Crisp, satisfying and delicious. My Quinoa Salad recipe is one of my favorite side dishes that has loads of flavor and is packed with wholesome ingredients like quinoa, bell pepper, tomatoes, corn and black beans.
Looking for more fresh salads and quinoa recipes? Try my Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa, Enchilada Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats, the Best Kale Salad, Mediterranean Salad with Greek Salad Dressing, and Smoked Salmon Salad recipes.
Why This Recipe Works
Wholesome Goodness: The ingredients in my quinoa salad recipe are seriously good for you! What I love about quinoa is that it is packed with nutrients like protein and fiber as well as antioxidants. When added with the dreamy chili lime dressing, the flavors are come together beautifully.
So Easy to Make: Not only is this recipe super tasty, it is also so easy to make. You only need 15 minutes for this recipe to come together! The best part is all of the ingredients are pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.
The Dressing of Dreams: The flavors in this quinoa salad with feta are Mexican-inspired with corn and black beans. That is why the sweet, tangy and spicy dressing pairs so perfectly. Homemade dressing is always tastier than any of the store-bought stuff, so I highly recommend using the dressing recipe provided for this salad!
Ingredients
For the Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa: The star of the show! You can use your favorite quinoa brand.
- Veggies: Red bell pepper and tomatoes are the crispy and juicy veggies that I added to this quinoa salad!
- Cilantro: Fresh herbs make every salad better! Cilantro goes really well with the rest of the ingredients here.
- Corn: I used canned corn here and drained the liquid from it.
- Black Beans: Canned black beans will work well!
- Feta: You can buy feta that is already crumbled or buy a block and crumble it yourself!
For the Quinoa Salad Dressing
- Lime Juice: You will want to use fresh lime juice for the best flavor!
- Olive Oil: A little bit of olive oil adds the fat needed to balance out all of the flavors in the salad and the dressing.
- Honey: Honey adds a hint of sweetness, but not too much!
- Cumin & Chipotle Chili Powder: Cumin and chipotle chili powder season the dressing and enhance the flavors of the rest of the ingredients. Chipotle chili powder is slightly spicier than regular chili powder.
Here’s How to Make It
Step by Step Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans and cilantro. (photo 2)
- Make Dressing: Whisk together the dressing ingredients and fold into the quinoa salad, adding a generous amount of salt and pepper. (photo 1 & 3-4)
- Fold in Feta: Carefully fold in the feta, trying not to break it up too much. Check the seasoning and serve. (see below)
Expert Tips
- Chill the quinoa before making the salad! For the best flavor, you will want the quinoa to be cooked and chilled (or at least at room temperature) prior to assembling the salad.
- Serve alongside a protein! This quinoa salad is amazing on its own, but you can make it a full meal by serving alongside some grilled chicken.
- Top it off with avocado, guacamole, or salsa! These southwestern flavors go amazingly together!
- For a vegan friendly salad, omit the feta and replace the honey with maple syrup!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! I think that quinoa salad is best on the day that you make it, however, you can prepare the separate components of the salad and mix them together on the day of.
To store leftover quinoa salad, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When eating the leftovers, you might want to add a little extra cumin and chili powder to the mix since the quinoa soaks up those flavors while it is sitting in the fridge.
More Salad Recipes to Try
- Portillos Chopped Salad
- Fiesta Lime Shrimp Salad
- Greek Avocado Chicken Salad
- Italian Orzo Salad
- Taco Salad Meal Prep
Quinoa Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Quinoa Salad
- 3 cups cooked quinoa - approx 7 oz uncooked
- 1 red bell pepper - diced
- 2 medium tomatoes - diced, approx 1 cup
- ⅔ cup canned corn - drained
- ⅔ cup black beans
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- salt - to taste
- cracked black pepper - to taste
- 1 ⅓ cup feta crumbles
For the Quinoa Salad Dressing
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice - approx 1 small lime
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp runny honey
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans and cilantro.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and fold into the quinoa salad, adding a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Carefully fold in the feta, trying not to break it up too much. Check the seasoning and serve.
Um, yes. This will be made IMMEDIATELY. So easy!
It has been far too long since I made quinoa. This is such a great way to eat it. Must try!