Southwest Quinoa Salad Recipe

A serving bowl filled with southwest quinoa salad.

5 from 3 votes

Southwest Quinoa Salad Recipe

A mix of quinoa, crunchy vegetables, and zesty lime vinaigrette gives Southwest Quinoa Salad its signature balance of flavor and texture, ready in about 30 minutes for lunches or quick dinners.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 566kcal

Author: Andrea

Ingredients

1 1/4 c quinoa
2 c water
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 limes juiced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or more, to taste
1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes halved
1 (15oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
1 c corn
2 green onions freshly chopped
1/4 c fresh cilantro chopped
garlic salt and black pepper to taste
cubed avocado optional garnish

Instructions

Toast the quinoa in a little olive oil in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Add the quinoa to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed (about 10 minutes).
Make the lime dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, corn, and green onions. Add the dressing right before serving (along with the cilantro and avocados, if desired). Season with garlic salt and black pepper, and serve immediately.

Notes

STORE Quinoa Southwestern Salad, undressed, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, wait to add the avocado, cilantro, and dressing until you're ready to serve. The longer it sits, the softer ingredients like cucumbers will become.

This salad doesn’t freeze well once assembled, but cooked quinoa can be frozen separately—let it cool completely, then store it in a resealable plastic bag and thaw it overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition