Easy Quinoa Salad Recipe – with Black Beans & Corn
If you have been searching for easy and delicious recipes, this one should be your first consideration. Quinoa has an earthy delicate flavor but its nutritional value makes it a super-food. It is rich in minerals, proteins, and fiber. The gluten-free grain which is widely known for its crunch and low-calorie pairs well with French corn. To pump up its protein content, even more, you only need to toss it in black beans.
This delicious dish is easy to prepare and you can prepare all its components in advance. You can use some crushed red pepper to give it more taste without making it spicy and some creamy avocado to balance out the vinegar zing.
To make this fast, cook your quinoa and beans in advance. You can cook and freeze them for later use. Possibly, you can also use canned beans.
Ingredients of quinoa salad
- 2 cups ready cooked quinoa (of any color)
- 1 1/2 cups ready cooked, rinsed and drained beans (black or any other color)
- 2 scallions (sliced into rounds)
- 3/4 frozen cup corn kernels
- 1 minced clove garlic
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (fresh)
- 1/2 diced ripe avocado
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed)
- 3 tablespoonful apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation directions
Mix vinegar, lime juice, salt, pepper, and the oil in a sealable container and shake properly until emulsified. Set it aside. In a saucepan, bring some water to boil (2 cups) and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat to low. Then cover and simmer up to a point where the quinoa is tender and has also absorbed the water. This may take around 15 minutes.
Transfer your quinoa to your colander. Rinse it under running water and drain it thoroughly. Then transfer it to a larger bowl. Add the beans, bell pepper, corn, cilantro, scallions, to the bowl holding the quinoa. Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss properly to coat your ingredients. Chill it in your refrigerator for an hour before serving.
The recipe serves 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 cup serving contains:
- 296 cal
- 7g fat
- 48g carbs
- 103 mg sodium
- 8.5 g fiber
- 3 g sugar
- 12 g protein
