This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This hearty and colorful Mexican Quinoa Salad is packed with vegetables like red bell peppers, corn, and grape tomatoes. Stir in black beans for extra protein and finish this flavorful salad with a bright and fresh cilantro-lime dressing.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Mexican-inspired
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Quinoa Salad Recipe
It’s difficult to pinpoint what I love the most about this quinoa Mexican salad recipe – is it the zippy lime dressing with a slight kick of heat or the crunchy fresh vegetables? Maybe it’s the perfectly cooked, just fluffy enough quinoa? Or maybe it’s that you can easily adjust and adapt this salad to include more vegetables, different proteins, and more? This incredibly simple, super flavorful, endlessly customizable salad deserves a place in your regular rotation, and I know you’ll love it. Some highlights:
- Gluten Free. Quinoa, a naturally gluten free grain (technically a seed), is a gluten free mainstay. It forms the base of this naturally gluten free recipe, and the best part about it is that it’s always enjoyed by everyone, even those who are not keeping gluten free.
- Adaptable. You can switch up the beans, add chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and try a sprinkle of cheese or olives depending on what you’re in the mood for.
- So flavorful. A trio of spices including garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne add a kick to the dressing that’s also loaded with fresh lime juice.
What You’ll Need
- Water: This is used to cook the quinoa.
- Quinoa: I prefer to use white quinoa in this salad.
- Black Beans: A classic addition to Mexican-inspired recipes, black beans are a great protein choice in this Mexican quinoa salad. You can swap them for chickpeas or pinto beans for a slightly different flavor.
- Corn: Use drained, canned corn, thawed frozen corn, or fresh kernels cut from the cob.
- Grape Tomatoes: Or use cherry tomatoes. You can increase the amount of tomatoes if you wish.
- Onion: I love a bit of red onion for spicy crunch.
- Bell Pepper: I use a red bell pepper, but any color you like will work.
- Garnish: Optional avocado, lime slices, and additional cilantro for a garnish.
Dressing
- Olive Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice is the best in this dressing for a sweet, citrusy flavor.
- Honey: A little honey accentuates the sweetness of the lime juice.
- Cilantro: It’s OK to omit the cilantro if you don’t care for it.
- Salt and Pepper
- Dried Spices: Garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin for a bit of heat.
More Add-In Ideas
Look at this salad as a base for all sorts of extras, from shredded chicken to avocado, and more. Here are a few of my favorite add-in suggestions:
- Avocado – Chopped or sliced avocado is a must with any Mexican-themed dish. You can garnish individual portions of salad with chunks or slices of avocado. (I don’t recommend stirring in the avocado in case you have leftovers because avocado tends to brown after it’s been cut.)
- Cilantro – Extra chopped cilantro sprinkled over portions of Mexican quinoa adds a little extra flavor and color.
- Chicken – Cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
- Shrimp – Shrimp is another nice addition to this salad. You can use the method for grilling shrimp in my Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad recipe, then toss the shrimp into the quinoa. Feel free to omit the black beans.
- Olives – I love adding sliced or chopped black olives for a briny, tangy punch of flavor.
- Cheese – Soft queso fresco, feta cheese, cotija, or even cubes of sharp cheddar cheese will add a salty bite to the salad.
How To Make Mexican Quinoa Salad
Just a few steps are all you’ll need to take to make this refreshing salad. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Make the quinoa. Cook the quinoa in water for about 15 minutes, then cool completely.
- Prepare the dressing. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake them to emulsify.
- Assemble salad. Add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper to the bowl with the quinoa.
- Add dressing. Pour on the dressing.
- Combine. Gently toss the salad to combine.
- Season. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if you like.
Tips & Variations
See a few easy tips and variation suggestions below:
- Adjust the spices. If you know me, you know I like a bit of heat! However, I know that not everyone likes as much spice as I do. You can lower the amount of chili powder or even omit it completely and the dressing will still be very flavorful. Or take a shortcut and swap them for a teaspoon of Taco Seasoning.
- Add more heat. On the other hand, if you want this to be hotter, go right ahead! You can swap the bell peppers for jalapeno if you want a spicier kick. Or, stir in a little hot sauce to the dressing.
- Try another way to make the quinoa. If you wish, you can use another method for making quinoa. See my post How to Cook Quinoa for tips.
- Garnish with tortilla chips. For a nice contrasting crunch, crumble up some fresh air fryer tortilla chips and use them to garnish the salad.
- Increase the amount of vegetables. I like a lot of vegetables in my salads, and sometimes I’ll up the amount of fresh veggies in this quinoa Mexican salad. For example, use a whole bell pepper instead of half, add 1 cup of grape tomatoes, and increase the amount of corn.
- Use fresh corn. I highly recommend using fresh corn in this salad when it’s in season! It adds a sweet, light crunch that can’t be recreated with canned or frozen corn. You can also add a little smoky flavor my using Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.
- Serve with lime wedges. I love another squeeze of sweet lime juice over this salad! Place a bowl of lime wedges on the table when you serve the salad for more fresh flavor.
Proper Storage
Place leftover quinoa Mexican salad in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve the salad cold or at room temperature.
Make It A Meal
This light yet filling salad can make a portable lunch, or you can make a few sides to go along with it and enjoy it for dinner. I like adding more protein, like chicken, or a freshly made salad to make a bigger meal. Here are a few options:
- Vegetarian. Serve Mexican quinoa salad alongside a decadently cheesy quesadilla! Use my Gluten Free Tortillas and fill them with your choice of cheese. Or add a scoop alongside some Breakfast Tostadas or Chilaquiles Rojos.
- Chicken. Serve quinoa Mexican salad with Cilantro Lime Chicken or Baked Blackened Chicken to make a complete meal or use the quinoa salad as a base for grain bowls with a dollop of Avocado Lime Crema. You can also make a big pan of Sour Cream Enchiladas (swap those flour tortilas for corn to make them gluten free).
- Seafood. If you want to skip the tortillas, use the cooked tilapia from my Fish Tacos recipe to pair with the quinoa, or cook up some Honey Lime Shrimp.
- Add dessert. A Mexican-inspired dessert is the perfect sweet finish when you serve this salad. Make a decadent Gluten Free Sopapilla Cheesecake to round out your meal, or sip on a mug of rich Mexican Hot Chocolate.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Mexican Quinoa Salad
This hearty, colorful Mexican Quinoa Salad is packed with vegetables like red bell peppers, corn, and tomatoes. Stir in black beans for extra protein and a bright and fresh cilantro-lime dressing.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa , rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can of black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn , from a can, thawed if frozen, or cut from the cob
- ½ cup halved grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- Half of a red bell pepper , chopped
- Optional avocado , lime slices, additional cilantro, etc. for garnish, if desired
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add water to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the water has absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
- Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, lime juice, honey, cilantro, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and salt in a bowl or jar. Whisk or cover the jar and shake until fully emulsified.
- Add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper to the bowl with the quinoa and pour the dressing over the top. Toss to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with additional cilantro and lime slices, and a halved avocado, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition Facts
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 166
Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 298mg12%
Potassium 207mg6%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 161IU3%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you make this?
Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips
I’m sure my family would love this, they love both quinoa and avocado in salads! Brianne, enjoy that new baby of yours and congratulations to the big brother or sister.
Avocado and quinoa are truly magic words! This salad sounds amazing, and this time of year with my produce stand opening I can make loads of it!! Yum, Hugs, Terra
What a great salad Carrie, thanks for sharing it! It reminds me of a healthier version of guacamole! (Healthier because of the quinoa in place of corn chips)
Thank you for allowing me to be a guest here today. I hope all is going well with Peyton! xo
Wonderful recipe BTW. Were you aware that the easyrecipe plugin that you’re using is transferring a link from your recipes to a site called fooderific.com ?
I was looking at the plugin for my site and found that many sites like yours are using the plugin and are having these links built automatically on this other site. Not sure how I feel about it yet but I probably won’t be using the easyrecipe.
Anyhow wonderful site Brianne and great guest post Carrie. I always love quinoa.
Many Regards,
Chef Felisha Wild