Southwestern Quinoa Salad – Kalyn's Kitchen

This southwestern quinoa salad has some carbs, but you can use more red peppers and fewer beans for a lower-carb option! Replace the cilantro with green onions if you are not a fan of cilantro.

Try this southwestern quinoa salad to try later!

Many people have become fond of the South American seed product called quinoa (Ken-Wah) And I knew quinoa became mainstream when I noticed you could buy a giant bag of it at Costco! And although I struggled for a week or two, I eventually bought one of those huge bags and stored it in the freezer.

I’ve made a lot of delicious things with my big bag of quinoa, but this southwest quinoa salad Possibly my favorite quinoa dish. And I’ve enjoyed this a lot during the years I’ve been showing it Friday favorite Choose this week!

Besides the flavors of cumin, lemon, and chile in the dressing, I loved this salad with quinoa because the crunch of the red peppers, the softness of the beans, and the light chewiness of quinoa were such a great combination of textures. The salad stays good in the fridge for several days, so it would be ideal to make it on the weekend and have lunch during the week. And if you haven’t tried quinoa yet, this quinoa salad might be the recipe that will turn you into a quinoa fan.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

Quinoa (rinse if necessary, check packaging)
Water
salt
Red pepper
canned black beans
green onion
fresh cilantro (or use more green onions)
Fresh lemon juice, I used mine Fresh and frozen lemon juice
Spike seasoning (affiliate link), or another all-purpose spice blend
ground cumin (affiliate link)
crushed ancho chili (affiliate link) (see notes)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

What is quinoa?

Many people think of quinoa as a grain, but it is actually a seed and this healthy ingredient is full of fiber and rich in protein. Read about Health benefits and nutritional facts of quinoa Learn more about this healthy food.

How can you make a southwestern quinoa salad lower in carbohydrates?

Quinoa has some carbs, but it’s also high in fiber and protein, and black beans are the ones with the most carbs here. If you want to make a lower-carb Southwest quinoa salad version, use a red pepper and half the number of black beans. It will still be delicious!

Make a quinoa salad for a weekend getaway:

This recipe has been added to a category called Prepare food on the weekend Here you will find recipes that you can prepare or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

How to Make a Southwest Quinoa Salad:

(Scroll down for a full, printable recipe with nutritional information.)

Check the label to see if quinoa should be rinsed and rinsed if necessary.
Then mix the quinoa and water with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Flip the quinoa with a fork and let it cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
Drain a can of black beans in a colander, rinse until foam disappears, and pat dry.
Cut a sweet red pepper into small pieces (about the same size as black beans).
stir lemon juice together, Spike seasoning (referral link), ground cumin (referral link), crushed ancho chili (Affiliate link) or chili powder, and black pepper then whisk in olive oil to make the sauce.
Cut green onions into thin slices. Wash, dry and chop the cilantro. (Oops, didn’t take a picture of that!)
When the quinoa has cooled somewhat, mix the quinoa, diced red pepper, black beans, and sliced green onions until well combined. Then stir in enough sauce so that all the ingredients are wet. (Reserve any extra dressing to add after the salad has cooled.)
Add finely chopped coriander and serve.

Make it a meal:

This salad would make a lovely side dish for something like Spicy grilled shrimpAnd the Air Fryer Marinated Chicken BreastAnd the Fish Warm Air FryerAnd the Chicken Souvlakior Cup Flank Steak.

More delicious ideas with quinoa:

Quinoa and avocado salad From Kalin’s Kitchen

Tomatoes stuffed with quinoa, soft tofu, basil and shallots From White on Rice Couple

Quinoa side dish with pine nuts From Kalin’s Kitchen

Black bean salad, quinoa salad and stuffed peppers From every day southwest

Tabbouleh salad with oats From Kalin’s Kitchen

Ingredients

Power Amounts:

3/4 cup quinoa (washed if necessary, check packaging)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 red bell pepper cut into small cubes
1 can black beans, washed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander

Sauce Ingredients:

2 T fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. Spike seasoning (optional but highly recommended)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground chile pepper (see notes)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

instructions

Check the quinoa package to see if it needs rinsing (it often does) and rinse it in a fine mesh strainer if necessary.
Combine quinoa, water, and salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, or until water is completely absorbed.
Flip the quinoa with a fork and let it cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
Drain the beans into a colander set in the sink and rinse them well with cold water until the suds are gone.
Let the beans dry until completely dry (or pat them dry with paper towels if you want to speed them up).
Cut the stem, remove the seeds from the red pepper, and cut it into very small cubes (about the size of a black bean).
Cut the green onions into thin slices, wash, dry and chop the cilantro.
When the quinoa has cooled somewhat, mix the quinoa, black beans, diced red pepper, and sliced green onions in a bowl.
Add enough sauce to moisten all ingredients. (You probably won’t need all the sauce, but keep the extra to stir with any leftover salad you had in the fridge.)
Add finely chopped coriander and serve.
This keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.
The salad absorbs the sauce when it’s cooled, so it’s best to stir in more sauce when you’re eating the remaining salad.

Notes

Simply use regular chili powder if you don’t have Ancho chili.

This recipe is adapted from Santa Fe Quinoa Salad In food and wine.

Nutrition information:

fruit:

serving size:

1

Amount per service:
Calories: 185Total fat: 10 gramsSaturated fat: 1 gramUnsaturated fats: 0 gramsUnsaturated fats: 8 gramsCholesterol: 0 mgsodium: 727 mgCarbohydrates: 20 gramsthe basic: 6 gramssugar: 2 gramsprotein: 6 grams

Nutrition information is calculated automatically by the Recipe Plug-In I’m using. I am not a dietitian and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, as many variables affect these calculations.

Low Carb Diet / Low Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Although quinoa is a seed and a low-glycemic ingredient, this Southwestern quinoa salad will be limited to phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet, and probably too high in carbs for traditional low-carb diet plans unless you follow the tips above to create a version lower in carbohydrates. But quinoa is gluten-free, vegan, low in fat, and high in protein, fiber, and nutrients.

Find more recipes like these:
Uses salad recipes To find more recipes like these. use the Diet type indicator To find recipes suitable for a particular food plan. You may also like to check out Kalyn’s Kitchen on PinterestAnd the in FacebookAnd the on instagramor in Youtube To see all the good recipes I share there.

Historical notes for this recipe:
This authority was first published in 2012. It was last updated with more information in 2022.