Name: Southwest Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup dry quinoa (yield 3 cups cooked); 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained (1 ½ cups)); 1 ½ cups frozen corn; 1 ½ cups frozen shelled edamame; 1 red pepper (diced (about 1 ½ cups)); ½ cup fresh cilantro*; 1 large shallot* (minced (1/3 cup)); ¼ cup fresh lime juice (1 lime juiced); ¼ cup fresh orange juice (½ orange, juiced); ¼ cup olive oil; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1 teaspoon chili powder; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon sea salt; pinch cayenne pepper

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This flavorful Southwest Quinoa Salad is easy to make with ingredients you probably already have! It’s vegan, gluten-free, super tasty and will be perfect for BBQs, potlucks, picnics and makes a great plant-based meal or side dish.

Large and small white bowls filled with colorful quinoa salad. In the background there is a cutting board with scraps of chopped red pepper, shallot and fresh cilantro. Also there is half an orange and half a lime. Wooden salad servers are next to the bowls.

This post has been updated from the original which was published on June 8, 2016.

I’m always looking for recipes that are simple, healthy and can be made ahead. You too? Then you’re going to love this Southwestern Quinoa Salad. This super flavorful salad with tons of texture, taste, color and nutrition? Oh, I’m so in!

Light and refreshing, this easy vegan recipe is made with ingredients you already have! A few staples from your pantry and your freezer and a little prep and this beauty is yours. Plus….super plant-based protein means you can serve this as a side dish or a main meal.

Why you will love this salad

large glass bowl filled with colorful quinoa salad. half a lime, half an orange and fresh cilantro on the white counter surrounding the bowl.

MEAL PREP FRIENDLY: this delicious salad will stay good in the fridge all week….you can grab some for lunch, serve it as an easy side dish any night, or plan on a meatless monday, it’ll be great for a light and satisfying dinner.
Easy to make with simple, wholesome ingredients you probably have on hand.
It tastes even better as leftovers.
Super flavor from spices and citrus.
Versatile….you can substitute what you have.
High in plant-based protein and loaded with fiber.
Everyone will love it. Take it to your next potluck.
Perfect for your Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Ingredients and Substitutions

small bowls with ingredients for quinoa salad: yellow corn, green edamame, black beans, minced shallot, chopped fresh cilantro, raw uncooked quinoa, black beans, diced red peppers

QUINOA: Complete plant-based protein, with all 9 essential amino acids. It’s also high in fiber and minerals like magnesium, potassium calcium and phosphorus. Plus quinoa has B vitamins, iron, vitamin E and beneficial antioxidants. Quinoa has a neutral flavor (ie: BORING all by itself) so it will take on whatever herbs/spices you want it to and readily absorbs this tasty dressing.
FROZEN SHELLED EDAMAME: A great vegan protein staple to keep in your freezer. They will defrost quickly so you can add them to this salad straight from the freezer. You could substitute green peas for a similar look and texture.
FROZEN CORN: Fun…colorful and tasty! If you don’t eat corn, add some chopped up yellow bell peppers, or sungold tomatoes for a pop of color instead.
BLACK BEANS: More protein….and fiber. Good for digestion and gut health. Substitute any bean you have in your pantry. Chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans…they’ll all work well.
SHALLOTS: Hello flavor! Good subs include red onion, scallions, spring onions.
RED PEPPERS: color, texture and tons of vitamin C. Any color bell pepper would work well in this salad, and if you’re looking for something else that’s red, use cherry tomatoes.
FRESH CILANTRO: I absolutely LOVE the fresh flavor cilantro adds. If you don’t care for cilantro, use fresh parsley and add some ground coriander to the dressing.

Quinoa Salad Dressing Ingredients

Dressing ingredients in small glass dishes: olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, assorted dry spices

OLIVE OIL: For a no oil dressing, substitute tahini. The dressing will be a thicker and you may need to add a couple Tablespoons water to create a pourable consistency.
FRESH LIME JUICE: no lime? Substitute lemon to still have a tangy outcome with a bit of zing.
FRESH ORANGE JUICE: The juice of an orange provides some sweetness without needing to add sweetener. You could substitute water and a squirt of date syrup, honey or maple syrup.
SPICES: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, sea salt, cayenne pepper. For a spicier dressing, use chipotle chili powder.

How to make it

MAKE THE QUINOA: You can do this up to a week in advance and store in the fridge until ready to use. Make sure to rinse the quinoa well. Use double the water to dry quinoa. Bring quinoa and water to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add to a large mixing bowl.

MAKE THE DRESSING

Use a whisk or add all ingredients to a glass jar with a lid and shake until well mixed. That’s it! This quinoa salad dressing is so easy to make, you’ll want to make it and use on other healthy salads too.

PREP VEGGIES AND ADD TO QUINOA

Quinoa, beans, edamame, corn, bell peppers and onions in a bowl.

Dice the red pepper, roughly chop the fresh cilantro, mince the shallot. Rinse and drain the beans, and measure out the frozen corn and edamame. Add everything to bowl with quinoa.

ADD DRESSING

Pour on half the dressing and mix well. Taste. Add more dressing or salt/pepper to taste.

ENJOY YOUR SOUTHWEST QUINOA SALAD: Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Bowl of colorful veggies plus quinoa and in the background a cutting board with half an orange, half a lime, chopped red peppers and shallots and cilantro

Use a glass bowl with lid to make this salad in so it’s easy to store any leftovers.
Make the quinoa in advance as part of your weekly meal prep. The rest will come together quickly.
No need to defrost the frozen corn and edamame. Just throw them into the bowl frozen and mix well. As the flavors meld together, the veggies will defrost.
Extra dressing tastes awesome on a basic chopped salad.
Spoon some into endive leaves or mini peppers for some tasty finger food.
Make this your signature dish to bring to every potluck, BBQ, picnic, or party.

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