A perfect salad to make ahead and bring to large gatherings, this Mexican quinoa salad is a full meal FULL of flavor!! The chipotle lime vinaigrette really sets this salad apart!
I have a good friend that likes to make a version of this salad that is fondly referred to as, “Crack Salad.” It is an apt name, as quinoa salad, in all it’s variations is incredibly delicious AND addicting!
I love how satisfying it it is without any meat…with all that protein…this salad leaves me satiated for hours!
Crunchy bits of fresh vegetable contrast with tender quinoa, and a spicy lime vinaigrette really sets all the flavor off!
Is Quinoa Healthy?
Not that you need to shy away from gobbling this fresh salad: quinoa is one healthy little grain (technically it is a seed)! It is a complete protein – all 9 amino acids are there! – which is a rare find in a a non-meat food source! A good
Considered an ‘ancient grain,” it was originally cultivated in South America and eaten for thousands of years before it became popular current day.
It is also high in magnesium, fiber, and iron.
It’s totally gluten free, but not paleo or keto.
So if you are not excluding grains from your diet, quinoa is a great addition!
Mexican Quinoa Salad Tips and Suggestions:
- this makes a fabulous dish to bring to any large gathering! It’s perfect for a picnic food and potlucks!
- Add some grilled chicken to make a complete meal!!
- this salad is even better if it can sit for a few hours in the fridge, so try and make it a bit ahead of time!
- diced up jalapeños would be a tasty addition, or red bell peppers if you want to avoid the heat.
- Sheep’s milk feta is a lovely addition here! While I am not a huge fan of conventional feta…traditional Greek feta is made with sheep’s milk and is exceedingly delicious. So read some labels, and see if you can find a true Greek feta made only with sheep’s milk! Taste the difference!
- If you prefer to use homemade beans, these slow cooker pinto beans would be a snap to make ahead and throw in!
If you are unfamiliar with this grain, this is one of the best ways to enjoy it, even for the skeptics out there. With a slight nutty flavor, this grain is sure to please and people will be asking you for a recipe in no time flat!! Check out this post for loads of quinoa recipes! Or this Quinoa Salad Vegetables using a balsamic dressing! Or maybe this roasted vegetable quinoa salad: so many options!
Additional Gluten Free Recipes With Mexican Flare:
Mexican Quinoa Salad Recipe:
If you make this, please leave a comment below letting me know how it goes!
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small 6" cucumber seeded and diced
- 1 14 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed, or about 1 1/2 cups cooked
- 2 avocados cubed
Chipotle Lime DRESSING:
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar your choice of cider, plain, or rice
- 4 teaspoons chipotle puree to taste
- 1 teaspoon honey or 3-4 drops liquid stevia
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place your quinoa in a fine mesh colander and rinse thoroughly. This removes the bitter coating that is not at all tasty or welcome, so do not be tempted to skip this step!
- In a medium sauce pan with a tight fitting lid, bring the water and rinsed quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, all the liquid should be absorbed. Set side to cool.
- Prepare your veggies.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together, taste and adjust the chipotle and salt to your tastes if needed.
- Toss the cooled quinoa, veggies, beans. and dressing together. Chill in the fridge for a couple hours, if you can wait that long!
Nutrition
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Tessa,
What is chipotle purée? This recipe sounds yummy. Can’t wait to try it.
I am so happy to have found you! I have to do a gluten, dairy, sugar and banana free diet. Your recipes are such a blessing. I’m not happy your daughter has to have a restricted diet, but through it, countless people are being helped. Keep up the great work!
I puree this whole can for chipotle
Purée: https://www.amazon.com/Costena-Chipolte-Peppers-Adobo-Sauce/dp/B0014CVT6C/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=chipotle+in+adobo+sauce&qid=1563158457&s=gateway&sprefix=chipotle+en+adobo&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1
So happy to have you here! Let me know if I can be of any help!
Yum! I love all of the wonderful flavors in this healthy salad! I’m going to give it a try real soon.
I am loving all the Mexican flavors you’ve used with this quinoa! This looks so hearty and satisfying!
Oh wow ! They are burst of flavor, low carb, and so delicious! Love how colorful they are too!
My husband is on a quinoa kick right now. I’ll have to pass along this recipe to him, the chipotle lime vinaigrette sounds delicious!
I feel like we could be such great friends in real life, if only because we share such a fondness for chipotle!
Light and fresh and colourful ~ but also nourishing and filling too~!
Looks SO good! Will pin and try this one asap!~
I pretty much love chipotle anything. This sounds amazing!
Yum! This looks incredible, sort of like a salsa salad, so many yummy summer ingredients!
Love those dressing ingredients with nutty quinoa and avocado, so yummy!!
Yummy! I’m not a huge quinoa fan but this may just change my mind.
Perfect! Love quinoa salads!
I love quinoa and try to make a salad like this for lunches for the week. Love the flavors you’ve got going on in this one and the addition of beans.
Chipotle is my love language so that dressing looks so amazing to me!
What a pretty salad! So into these mexican flavors!
Dressing sounds awesome and I love quinoa in salads – great idea for a healthy lunch 🙂
Love this! I’m featuring it tonight on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday and pinning it, so thanks for sharing, Tessa 🙂
Quinoa is awesome!! This looks like a great fast and fresh recipe for a summer party 🙂
How come everything you post looks so amazing? YUM!
Thanks for coming by the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop. Love your post and appreciate you taking the time to share. Pinning today!
Blessings,
Shari
Looks delicious! 😉 My kind of lunch 😉 xo
Delicious salad, thanks for sharing with Hearth and Soul blog hop.
This recipe, like all of your recipes, looks fantastic! I bet that dressing would be good on a lot of different salads. I love the smokiness of chipotle peppers, and I can’t wait to try this.
Off to pin it. Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday!
That looks so delicious. I love salads made from grains!
The subject of this week’s Food on Friday is Salad. It would be great if you linked this in. This is the link . I found this through Melt in Your Mouth Mondays
This looks great. I am going to go grocery shopping to get the ingredients this afternoon. Thanks for posting!
Great Michelle…let us know how it turns out and if you make any tweaks!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your recipe has been chosen to be on Today’s Feature Post from Cast Party Wednesday! Thank You for sharing your recipe with us! Have a GREAT week!
—Sheryl @ Lady Behind The Curtain—
http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/?p=31623
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back later tonight when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! 🙂
Hi Tessa,
Your recipe looks awesome! Hope you have a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Love this time of year with all the fresh veggies. This looks yummy. Thanks for coming back and sharing with FF. 🙂
I make tabbouleh with quinoa. It gets rave reviews and it is so healthy.
That is a great idea kitblu, I’ve made it with millet before, but never quinoa…next on the list!
We looooooove quinoa, and this salad looks and sounds wonderful.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe 🙂
That looks sooooo good! I love quinoa salads! I’m definitely going to have to try yours!
I ADORE Quinoa! I actually just posted a Quinoa Mac & Cheese recipe, but I have LOTS of leftovers, and often make something very similar to your salad. Lunch tomorrow, I think!
xoxo
Stop on by SalmonAtSeven and enter my launch giveaway!
MMM, quinoa and mac? Sounds great! Thank you for stopping by Erin!
I love quinoa and making a salad is one of our favorite ways to use it. We linked up some of our favorite quinoa recipes on our most recipe TV Tuesdays on how to cook quinoa for beginners. http://www.beyondthepeel.net/2012/07/cooking-perfect-quinoa.html
Some quinoa brands come washed mine does and I love being able to skip the step 😉
I have never noticed that some were washed, good to know France, thanks!
Crack salad, now that made me laugh 🙂 But very appropriate given how wonderful quinoa is. Love the Mexican flavors in this salad, so tasty! Thanks for sharing this with Summer Salad Sundays, look forward to seeing you again soon!
Just tried quinoa for the first time yesterday and it IS fabulous! Can’t wait to give this recipe a try…
Oh YUM! I want that now! The dressing sounds particularly amazing.
This has been my favorite quinoa salad of late:
http://iowagirleats.com/2012/06/05/bbq-chicken-quinoa-salad/
But I can’t wait to try yours!
OO, that looks yummy, I can tell why it would be a favorite! thanks for sharing!
We love Quinoa! Always looking for a good healthy recipe too! thanks for sharing! i found you at the Better Mom Blog hop. I’m following you now and hope you’ll check out my blog and follow me back!
Thanks for stopping by to visit Sylvia!
Gorgeous salad, Tessa!
They have this salad in the deli (nearly the same) at my local Coop and I LOOOVEEE it. So awesome to have a recipe to make my own. Plus they add corn which is a big no-no for me.
Hope you’re having a great weekend.
Hugs,
–Amber
Yum! This looks so good!