Mexican quinoa salad

Protein-rich quinoa and black beans anchor this vegetarian salad. Why rinse the quinoa? It has a natural coating called saponin that can make the grain taste bitter when cooked, but it’s easy to avoid by rinsing the quinoa just before cooking. The most common quinoa varieties available are white, black, and red. We’ve opted for white in this version since it has a neutral flavour that pairs well with these ingredients. Red and black quinoa have their own unique flavours that are bolder and earthier.