Southwestern Quinoa Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A simple and nourishing Southwestern Quinoa salad infused with robust flavor.
Author: Reproduced for Emilie Raffa ~ Author of The Clever Cookbook
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- For the Quinoa Salad
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, room temperature
- 1 + ½ cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if using canned
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 1 cup cheery tomatoes, halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced (I used red onion)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, plus some for garnish
- For the Honey-Lime Jam Jar Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey (sub pure maple syrup for vegan version)
- 1 tsp cumin (I used ½ tsp powder + ½ tsp whole seeds)
- ½ cup olive oil
- coarse sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine: quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions and cilantro or parsley. Toss well but gently taking care not to mash the tomato.
- For the dressing, add the first five ingredients to an empty jam jar (any lidded container/jar will do). Season with salt & pepper. Affix the lid securely and shake well to blend fully.
- Lightly drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the salad and mix it together. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Garnish with additional sprigs of cilantro or parsley, as you wish.
- This salad tastes best after it has had a chance to sit for about 30 minutes to absorb flavor.
Notes
Batch Cooking, Storing & Freezing: be sure to check out The Clever Cookbook's section on batch cooking grains and beans ~ Emilie offers many user friendly options here.
Make-Ahead: this salad can be assembled up to 3 hours in advance and dressed lightly according to Emilie who also suggests adding extra herbs and more vinaigrette to refresh the flavors just before serving.
Southwestern Flare: I happen to love the combination of chile and lime in dressings particularly in the company of Southwestern ingredients ~ if you would like to experiment, consider adding a touch of your favorite chile powder to the mix. Chopped fresh peppers, such as seeded jalapeño, could also be added to the salad itself.
Optional Add-Ins: meal salads are convenient and delicious and you can play around with the ingredients to suit your taste preferences and needs - consider adding in diced avocado, crumpled feta or goat cheese and a handful of chopped nuts or seeds for an additional nutrient boost.
Cilantro or Parsley: although we are all cilantro lovers in this home, I decided to go with parsley because, through forces I don't quite understand, my parsley managed to survive the December/January frost and is still thriving in my outdoor herb garden. I was so pleased with its beautiful grassy taste in this recipe that I would not hesitate to recommend it.
Cumin: I was introduced to cumin seed before cumin powder and I never quite got over my affection for the whole seed. It is punchier in flavor than the powder and I find it irresistible by comparison in most recipes but it does not 'dissolve' the way a ground spice does so, as always, it's a matter of personal preference.
Make-Ahead: this salad can be assembled up to 3 hours in advance and dressed lightly according to Emilie who also suggests adding extra herbs and more vinaigrette to refresh the flavors just before serving.
Southwestern Flare: I happen to love the combination of chile and lime in dressings particularly in the company of Southwestern ingredients ~ if you would like to experiment, consider adding a touch of your favorite chile powder to the mix. Chopped fresh peppers, such as seeded jalapeño, could also be added to the salad itself.
Optional Add-Ins: meal salads are convenient and delicious and you can play around with the ingredients to suit your taste preferences and needs - consider adding in diced avocado, crumpled feta or goat cheese and a handful of chopped nuts or seeds for an additional nutrient boost.
Cilantro or Parsley: although we are all cilantro lovers in this home, I decided to go with parsley because, through forces I don't quite understand, my parsley managed to survive the December/January frost and is still thriving in my outdoor herb garden. I was so pleased with its beautiful grassy taste in this recipe that I would not hesitate to recommend it.
Cumin: I was introduced to cumin seed before cumin powder and I never quite got over my affection for the whole seed. It is punchier in flavor than the powder and I find it irresistible by comparison in most recipes but it does not 'dissolve' the way a ground spice does so, as always, it's a matter of personal preference.
Recipe by Inspired Edibles at https://www.inspirededibles.ca/2016/03/southwestern-quinoa-meal-salad-with-honey-lime-vinaigrette.html