Tropical Quinoa Pineapple Salad (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa combined with pineapple, black beans, and fresh veggies in a tangy lime dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Fruits and Vegetables

03 - 1.5 cups fresh pineapple, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 0.5 small red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
09 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
15 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

# Method:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, diced pineapple, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, drained black beans, and fresh cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over the quinoa and vegetable mixture. Gently toss until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Just before serving, fold in diced avocado to preserve its texture and prevent browning.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, and lime juice as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight without losing your mind.
  • The lime dressing wakes up every single ingredient without demanding you own any fancy equipment or skills.
  • It tastes even better the next day, making it the kind of thing you can prep ahead and feel genuinely excited to eat.
02 -
  • The avocado waits until the last moment, not because you're dramatic, but because it oxidizes and turns brown within an hour or so of being cut, which looks sad and tastes fine but feels like a small loss.
  • Rinsing the canned beans isn't optional; that starchy liquid is what turns a crisp salad into something that feels heavy and regrettable.
03 -
  • Squeeze your lime juice fresh; bottled lime juice tastes like regret compared to the real thing, and this dressing is simple enough that everything shows.
  • Let the red onion swim in the lime dressing for a few minutes before adding it to the salad if you find raw onion usually too sharp; the acid mellows it into something almost candied.
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