Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This post is sponsored by Pompeian. All options are my own.

It goes without saying that I love sharing recipes. Long before I even knew what a food blog was I was collecting recipes to share with others.

This holiday season, Pompeian is helping families across the country immortalize their favorite holiday recipes by offering personalized bottles of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You can complete your custom oil with a favorite recipe, family photo and customizable label. This makes a great gift for a hard to shop for foodie and is a great way to commemorate a treasured dish.

I love their extra virgin oil because is the only oil in the US to carry the USDA Quality Monitored seal.

To create your very own personalized bottle of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can visit Pompeian on Facebook or at Pompeian.com. There you can generate and print your very own custom label complete with a favorite recipe!

And after you do that, come back and make this AMAZING quinoa salad. This was one that I will make again and again!

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Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Author: Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 red pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced
• 2 ounces feta or nut cheese crumbled
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cook for 8 minutes. Add quinoa and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add broth and sea salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce to low and cover. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the water is mostly absorbed. Remove from heat and place a clean dish cloth on top of saucepan. Place the lid on top of the saucepan and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
2. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, cilantro, cumin, chipotle chili powder, and pepper in a blender. Process until combined and then add in olive oil in a steady stream.
3. When quinoa is slightly cooled, transfer to a bowl and toss with red pepper, black beans and avocado. Toss with desired amount of dressing. Top with cheese and pine nuts and serve.