Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa Salad

Bright, Grounded, and Quietly Abundant

There is a certain honesty to a grain salad. No fuss, no performance — just patient cooking and the kind of assembly that rewards you for slowing down. This one leans on the quiet depth of black beans, the gentle acidity of white balsamic, and the freshness that only comes from ingredients given room to speak for themselves. It comes together quickly, but it doesn't taste rushed. A dish equally at home on a Tuesday evening or a Sunday table.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Vigo Quinoa
• 2 tablespoons Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and dried
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cups fresh parsley, chopped
• Alessi Sea Salt and Alessi Black Peppercorns

Instructions

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
2. Add quinoa to boiling water, cover and reduce heat to simmer.
3. Allow to cook undisturbed 15 minutes.
4. While quinoa is cooking, make dressing by mixing together vinegar, butter, oil, and sugar.
5. Add dressing to cooked quinoa and then stir in remainder of ingredients (beans, tomatoes, onions, and parsley); season with salt and pepper to taste.