gently toss into the salad. Store the salad in a lidded container for up to two days in the refrigerator. Longer and the mango tends to get a bit soggy.
We loved this salad and it has been added to our family favourites list. Tasted great the next day too.
So, SO happy to read your note, Sue! Thank you!
With 1/2 a can of black beans and 1/2 a mango I came to my new favorite blog looking for a Summer salad to make. This recipe jumped out at me. I had all the ingredients except the Chipotle Chilies so I replaced them with pimento, Chipotle Chili Powder and some smoked paprika. It turned out great…another keeper!
I made1/2 recipe
Hi Tara! So happy to hear you enjoyed this hearty salad. Thank you for your note and sharing your tips – those are fantastic subs!
This salad was so good that I decided to subscribe. The flavours were fantastic and I’ll be making this one a staple. I used frozen mango and added some arugula other than that followed the recipe to a tee and it was great! Thank you.
Hi John! Thank you for subscribing, coming back to leave a note and sharing the frozen mango tip! Hooray for a tasty salad… the arugula sounds like a lovely addition!
I would like to make this recipe this week, as the weather is supposed to be very hot and this looks refreshing. However, we do not like “chipotle anything” – can you suggest a substitute?
Hi Phyllis! You can give my Jalapeño Lime dressing a go in this recipe: . https://vanillaandbean.com/black-bean-sweet-potato-quinoa-salad-smoky-pepitas-roasted-jalapeno-lime-dressing/#wprm-recipe-container-15214. I hope this helps.
I make your recipes at least 4 times per week and rotate them in and out during the year. This one is a knockout (as usual) because of the incredibly different flavor profile of the sauce. It’s unlike any vegetarian recipe I’ve ever had. Yum! Will be making again and again!
Hi Susan! Your note made my day! Thank you for coming back and sharing your thoughts :D SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the blog and this salad! Isn’t that dressing so saucy?!
The best dang salad ever! Considering this is my first recipe from your website, I can’t wait to try more!
6 servings is correct, but the prep time took longer. I made the quinoa a day ahead.
SO happy to hear, Julie! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Prep time is such a challenge for me to reflect given individual experience/efficiencies in the kitchen. With this recipe I find there’s overlap in cooking and prep, so total time is more accurate than prep time alone. I hope this makes sense.
This was fabulous! I just finished the last of it for lunch after having it for lunch yesterday and serving it for dinner the night before. I had to half the recipe becuase there are only two of us but couldn’t leave half of a perfectly ripe mango so I put the whole thing in. I also made a full batch of the dressing and pepitas to have extra for other uses. Thank you for posting this.
Hi Hansi! Thank for your note and sharing! So happy you enjoyed the recipe – I love this for dinner too. Isn’t that dressing so nice? The extra mango sounds wonderful! It just adds so much to this salad.
The salad looks really good Traci and if you can add one more item with red color it would even looks better… It’s a healthy salad…. !Good Job Traci
Hi Nathan! Thank you for your note and kind words. I bet red bell pepper would be an amazing addition! Appreciate your suggestion :D
Going on the list for this week! I have almost all these ingredients all ready. Totally my kind of salad! Wonderful update. Thank you for re-sharing!
This looks amazing! What a great blend of flavors and fun lunch meal prep for the week!