Description
This Southwestern Quinoa Fiesta Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish packed with protein and fresh vegetables. It’s perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish for dinner. The zesty lime dressing adds a refreshing kick to the salad, making it a favorite for gatherings and meal preps.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
- 2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed from frozen)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 avocado (diced)
- ¼ cup red onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- juice of 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Quinoa:
Salad:
Dressing:
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa: Under cold water.
- Cook quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water or broth. Simmer for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Prepare salad: In a large bowl, combine quinoa, black beans, corn, bell pepper, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.
- Make dressing: Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine: Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix.
- Serve: Chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- This salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp for extra protein.
- For a spicy kick, add jalapeño or hot sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
