Quinoa Salad with Avocado Dressing and Pinto Beans

This quinoa salad with avocado dressing, pinto beans, red bell pepper, and more is a hearty and filling salad that stores great in the fridge – it’s perfect for lunches!

I’ve been doing more and more meal prep lately. In the never-ending quest to lose weight and keep it off, I’ve found that meal prep is one of the most valuable things I can do. It helps with feeding the kids, too! In my fridge, unless I need to go to the store, you’ll almost always find:

• washed leaf lettuce
• peeled and cut carrots
• boiled eggs
• cooked chicken breasts
• washed herbs
• homemade salad dressing – I’m on a honey mustard vinaigrette kick
• cut up fruit

Of course, it varies week to week. If I’m really ahead of the game, I’ll have a salad prepped like this quinoa salad with avocado dressing. I shared the avocado lime dressing with you yesterday, and as promised, this is a recipe that uses that dressing.

In my freezer, I like to keep some grains cooked and frozen to make salad or soup prep SUPER simple. It’s unbelievably easy to cook and freeze quinoa – if I’m cooking quinoa for a recipe, I almost always cook the entire bag and freeze what I don’t need. It’s a great way to save time in the kitchen.

About This Quinoa Salad with Avocado Dressing Recipe:

Simple and flavorful, this quinoa salad with avocado dressing keeps great in the fridge and will keep you full for hours. Quinoa brings its own punch of protein, as do the pinto beans.

Make it your own:

I like this salad as is, but it is also great served on top of some fresh greens for extra crunch. Use different vegetables if you have them. If you like cilantro, that would be great sprinkled on top of this salad. If you like spice, add some chopped jalapeño peppers. To add extra protein, add some cooked chicken breast or cheese. Use your favorite bottled dressing or a different dressing recipe, if you like. 

Needed for this recipe:

• quinoa
• large bowl (bonus if it’s a covered bowl for storage in fridge)
• canned pinto beans

 

More quinoa love!

If you love quinoa, don’t miss these recipes:

 

• One Pan Quinoa with Ground Turkey, Kale, Mushrooms and Tomatoes
• Quinoa Wheat Berry Salad
• Creamy Turkey Soup with Quinoa
• Apple Spice Quinoa Pancakes
• Vegan Bolognese with Lentils and Quinoa
• Savory Quinoa Muffins
• Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Celery
• Quinoa Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

Verdict: I’m a HUGE fan of salads that don’t wilt in the fridge. They’re my lifeline when it comes lunchtime and this quinoa salad with avocado dressing is no exception. Bonus points given for the fact that it’s unbelievably filling.
Husband’s take: He loved the dressing and loves the salad.
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but feel free to add your favorite vegetables. Add some jalapeño for spice.
Difficulty: Easy!