The quinoa salad you’ll make on repeat!
If there’s one dish that’s been in my summer rotation for years now, it’s this Mexican Quinoa Salad. It’s fresh, colorful, loaded with bold flavor (thanks to a zesty cilantro lime dressing!) and always the first thing to disappear at BBQs, potlucks, or honestly, straight out of the fridge.
I still remember the first time I made this for a group of my guy friends and their jaws actually dropped. They couldn’t believe something packed with this many veggies could taste so good!
It’s also so easy to meal prep ahead of time, makes the best grab-and-go lunch or midday snack, and is super customizable for any picky eaters in your house!
Want a few other deliciously easy quinoa salad recipes? You might also enjoy this Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Tabbouleh, Chili Lime Shrimp Quinoa Bowl, and this Summer Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette!
My daughter-in-law brought this dish and I actually fell in love with it and couldn’t stop eating it! I have now made it for me and my husband and we absolutely love it. I added some black sliced olives to it. Yum Yum will definitely be making this more and bringing this to family picnics.!
– Debbie
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the specific ingredient amounts and full instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Quinoa. Feel free to use regular white or a tricolor blend and make sure you rinse them really well before cooking! You can either make Instant Pot Quinoa or cook it on the stovetop or in a rice cooker.
- Corn. Either canned or frozen sweet corn will work, or you can cook up some fresh corn kernels (here’s how to boil corn on the cob).
- Beans. Canned black beans are used and complement the other Mexican flavors nicely. However, feel free to incorporate whatever beans you have on hand, like pinto or kidney beans! Or you can even make Instant Pot Black Beans yourself.
- Tomatoes. Cherry or grape both work great. Other tomato varieties can be used but they are more watery and don’t hold their shape as well.
- Onion. A red onion is added for a pop of color and pungency. You can also use white, yellow, or sweet onion instead.
- Avocado. This soft and creamy ingredient adds a great mouthfeel to this salad and is mixed in just at the end so it doesn’t brown.
- Cilantro Lime Dressing. This homemade dressing seriously takes this salad over the top! And it’s so simple to make with fresh cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, a spice blend, and a sweetener. You can also use a store-bought dressing if you’re crunched for time.
- Other Fun Add-ins: Make it creamy with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled feta or cotija cheese. Or, spice it up with some diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne.
Step-by-step Instructions
Full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions can be found at the recipe card below.
Make the dressing.
Add the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, sweetener, and spices to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You can also whisk it together in a bowl, but blending helps the dressing emulsify and chop the cilantro more evenly.
Pro tip: A mini food processor works great here so you can control how finely the cilantro gets chopped!
Prep the ingredients.
Rinse and drain the black beans and corn, then slice the tomatoes in half and dice the red onion. Cut the avocado into bite-sized chunks right before serving to keep it fresh.
Pro Tip: Use a mesh strainer for the beans and corn to remove excess moisture—that way the salad doesn’t get soggy.
Mix everything together.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked quinoa with the dressing until fully coated. Stir in the black beans, corn, tomatoes, and onion and mix until evenly combined. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Pro Tip: Make sure the quinoa has cooled to room temperature before mixing so it doesn’t wilt the other veggies!
Toss with avocado, cilantro, and dig in!
Before serving, give the salad a good toss and fold in the chopped avocado and extra cilantro. Top it with cotija cheese, a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onions, or even salsa if you’re feeling extra.
FAQs
It’ll keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days (without the avocado mixed in!) Give it a quick toss before serving, and add a squeeze of lime juice to brighten things back up.
Totally! While the cilantro lime dressing adds a bold, zesty kick, a simple vinaigrette or creamy avocado dressing would work too.
You can cook it on the stovetop or use an Instant Pot for a hands-off method. Just be sure to let it cool slightly before tossing it with the dressing.
Absolutely! This salad actually tastes better after it sits for a bit. Just wait to add the avocado until right before serving to keep it fresh.
What to Serve with Mexican Quinoa Salad?
This dish is incredibly versatile and can be served up as a side at a picnic or even the main dish! Here are a few ways we like to eat it:
- As a main: Serve with baked tortilla chips and homemade guacamole or a side of Chipotle chicken.
- As a side: Pair with Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers, Fiesta Lime Chicken, Crispy Baked Ground Turkey Tacos, Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas, or the Best Flank Steak Fajitas.
- For a snack: Spoon into lettuce cups or stuff it in a wrap!
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Mexican Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
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Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup canned corn rinsed and drained
- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 large avocado diced
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro divided
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lime juice from 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place ¼ cup cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in a high-speed blender or a small mini-prep food processor and blend for 20-30 seconds, or until emulsified.
- In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa and dressing. Toss to completely coat the quinoa. Mix in the corn, beans, tomatoes, and red onion. Refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Top salad with diced avocado and remaining cilantro just before serving.
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Notes
- Storage: This salad will keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Give it a quick toss before serving, and add a squeeze of lime to brighten things back up.
- Quinoa: Regular white or tricolor both work great. Just make sure you rinse them really well before cooking!
- Other Fun Add-ins: Make it creamy with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled feta or cotija cheese. Or, spice it up with some diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Summer Salad Recipes
Why stop at quinoa salads? There are so many other fun summer salad recipes you can try next!
Amazing favours and full of goodness….
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
My daughter-in-law brought this dish and I actually fell in love with it and couldnt stop eating it! I have now made it for me and my husband and we absolutely love it. I added some black sliced olives to it. Yum Yum will definitely be making this more and bringing this to family picnics.!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie! Olives sound delicious. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
4 cups quinoa was way too much I could literally serve this to 12 people. 🤦♀️
Hi Rachel! The 4 cups of quinoa is cooked, not raw. As a main dish, you would want around ¾ to 1 cup of cooked quinoa per person.
Hey y’all, so I made this quinoa salad but I’m not a fan of a lot of cilantro. So I used a toothpick drop of essential cilantro oil. It was totally 👍 awesome. It’s been a long time since I’ve tried something new that I’m replying to. I just never do leave a reply. I’ve got to admit that this salad is my new favorite. Thank you so very much for this recipe.
Until we eat again…..
Tracy in Florida
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tracy! It’s great you can make it work, even not liking cilantro. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I would love to make this recipe. I was curious if it must have sweetener? I’m not sure if you tried it without.
You can always choose to leave a sweetener out, or sub in one that fits your dietary needs. Of course, the taste might change some. I haven’t personally tried it. Let me know how it goes!