This easy quinoa Southwestern salad is a mix of nutritious quinoa, flavorful black beans, sweet corn, and fresh tomatoes. Drizzle over some homemade creamy avocado dressing and dig in!
Prepare the quinoa by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil. Add in 1 cup quinoa, stir, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover; cook for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.
While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the vegetables and the dressing.
To make the dressing, combine avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste the dressing and adjust it to your liking.
Arrange the quinoa on a large plate and top it with black beans, corn, and tomatoes.
Toss the quinoa salad with the dressing, or serve the salad with the dressing on the side.
Optionally, you could garnish the salad with chopped green onions, cilantro, and sliced avocado before serving.
Rinse Quinoa: Before cooking, rinse quinoa under cold water in a fine mesh strainer to remove the coating.
Cool Before Mixing: Let the quinoa cool for a bit before adding it to the salad. This prevents it from becoming mushy and allows it to absorb the dressing better.
Include Textures: Quinoa salad is versatile, so feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients and dressings. You can add chopped bell peppers, chickpeas, diced cucumbers, cubed chicken, etc.
Serving: This salad can be served as a starter or a light lunch.
Make Ahead: Quinoa can be made ahead of time, making it perfect for meal prep.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.