Chilled Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Edamame, and Red Wine Vinegar

This recipe was given to me one 4th of July several years ago. It’s really versatile, really easy, and perfect for summertime!

1 cup quinoa
1 can black beans, or equivalent amount dried beans, cooked until soft
1/2 cup edamame, cooked until soft
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (RWV)
1/8 – 1/4 cup sugar (optional)

1. Prepare quinoa according to the package directions.

2. Place all your ingredients in a large bowl and combine.

3. At this point you can add just the RWV and mix. However, my preference is to take some of the sour out of the vinegar by heating it slightly and adding a little bit sugar, then mixing it into the salad.

4. Cover and place salad in the fridge until chilled through. (I find it best when left overnight!)

Here’s a lovely pic from a recent batch!

Tip: This recipe is good both hot and cold. I’ve had friends add a little extra RWV just before eating theirs. This can also be a nice, healthy cracker topping! Recently, I tried it with just a tiny bit of sour cream and that was pretty delightful as well, but I would definitely reserve it as a treat when trying to reign in fat and extra calories.