Zesty Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad Recipe
Looking for a healthy and tasty side dish that can also be an awesome easy lunch or dinner idea?
This flavor filled zesty cilantro lime salad will turn anyone into a quinoa fan! I’ve been making this salad for a couple years now and it’s one of my favorite meals to keep in the fridge because all of the fresh ingredients marinate together and it tastes even better the next day! The process is easy and starts by making quinoa, mixing the dressing, and then combining it all together with a few veggie add-ins.
Zesty Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad
yield: 4 SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Juice from 1 1/2 limes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 avocado, chopped
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1
Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2
Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.
3
Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro and avocado; season with salt and black pepper.
4
Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.
Additional Notes
(adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Bright and Flavorful Salad!
I hope you enjoy this easy to make yummy quinoa salad! If you pack your lunch during the week this a great thing to make ahead to take. 🙂 The lime dressing and cumin add lots of satisfying flavor, and I never knew quinoa could be so delicious served this way!
Look fantastic! Thank you! We ❤️ Quinoa at our house!
You’re welcome! You’ll love this 🙂
I love the idea of this but even with citrus juice my avocado always gets brown. I can’t imagine this would look nice for long, but it sounds delicious! I’d just have to cut the avocado immediately before serving. 🙂
Hi AG… I have solved the problem with the avocados turning. I use “fruit fresh” by Ball. It’s a produce protector, & can be used on all produce that turns. I have been using it for years & love it. It is usually found by canning supplies, in a shaker jar like spices. 🙂
Thanks, Karen. <3
Its an old tradition in our culture that to prevent the avocado from browning first and foremost a dash of vinger and lemon actually help slow down the process of browning and no it does not taste repugnant. Second the bone/seed inside the avocados is put back into the dish you made. So I usually put my avocado seed inside the mixture in the middle. If this doesn’t bother you, it should work just fine.
Why do you put the seed back into the dish? Does this prevent browning or is it for decorative purposes?
Supposedly keeping the seed in keeps it from browning.
I rinse my avocado with water and I have never had them turn brown.
I’m soooo making this. Thank you!!!
Lina, do you have a website that has all your thrift store makeovers? I always love seeing before and afters on thrift store finds!
Looks delish! I don’t like cilantro nor onions (don’t hate me). Any substitutes that I can throw in there?
You could just omit them, or use parsley for the cilantro and maybe bell pepper for the onion…
Great idea Catie. Thanks
too funny! my husband is the same way; hates cilantro and onions! I could just eat handfuls of that stuff!
Radishes and bell peppers would be great!
Thanks Lina! I can’t wait to make this on Sunday. It’ll be my lunch for work on Monday!
LOL Trace, my husband loves cilantro and onions. Our taco nights are rough on him. I always win (no cilantro nor onions).
I’m not a huge fan of cilantro in big pieces, but if I make it into tiny bits in a food processor I like the flavor. I love me some onions but my heartburn sure doesn’t!
Im loving the low fat recipes! I have never had Quinoa, is the texture like brown rice? I would be the only on in my house to eat this as my hubby follows a Paleo eating habit and my 3yo WILL NOT touch a fruit or veggie unless you trick him somehow.
Yes, it’s similar in texture to brown rice. We make veggie burgers with a mix of quinoa and beans.
Holy cow this looks delicious!! Can’t wait to try 🙂
I just made this and added orange bell pepper and regular white onion. So amazingly good!! I had the thought while I was putting it together that shrimp would be really tasty in the dish too!
I was just going through these comments and noticed how many “Catie’s” it looks like there are on here!?! I am making this right now…I am also Catie. 🙂
OK I want to try this but never heard of Quinoa, where do I look for it in the grocery store? thx.
Mine is by the rice blends like couscous. Also sometimes in the health food or gluten free foods. Thanks!
I get mine in bulk at Sprouts.
I get my quiona at Costco.
going to make this for my 9 year old with celiacs. she loves healthy food and i’ll eat it up too
Ok, this is like the 3rd blog that I’ve seen a similar Quinoa recipe posted! I guess the cosmos are telling me to make a batch!!
Love these recipe! Just make sure you rinse your quinoa realy well before cooking. Some of them are very bitter.
Love your serving dish! Where did you get it from?
Thanks $3.99 From Ross! I collect white dishes with fun shapes, mostly thrifted 🙂
I make a similar salad with black olives as we’ll. sooooo good with black olives. I omit the beans.
Yum! I’ve made a Greek inspired one too with feta, cucumbers, and parsley with balsamic dressing. 🙂
Looks good! And I have leftover cooked quinoa plus all the other ingredients! I know what I’m making for lunch tomorrow!
Lina, not only are your recipes always great- you are a very gifted food stylist and photographer! can’t wait to try this one.
Oh thanks that made my day! 🙂
Thank you for sharing. I made it last night for dinner and my family and I really liked it. My other half dislikes the taste of quinoa so I was surprised at his exclamation; “This is perhaps the best quinoa dish I’ve ever had.” Thank you so much!!! 🙂
That’s great! I know my hubby was a hard sell on quinoa too! 🙂 Thanks!
Made this today for lunch…so yummy, thanks!
This was delicious! I substituted the quinoa for rice (2 cups before cooked) and it was great! It served 4…which is even better!
Made this today…it is soooo good I can’t stop eating it, I only did not have lime juice, so I used lemon juice. Can’t wait to make this for next family event.
Yeah! I’m glad 🙂
Do I need to cook the beans?
I used canned black beans already cooked. Thanks!
I have made this quite a few times. During the summer I add corn that I have cut off the cob…..I also have added drained canned corn.
I just made this for GNO tonight (they will love it…all boys in this house probably not so much!) I made everything as stated except I used red onion, added edamame (frozen, shelled) and roasted some walnuts and put them in with it. I doubled the recipe but only used 1 tsp. of cumin…..I just taste tested it and it is delicious! thanks for the recipe!
Made this tonight exactly like the recipe and it is wonderful. I love the cilantro. The perfect dish for lunch or dinner. Very pretty too.
That’s great! Thanks 🙂
I’m making this right now and it’s turning out great! I did add some finely chopped red onion, garlic powder, and dill weed. Had to use grape tomatoes instead of cherry but it doesn’t seem to make a difference in taste. I also added a very small splash of lemon and vinegar to help keep the avocado. Thank you so much for the awesome recipe! 🙂
What do you serve with? Crackers? Etc.?
Hi this is a salad side dish. So you can just eat as is. Many find it filling enough to eat as a meal as is or by adding meat or protein. Thanks!!
Just served at lunch with salmon patties, delicious! Thanks!
I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly except I omitted cilantro since I didn’t feel like buying any. This is delicious! It’s tasty cold or hot. Definitely will be saving this recipe!
I should have expected just how spicy it was going to be: https://laciecooksfood.blogspot.com/2014/12/zesty-cilantro-lime-quinoa-salad.html
Is this 1Cup of cooked or 1Cup of uncooked quinoa?
you need 1 cup dry quinoa , boiled with 2 cups of water as the instructions on almost all the packages.
Does anyone know about how many servings you get from this recipe?
We have it set as 4 for a lunch type meal, but perhaps 8 as a side dish. Thanks
I made it like to day 2day a go it was so good to me i love it and my boy friend like it to
We have it set as 4 for a lunch type meal, but perhaps 8 as a side dish. Thanks
What is the serving size for this recipe?
We have it set as 4 for a lunch type meal, but perhaps 8 as a side dish. Thanks
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Added mixed salad greens to fluff it up a bit, topped with sauteed shrimp and served w/ a side of crab cakes. Amazing! My new favorite salad- very flavorful!
Wow! Sounds great. Thanks for sharing Kat!
Great recipe😊😊
I made this salad. It was a hit. I have request to make it when invited to friends and family. Easy to prepare. Full of flavor.
Thats so awesome! Thanks for sharing Dori!
Love this recipe! Thanks for posting… can leftovers be stored in freezer?
You’re SO welcome, Roz! This probably wouldn’t freeze well because of the ingredients included, but if you decide to give it a try, please let us know how it turns out! 🤗💕