This Mexican Quinoa Salad has it all! Creamy avocado, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion and a kick from pickled jalapeño. Top it off with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette and crunchy oven baked corn tortillas and you have got a healthy vegan quinoa salad recipe that feels like anything but a sacrifice.
If you get my emails, you know that we were packing up last week to head to the mountains.
We’ve not yet been here a week, and are all still exhausted from packing and the trip.
I am feeling so grateful that we made it here safely.
Most of you probably hadn’t heard, but I-26 in Columbia, SC was closed for three hours due to a standoff with an armed suspect.
The standoff ended in the gunman being fatally shot.
Guess where we were when this happened?
On I-26.
It was the second day of our trip, and we were already over being in the car. Getting delayed for several hours as we (along with everyone else) tried to get around the closed interstate wasn’t what we had in mind. And hauling a large trailer makes situations like that all that more stressful.
In the moment, it is easy to feel over the situation and frustrated for what YOU are experiencing.
But guys…I’ve been working hard on keeping the right perspective on things, both with myself and with the boys.
And a little perspective…
There were officers in the line of fire. How must their families have been feeling?
Guilty or not we don’t know, but someone lost their life. That person probably had a family.
All life is precious.
Younger Wendy would have been all about how our family had been inconvenienced.
There was no denying that it was a stressful situation, with bumper to bumper traffic and everyone freaking out. As a Mom, you want to get your children out of the chaos.
But in the end, I was able to have a great conversation with the boys about how while we would have loved our day to go more smoothly, we had so much to be grateful for.
We were safe, and together.
Let’s focus on that, boys.
When we finally got to the new house and walked out on the back deck to discover the gorgeous view, my youngest son gave me the biggest hug. (He is 12.)
He said “Mom, all the stress of the day has been completely forgotten. I am just so grateful our family is safe.”
Yeah, buddy. Me too.
This week, I’ve been trying to slow down and spend time with the kids.
I’ve spent some time in the kitchen, but have been relying on favorites like this Mexican Quinoa Salad.
Looking for a #healthyrecipe that is perfect for lunch or dinner? Try this Mexican Quinoa Salad! #glutenfree #veganClick To TweetI think I first developed this recipe in 2012. It has been a reader favorite ever since.
It is a fabulous quinoa salad that is perfect any time of year!
Tools to Make This Mexican Quinoa Salad:
This Mexican Quinoa Salad has it all! Creamy avocado, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion and a kick from pickled jalapeño. Top it off with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette and crunchy oven baked corn tortillas and you have got a healthy vegan quinoa salad recipe that feels like anything but a sacrifice.
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans drained and rinsed (1 can)
- 1 cup organic frozen corn thawed
- 1 to mato seeded and diced
- 1/2 red onion sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño diced
- 4 organic corn tortillas
- Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 - 1 chipotle chilie in adobo sauce The dish will be HOT if you use 1
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- For serving: 1 avocado diced
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion and pickled jalapeño.
- Slice corn tortillas into thin strips.
- Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and add tortilla strips.
- Spray again.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
- Bake for 10-15 minute, until crispy. (Check often to make sure the tortillas don't burn - I was using homemade tortillas and they took closer to 15 minutes. I'm guessing store bought may not take as long.)
- Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine lime juice, chipotle Chile, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, honey or agave nectar, cumin and sea salt. Process until mixture is smooth.
- Toss desired amount of dressing with the quinoa mixture.
- Plate quinoa and top with avocado and tortilla strips. (If making ahead, wait to put avocado and tortilla strips on at the last minute. Store leftover tortilla strips in an air tight bag, and return to oven to crisp if desired prior to serving.)
Variations for Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Instead of toasting tortillas, serve with organic Blue Corn Tortillas.
- Add in 4 ounces shredded cheddar.
- Serve over a bed of shredded romaine lettuce.
- Top with Avocado Cream.
Serving Suggestions for Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Serve as a side dish with Beef Tacos or Sheet Pan Fajitas.
- Wrap in a gluten-free tortilla and add guacamole for an easy meal.
Tips for Making Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Be sure to keep a close eye on the tortilla strips. They go from perfect to burnt very quickly!
- If you are making this quinoa salad recipe ahead of time, wait until you are ready to serve to add the avocado. The rest of the salad may be made and stored in the refrigerator for four to five days.
If You Like This Mexican Quinoa Salad You May Also Like:
Other Great Mexican Salad Recipes To Check Out:
- Mexican Salad from Genius Kitchen
- Mexican Chopped Salad from Epicurious
- Mexican Fiesta Salad from Taste of Home
I love this! It sounds so good, and it’s a regular super salad. All of those ingredients are so good for you, especially quinoa.
Thanks Stacie!
I don’t usually like quinoa that much, but this salad looks so colorful and tasty I just might try it out!
Let me know how it goes if you try it!
This looks amazing, I like to fix light dinners throughout the week because we eat so much on the weekends! Thanks, for sharing.
I love the idea of lightening up during the week to make room for the weekends. Especially this time of year.
Oh my gosh does that looks awesome!! I need something like this to give me the flavors I crave and still not kill my diet!
Thanks so much Jeanette! This is a great way to get those Mexican flavors and not get off track with your diet.
Ok, now this recipe looks amazing! I used to be so intimidated my quinoa but now I love it! I need to make this!!
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy it!
Wow that looks amazing! I so gotta make this for lunch! Love me some quinoa salad!
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy it.
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
That looks so amazing! I’m always looking for a good salad. I’ll have to give this one a try.
Thanks Kathy! I hope you enjoy it.
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
This looks so delicious and easy to make. My family is going to love this recipe. I am always looking for new things to make.
Thanks so much Ann! I hope you enjoy it.
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
This looks so good. I bought some quinoa and still haven’t tried it. I guess I should make this salad.
Thanks so much! Enjoy!
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
Thanks so much! I am a quinoa fan myself. 🙂
*Wendy Polisi*
*https://wendypolisi.com *
We went on a big quinoa kick a few months ago. My wife made a chicken quinoa soup that was amazing. It’s a great way to add some serious nutrition to almost any dish.
I wish I had the time to re-work some of my early photography, investing in a DSLR was the best investment for my blog by far!
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly
To me, those hunks of avocado make the wholeeeeee dish!! YUM 🙂
I make a very similar quinoa taco salad and I also have the recipe on my blog! It’s so fun to see the differences.
This just looks super delicious, and it’s vegan and healthy too! I often find it hard to get something to be healthy and delicious at the same time. I will give this a try.. 🙂
It looks tasty! I am a salad lover. I guess I should make this salad.
I have felt like I haven’t mastered the art of making quinoa, but this recipe looks like a keeper and winner to me!
This looks absolutely delicious. And I’m not a huge fan of quinoa but this looks so refreshing and filling.
OH how awesome is this?? I love mexican salads. I definitely have to try this recipe out! Thanks so much!
This salad looks so delicious and full of flavor. I also love the bright colors which make it perfect for spring and summer.
Hi Wendy-
This looks like an updated version of your former southwestern quinoa salad with black beans and avocado. In that recipe, you had a suggestion to pickle the onions by putting them in a half cup of red wine vinegar that had been brought to a boil and then removed from the stove. I love that addition! And would highly recommend it to your readers.