This easy vegan bean salad is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free – but most important, it’s delicious! Loaded with healthy veggies, beans and your choice of brown rice or quinoa all tossed in a spicy southwest-flavored dressing! 

A bowl of bean salad made with black beans, pinto beans, bell peppers, corn, and short grain brown rice.

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It’s a dish that you can put your own twist on and make your own. You can layer it and make it fancy, or just dump everything into a bowl and mix it up.

A kid-friendly dish

I started calling this rainbow salad and it got my kids more excited about eating it.  The name is definitely more enticing than a “big bowl of beans and vegetables!” Who doesn’t like rainbows?

Meal prep instructions

This is the perfect make-ahead meal!  I started making this years ago when I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My husband and I loved the southwestern flavors and needed a meal that we could easily pack for our lunches. When my husband was in his 20s, there was no filling him up – the amount that he could eat was seriously crazy!

He wanted something with complex carbohydrates, proteins, and a little fat that he could grab as a snack or pack in his lunch.  I came up with this salad and I would make a huge bowl of it every Sunday to get us through the first half of the week.

A close up top view of a bowl of vegan bean salad with beans, rice, chopped bell peppers, and green onions.

Choosing your grain

Short-grain brown rice or quinoa is usually my grains of choice, but you can use any cooked grain that will hold together in the salad.  (Barley works great too for those who don’t have to be gluten-free).  You can also make it easier by buying pre-cooked rice or quinoa.  It is sold vacuum-sealed or frozen depending on the store where you shop.

Why does this recipe make so much?

Since I like to make a huge bowl of this and use it for lunches or snacks for days, this recipe makes a lot of food! Feel free to cut it in half if it will be too much for you!

It keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and it freezes well too.

A white bowl filled with Vegan bean salad -southwestern style rainbow salad.
Southwest bean salad made with quinoa.

Great for vegans and non-vegans alike

Southwest Rainbow Salad works great for a side dish or to bring to potlucks. Everyone that I have shared this recipe with loves it and has told me years later that it is still a staple in their house! Please, make it your own by putting in things that you love like avocado, cilantro, a squeeze of lemon, and some red onion. That is part of what makes this salad fun!

More meal prep recipes

Vegan southwest bean salad recipe

A close up top view of a bowl of vegan bean salad with beans, rice, chopped bell peppers, and green onions.
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4.86 from 7 rating

Vegan Southwest-Style Bean Salad

Yield: 12
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A bean and grain salad with beans, corn, and bell peppers, covered in a southwest-inspired dressing. Perfect for summer meals and meal-prepping lunches.
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Ingredients

  • 3-4 cups cooked grain of choice, like short grain brown rice quinoa, or barley
  • 1 can black beans, drained, and rinsed
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained, and rinsed (or any other bean of choice)
  • 1 1/2 cup corn, (frozen)
  • 1 red bell pepper , diced
  • 1 orange bell pepper , diced
  • 2 green onion stalks , chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, (optional)
  • 1 avocado, diced (optional)

For the dressing:

  • ½ cup light olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons lime juice, or red wine vinegar
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, optional for a smokey flavor
  • dash red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions
 

  • Cook grain of choice and then let cool (or use any frozen or pre-cooked grain like quinoa, short grain brown rice, or barley). 
  • Put the grain of choice, beans, and vegetables into a bowl and mix.  (If using avocado, add it at the end so it doesn’t get smashed)
  • Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together and then drizzle over the salad and mix well.
  • Serve or keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days

Notes

  • This makes a large batch.  It is great to keep in the fridge for a quick meal and snacks.
  • Works great for meal prep.  Make ahead and then use for lunches for up to 4 days if kept in the fridge.
  • You may freeze portions that you don’t use.
  • You can use leftover grains or buy pre-cooked grains to save time.
  • If cooking grains for this recipe, allow them to cool before adding to the salad.
Serving: 0.75cup, Calories: 316kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 155mg, Potassium: 309mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 790IU, Vitamin C: 26.9mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1.9mg
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