Southwest Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salads are at the top of my list when it comes to meal prep because they actually get better as they sit in the fridge. I've been making variations of this southwest quinoa salad for years. It's great for a light and easy lunch or a side dish for grilling. And I love that it is a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, and takes about 30 minutes to make.

Course Salad

Cuisine Mexican, southwest

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings side servings

Calories 248kcal

Author Sara

Equipment

1 small sauce pan (for cooking the quinoa)
1 large mixing bowl

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Salad

1 cup dry quinoa
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (same thing as garbanzo beans)
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 red pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado (for serving)

Ingredients for the Lime Dressing

¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
1 tbsp. lime zest
1 tbsp. honey
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. salt

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to the package directions. After quinoa has cooked, spread quinoa out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow quinoa to cool.
1 cup dry quinoa
While the quinoa cooks, chop the veggies, drain and rinse the beans, take the corn out to thaw and chop the cilantro.
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed, 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed , 1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed, 1 red pepper, chopped, ½ cup chopped red onion , ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
In addition, prepare the dressing. Add dressing ingredients to a mason jar, cover and shake. If you don’t have a mason jar, you can whisk ingredients together in a small bowl.
¼ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp. lime zest, 1 tbsp. honey , ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. ground cumin, ¼ tsp. salt
After quinoa has cooled, transfer quinoa to a large bowl and add in the black beans, chickpeas, corn, peppers, onion, and cilantro. Pour dressing (shake or mix dressing again before adding to salad) over salad ingredients and mix until combined. Taste and add in additional salt or fresh lime juice if desired.
Place salad in fridge for about 1 hour to chill and allow flavors to meld. Chop a fresh avocado and add to salad right before serving.
1 avocado
Enjoy!

Notes

When cooking the quinoa, I've found that using slightly less water than the directions call for helps to make fluffy (and not soggy) quinoa.
I recommend finely chopping the bell pepper and onion. Smaller pieces help to distribute the flavor and crunch more evenly.
Dice the avocado and add to the salad right before serving. If you have leftovers, no worries. The avocado may brown slightly, but it will still taste good. Or, if you plan to enjoy throughout the week, add avocado when serving.

Lastly, if you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. I love hearing from you, and it helps others who want to try the recipe!

Nutrition