Next time you’re looking for a simple, nourishing side, try this white bean quinoa salad! It’s bright, herby, lemony, and SO versatile. We especially love it with portobello “steaks” or baked fish, or really any main dish with parsley and lemon!
Just 1 bowl and 30 minutes required for this protein- and fiber-packed salad. Let us show you how it’s done!
It begins with cooking quinoa until FLUFFY (or using leftover if you have it around). This pseudo-grain (technically a seed!) originated in South America, but its health benefits have now earned it a spot on menus in far-reaching regions. It’s rich in magnesium, fiber, folate, zinc, and all the essential amino acids!
While the quinoa is cooking, we marinate white beans in lemon juice, olive oil, red onion, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and LOTS of parsley. The white beans soak up the flavors, leaving them a little tangy, herby, savory, and spicy!
Then we add the cooked quinoa and give it another good stir.
Then it’s ready for any last-minute tweaks to make it perfect for your taste buds. More olive oil will give it richness, lemon juice adds brightness, and only your heart (okay, and taste buds) will know how much salt is right for you!
We hope you LOVE this white bean quinoa salad! It’s:
Bright
Herby
Lemony
Subtly spicy
Nourishing
& SO delicious!
It’s a quick and easy side that keeps and travels well, making it perfect for picnics, meal prep, or a weeknight dinner. Need some weeknight meal inspo? Try it with our Portobello Steaks with Avocado Chimichurri, Easy Baked Cod with Spring Vegetables, or Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad.
More Delicious Ways to Enjoy Quinoa
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 4 (~3/4-cup servings)
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- 1 ½ cups COOKED quinoa* (1/2 cup dry quinoa yields ~1 ½ cups cooked)
- 1 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed (we like cannellini or butter beans // or sub ~1 ½ cups homemade)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley, large stems removed (either kind will work, but flat leaf Italian parsley is best)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
- 2-3 small cloves garlic, minced (2-3 small cloves yield ~1 Tbsp or 9 g minced)
- 1/2-3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
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If you don’t already have cooked quinoa, prepare it at this time. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup dry quinoa and 1 cup water (1/2 cup dry quinoa yields ~1 ½ cups cooked // adjust amount if altering default number of servings). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and continue cooking for ~12-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy and has expanded. Remove from the heat, stir, and set aside (covered) while you make the salad. The quinoa will get even fluffier as it sits!
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Meanwhile, to a medium mixing bowl, add drained and rinsed white beans, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt (starting with the lesser amount), black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and let sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the white beans to marinate and soak up the flavors.
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Add the cooked quinoa to the marinated white beans and stir to combine. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more lemon juice for brightness, parsley for herbiness, or salt to taste. We added a little more of each.
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Leftover salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Not freezer friendly.
*This recipe is also delicious as a white bean salad if you replace the quinoa with more white beans!
*Inspired by our Portobello Steaks with Avocado Chimichurri.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of salt.
Serving: 1 (~3/4-cup) serving Calories: 198 Carbohydrates: 29.8 g Protein: 8 g Fat: 5.6 g Saturated Fat: 0.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 332 mg Potassium: 376 mg Fiber: 6.2 g Sugar: 1.9 g Vitamin A: 115 IU Vitamin C: 13.9 mg Calcium: 59 mg Iron: 2.9 mg