This healthy mango black bean quinoa salad with avocado is the kind of fresh, colorful dish you’ll want on repeat all summer long. If you’re searching for summer salad ideas, this one is packed with bright ingredients and tossed in a flavorful honey chipotle lime dressing that ties everything together beautifully.
The base starts with quinoa, then gets loaded with black beans, sweet mango, creamy avocado, crisp bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño for a mix of textures and fresh flavor in every bite.
The dressing brings everything to life with olive oil, lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard, chipotle chili powder, garlic, and a little salt and pepper. It’s vibrant, slightly smoky, and gives the salad just the right amount of kick.
One of the best things about this salad is how well it holds up in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or making ahead for gatherings. The flavors continue to blend together over time, so it tastes just as good later on.
It’s also incredibly easy to customize depending on what you have available. You can swap the quinoa for grains like farro, barley, or couscous, or replace the mango with pineapple for a slightly different twist.
Black beans can easily be swapped for chickpeas, and if you want something a little more savory, crumbled feta, goat cheese, or cotija make delicious additions on top.
Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad
This healthy mango black bean quinoa salad with avocado is the kind of fresh, colorful dish you’ll want on repeat all summer long. If you’re searching for summer salad ideas, this one is packed with bright ingredients and tossed in a flavorful honey chipotle lime dressing that ties everything together beautifully.
Ingredients
For the quinoa:
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 ½ cups water
For the salad:
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 large mango, diced (about 1 heaping cup diced mango)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ½ cup diced cilantro
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
For the honey lime chipotle dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, plus more if you like things a little spicy
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
To garnish:
- Extra cilantro
- Pepitas
Instructions
- Combine the water and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- While the quinoa cooks, chop the fruits and vegetables and add them to a large serving bowl along with the cooked quinoa.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, Dijon mustard, chipotle chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Garnish with extra cilantro and pepitas if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. Serves 4.
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute the honey in the dressing with maple syrup or coconut palm syrup.
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