Southwestern Quinoa Salad (Oil-free, High Protein)

5 from 4 votes

Hearty Southwestern quinoa salad that is packed with 9.4 grams of protein per serving! It is oil-free, gluten-free, and easy to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: high protein, high protein vegan salad, oil-free, oil-free salad, quinoa

Servings: servings

1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
1.75 cups water
1 15 ounce can no salt added red beans, rinsed and drained (or red kidney beans)
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped (red, orange or yellow)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (or canned, drained, or frozen, thawed)
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large avocado, pitted, and diced
1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

Combine the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Transfer quinoa to large bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
Add the chopped bell pepper, red beans, corn, lime zest, lime juice, agave nectar, cumin and chili powder to the cooled quinoa. Gently toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Gently toss in the avocado and cilantro just before serving. Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to 48 hours.

Storage: Store the salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Spice options ; If you do not want the spices, omit them. You can also swap either the cumin or chili powder for smoked paprika or ground coriander.

Agave nectar options: An equal amount of maple syrup can be used in place of the agave nectar. You can also use coconut sugar.

Bean options: Use any beans you prefer, such as pinto beans, white beans, or garbanzo beans (chickpeas).