I have a slight quinoa addiction. I love it in everything! Add this protein-packed seed to beautifully-colored vegetables and you can easily transform a simple salad into a complete meal. This delicious Southwestern Quinoa Salad is made with black beans, yellow bell pepper, sweet onions, fresh garlic, grape tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice.
I seem to alternate the most between this Southwestern Quinoa Salad and my other quinoa salad. These are the type of salads that I can eat over and over again. Seriously, I’ll make a big batch of these and eat them for days!
The best thing about this salad is that it is super flavorful and can be made in just a few minutes. 😀
Quinoa is quick cooking and very easy to prepare. It is made the same way you would prepare rice: 2 parts water or broth to 1 part grain. Bring water and quinoa to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Quinoa can be a very beneficial addition to any diet. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it has all the essential amino acids the body needs. That makes Quinoa a good source of protein for vegetarians. Quinoa is also a good source of fiber and it provides iron, magnesium, potassium, folate, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and E.
This Southwestern Quinoa Salad is perfect for a work lunch. I find that by the time the students leave the classroom and I make my way to the teacher’s lounge, I have 15 to 20 minutes to eat lunch. This is plenty of time to eat this salad and recharge, so I can get through the rest of the day. I need a lunch that will keep me feeling full and this quinoa salad is perfect.
The first time I took it to work I forgot a spoon. So, I used tortilla chips to scoop it up and it was fantastic!
To mix up having the same salad for lunch, I wrapped it in these tasty blue corn and flaxseed tortillas. I spiced it up a bit with some Monterey Jack cheese. A few slices of fresh avocado and I felt like I was having a feast!
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- ½ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup sweet onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 (16 oz) can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup red grape tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- Rinse quinoa in cold water and drain well.
- In a medium saucepan add vegetable broth and quinoa. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- After 10 minutes into cooking quinoa, begin preparing black bean and bell pepper mixture.
- In a large skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil.
- Add the onions to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add in the garlic, sauté until fragrant.
- Add the bell pepper to the skillet and sauté until slightly softened.
- Add black beans, gently stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
- To the skillet add cooked quinoa, tomatoes, and cilantro, stir to combine.
- Squeeze lime juice over salad. Serve warm.
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