Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Bursting with zesty flavors and vibrant colors, this Southwestern Quinoa Salad is a healthy, protein-packed dish that's perfect for mealtime or meal prep. Featuring fluffy quinoa as the base, this salad is loaded with black beans, sweet corn, crunchy red bell pepper, juicy cherry tomatoes, and fragrant cilantro. Tossed in a refreshing lime and olive oil dressing with a hint of smoky cumin and chili powder, this gluten-free, vegetarian recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights or a crowd-pleasing side at your next potluck. Serve it chilled for a refreshing summer dish or enjoy it year-round as a nutritious, flavor-packed option!

Nutriscore Rating: 76/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:15 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup kernel corn
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 0.5 medium red onion
• 0.25 cup cilantro
• 2 medium lime
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under running water to remove any bitterness.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Step 3

While the quinoa is cooling, rinse and drain the black beans. Set aside.

Step 4

Cut the red bell pepper into small dice. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Finely dice the red onion. Roughly chop the cilantro. Set all the prepared vegetables aside.

Step 5

In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of 2 limes, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 6

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled quinoa, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro.

Step 7

Pour the lime dressing over the salad and toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.

Step 8

Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 9

Before serving, give the salad a final stir and garnish with additional cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1784.8g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1601.7

Total Fat 60.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 7.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.1g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3687.9mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 221.7g	0%
Dietary Fiber 37.0g	0%
Total Sugars 28.8g
Protein 56.2g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 342.2mg	0%
Iron 15.1mg	0%
Potassium 1562.5mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 33.0%

Protein: 13.6%

Carbs: 53.5%