One Pot Quinoa and Black Beans

One Pot Quinoa and Black Beans has been a favorite fast, easy, and healthy weeknight recipe for me for years. It’s packed with nutrient-dense ingredients and tons of flavor from sweet corn, bell peppers, garlic, onions, and spices. It’s a perfect weeknight plant-based side or light meal that’s hearty and filling, packed with 16 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein per serving!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Quinoa – I like using white quinoa because it has a lighter, fluffier texture and cooks faster. You can use tri-color or another color quinoa if you like. You can also substitute the quinoa with rice or orzo- just keep an eye on how much you should adjust the time and liquid.
• Black beans – two small cans or one large can, or about 3 cups cooked beans total. You can use pinto beans or a combo as a substitute.
• Red bell pepper – the flavor of red is the sweetest, but any color can be used. You can also add a jalapeño in addition to the bell pepper to make the recipe spicier.
• Garlic and Onion – add 1 teaspoon garlic powder with the other spices if you don’t have fresh.
• Cumin
• Cayenne pepper – this recipe isn’t too spicy, but you can still omit this for a very mild version. You can also use a fresh jalapeño instead if you want.
• Vegetable broth – water can be used in a pinch, or chicken broth if you don’t need it to be vegan/vegetarian.
• Frozen corn – or fresh, if you prefer.
• Fresh cilantro – can be omitted if you don’t like cilantro.
• Pantry basics: oil, salt, and black pepper

How to make quinoa with black beans

1. First, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil. Use a large deep skillet with a lid or a pot for this.
2. Then, add the garlic and spices and sauté for just about 30 seconds, until it’s fragrant (garlic burns easily so you don’t want to cook for too long at a high heat).
3. Add the quinoa and stir to coat everything. Make sure you rinse the quinoa first in a mesh sieve, as it will improve the flavor and remove some bitterness (more on this below!)
4. Pour in the broth and stir, then bring to a boil.
5. Cover and simmer on low until quinoa is cooked (about 20 minutes).
6. Stir in the frozen corn, black beans, and cilantro and keep cooking on low until everything is heated through.
7. Finally, turn off the heat and squeeze lime juice in.
8. Serve!

Can I store leftovers/make ahead?

This recipe stays great as leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container! This makes it great for meal prep. You can also double the recipe and eat it for dinner, then save leftovers to wrap in burritos or take for lunches later in the week.

Why you should always rinse quinoa!

Rinsing the quinoa removes dirt and debris from the harvesting process. But did you know it also improves the flavor? Quinoa has bitter compounds on its surface, and rinsing it really well removes that bitter flavor. If you’ve ever had quinoa before and not liked it because it was bitter, it probably means it wasn’t rinsed properly!

Here’s what I suggest. Add it to a mesh sieve and rinse for a full minute under running water. Or, add to a bowl with clean water and stir to agitate, drain, and repeat a couple more times.

Suggested fixings for topping

This black beans and quinoa is delicious on its own. I also like serving quinoa and black bean bowls topped with fixings, such as:

• Sour cream
• Hot sauce
• Diced avocado
• Extra cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Shredded cheese

Other easy black bean recipes

Other easy one-pot recipes

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