This ultimate summer quinoa salad is packed with black beans, crunchy cucumber, and sweet corn and nectarines! It’s healthy, vegan, and gluten free. 
summer quinoa salad
Summer has unofficially begun! We spent Memorial Day dinner with good family friends. My lovely friend and dinner hostess absolutely loves quinoa, so I knew right away I would be bringing a quinoa salad. This recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Juicy summer nectarines add an amazing sweet bite of flavor and are perfect with beans and corn. This salad is hearty enough to enjoy as a light main dish, and great to bring as a side salad for a party. If you haven’t tried stone fruit with a savory salad before, it might sound strange… but trust me on this one. You’ll be adding nectarines to your salads all summer long after you try this salad.

ultimate quinoa salad

Don’t let summer go by without making this one! You are going to love this sweet-savory-crunchy-nutty combination. It’s always a crowd-pleaser. 

Want more quinoa recipes? I have a whole quinoalicious board on pinterest filled with some of my favorites from around the web.
Follow Marina Delio’s board Quinoa on Pinterest.//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

Summer Quinoa Salad Recipe 
printer friendly recipe

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (I used Trader Joe’s organic tricolor quinoa) 
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 
  • 1 Persian cucumber (or 1/2 English hothouse), diced 
  • 2-3 ears fresh raw corn, kernels cut off 
  • 1 (15 oz.) can black beans 
  • 3 large nectarines, pitted and diced 
  • 1 small shallot, chopped 
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 
  • juice of 1/2 lime 

Instructions:
1. In a large serving bowl, toss together all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.

*Variations:
-To bulk up this salad, add a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans.
-This salad is delicious with avocado! Toss chunks in or serve with avocado strips on top.
-Spice it up with one finely chopped jalapeno pepper.