Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

Salads don’t have to be boring. Try this Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing for a delicious, filling, veggie-packed meal! Topped with a creamy dressing, it’s sure to satisfy your savory meal cravings.

The most delicious Mexican quinoa salad

Like pretty much everyone I know, I love a good Taco Tuesday. It’s the perfect excuse to indulge in tacos, not to mention nachos and a margarita or two! Lately, however, I’ve been in the mood to mix things up. I decided to put a pause on the tacos and try my hand at making Mexican quinoa salad with cilantro lime dressing.

And boy, did it turn out well! This salad is a blend of delicious chopped veggies, filling and nutrient-rich quinoa, and a savory, creamy cilantro lime dressing. It’s the perfect finishing touch to an already delicious lettuce-less salad!

This dish can be customized to fit whatever mood in which you find yourself. Eat it as-is with quinoa, red onion, corn, black beans, peppers, and jalapeños, or mix things up and add tomatoes, avocados, or whatever your heart desires.

Next Tuesday, consider giving this recipe a try. It’s the perfect make-your-own meal for serving guests and would work really well as a taco salad bar. Dinner party, anyone?

Ingredients used to make quinoa salad with lime dressing

When it comes the the ingredients for this recipe, there are two groups of items: those for the salad, and those for the dressing. The salad ingredients consist of lots of veggies, beans, and quinoa, and the dressing ingredients consist of oil, spices, and a few other items.

Salad:

• Quinoa
• Vegetable broth
• Red onion
• Corn
• Black beans
• Peppers*
• Jalapeño
• Cilantro

*For the peppers, I like to use one red and one yellow!

Dressing:

• Olive oil
• Lime juice
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Cilantro

Kitchen tools needed to make this salad

There are a handful of tools you’ll need to collect before you get started. Gather a large pot, a stirring utensil, a cutting board and chopping knife, and two mixing bowls (one large and one small).

You’ll also need a fork to fluff the quinoa, along with the following measuring cups: 1 tsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make Mexican quinoa salad with cilantro lime dressing

If you’re wondering how to cook quinoa with veggie broth, it’s easy! It cooks the same way that it does with water. After you’re done with that step, combine with the chopped veggies and cilantro, and then add the dressing. That’s it! In total, this recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.

To create our Mexican quinoa salad, start by adding the quinoa and veggie broth to a pot. Bring to a boil.

Once at a boil, cook for ~15 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Use a fork to fluff.

Prepare all of the veggies and the cilantro and combine everything in a large mixing bowl.

Add in the quinoa, and then stir.

To make the cilantro lime dressing, mix all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture, and stir again.

Serve at room temperature, and enjoy!

Delicious salad add-on options

If you find yourself wanting to jam-pack even more delicious veggies or ingredients into this recipe, here are some ideas you can try!

Veggies
Consider including tomato, avocado, or green onion for even more nutrients. You can also add a handful of romaine lettuce for a crunchy finishing touch!

Cheese
Love a good dose of cheese on top of your salads? Add cheddar, mozzarella, or a taco blend. You can also go crazy with… queso! YUM!

Protein
Quinoa and black beans provide a healthy serving of protein, but you can add meat if you’re in the mood for extra! Grilled or marinated chicken makes a great protein-rich option.

Optional substitutions

Don’t worry if you’re missing an ingredient or two! There are plenty of substitution options for almost all of the items included in this recipe.

• Vegetable broth: You can use chicken broth in place of the veggie broth if you prefer! This will also add a bit of extra protein.
• Red onion: You can use white onion if you’d like. You can also sprinkle green onions on top!
• Black beans: If you’re out of black beans, kidney beans will do.
• Olive oil: For the cilantro lime dressing, canola or coconut oil will work well in place of the olive oil.

More delicious Mexican recipes

If you loved this quinoa salad, you’ll want to try my other Mexican recipes too! Here are some of my favorites. The Vegan Tempeh Tacos are always a hit, even with meat eaters!

• Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Avocado Corn Salsa
• Mexican Quinoa Casserole
• Vegan Tempeh Tacos
• Healthy Seven Layer Dip

Recipe by Erin Morrissey + Photos by The Mindful Hapa