Zesty Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad Recipe

Zesty Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad

yield: 4 SERVINGS

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice from 1 1/2 limes
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 5 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2

Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.

3

Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro and avocado; season with salt and black pepper. 

4

Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

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Looking for a healthy and tasty side dish that can also be an awesome easy lunch or dinner idea?

This flavor filled zesty cilantro lime salad will turn anyone into a quinoa fan! I’ve been making this salad for a couple years now and it’s one of my favorite meals to keep in the fridge because all of the fresh ingredients marinate together and it tastes even better the next day! The process is easy and starts by making quinoa, mixing the dressing, and then combining it all together with a few veggie add-ins.


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Zesty Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad

yield: 4 SERVINGS

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice from 1 1/2 limes
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 5 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2

Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.

3

Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro and avocado; season with salt and black pepper. 

4

Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Additional Notes

(adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Brought to you by Hip2Save.

Bright and Flavorful Salad!

I hope you enjoy this easy to make yummy quinoa salad! If you pack your lunch during the week this a great thing to make ahead to take. 🙂 The lime dressing and cumin add lots of satisfying flavor, and I never knew quinoa could be so delicious served this way!


 Lina (lina@hip2save.com) loves cooking new recipes, thrift store shopping, and DIY home decor projects. 

Up Next: Pressure Cooker Potato Salad 


About the writer:

Lina has a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Arizona University with 11 years of blogging and photography experience having work featured in Today.com, Martha Stewart, Country Living, Fox News, Buzzfeed, and HGTV.


Join The Discussion

Comments 71

  1. Amy

    Look fantastic! Thank you! We ❤️ Quinoa at our house!

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      You’re welcome! You’ll love this 🙂

  2. AG

    I love the idea of this but even with citrus juice my avocado always gets brown. I can’t imagine this would look nice for long, but it sounds delicious! I’d just have to cut the avocado immediately before serving. 🙂

    • karen

      Hi AG… I have solved the problem with the avocados turning. I use “fruit fresh” by Ball. It’s a produce protector, & can be used on all produce that turns. I have been using it for years & love it. It is usually found by canning supplies, in a shaker jar like spices. 🙂

      • AG

        Thanks, Karen. <3

    • Mar

      Its an old tradition in our culture that to prevent the avocado from browning first and foremost a dash of vinger and lemon actually help slow down the process of browning and no it does not taste repugnant. Second the bone/seed inside the avocados is put back into the dish you made. So I usually put my avocado seed inside the mixture in the middle. If this doesn’t bother you, it should work just fine.

      • marie

        Why do you put the seed back into the dish? Does this prevent browning or is it for decorative purposes?

        • Lia

          Supposedly keeping the seed in keeps it from browning.

    • Sue

      I rinse my avocado with water and I have never had them turn brown.

  3. Lindsay

    I’m soooo making this. Thank you!!!

  4. laurie

    Lina, do you have a website that has all your thrift store makeovers? I always love seeing before and afters on thrift store finds!

  5. buddybabs

    Looks delish! I don’t like cilantro nor onions (don’t hate me). Any substitutes that I can throw in there?

    • Catie

      You could just omit them, or use parsley for the cilantro and maybe bell pepper for the onion…

      • buddybabs

        Great idea Catie. Thanks

    • trace

      too funny! my husband is the same way; hates cilantro and onions! I could just eat handfuls of that stuff!

      • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

        Radishes and bell peppers would be great!

        • buddybabs

          Thanks Lina! I can’t wait to make this on Sunday. It’ll be my lunch for work on Monday!

      • buddybabs

        LOL Trace, my husband loves cilantro and onions. Our taco nights are rough on him. I always win (no cilantro nor onions).

    • Tilla Ham

      I’m not a huge fan of cilantro in big pieces, but if I make it into tiny bits in a food processor I like the flavor. I love me some onions but my heartburn sure doesn’t!

  6. Rae

    Im loving the low fat recipes! I have never had Quinoa, is the texture like brown rice? I would be the only on in my house to eat this as my hubby follows a Paleo eating habit and my 3yo WILL NOT touch a fruit or veggie unless you trick him somehow.

    • AG

      Yes, it’s similar in texture to brown rice. We make veggie burgers with a mix of quinoa and beans.

  7. Catie

    Holy cow this looks delicious!! Can’t wait to try 🙂

    • Catie

      I just made this and added orange bell pepper and regular white onion. So amazingly good!! I had the thought while I was putting it together that shrimp would be really tasty in the dish too!

      • Catie

        I was just going through these comments and noticed how many “Catie’s” it looks like there are on here!?! I am making this right now…I am also Catie. 🙂

  8. brdavis55

    OK I want to try this but never heard of Quinoa, where do I look for it in the grocery store? thx.

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Mine is by the rice blends like couscous. Also sometimes in the health food or gluten free foods. Thanks!

    • Michelle W

      I get mine in bulk at Sprouts.

    • Fern

      I get my quiona at Costco.

  9. Tilla Ham

    going to make this for my 9 year old with celiacs. she loves healthy food and i’ll eat it up too

  10. mel

    Ok, this is like the 3rd blog that I’ve seen a similar Quinoa recipe posted! I guess the cosmos are telling me to make a batch!!

  11. Uki

    Love these recipe! Just make sure you rinse your quinoa realy well before cooking. Some of them are very bitter.

  12. Pam

    Love your serving dish! Where did you get it from?

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Thanks $3.99 From Ross! I collect white dishes with fun shapes, mostly thrifted 🙂

  13. Serena

    I make a similar salad with black olives as we’ll. sooooo good with black olives. I omit the beans.

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Yum! I’ve made a Greek inspired one too with feta, cucumbers, and parsley with balsamic dressing. 🙂

  14. Cassie

    Looks good! And I have leftover cooked quinoa plus all the other ingredients! I know what I’m making for lunch tomorrow!

  15. mariel

    Lina, not only are your recipes always great- you are a very gifted food stylist and photographer! can’t wait to try this one.

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Oh thanks that made my day! 🙂

  16. Kimka

    Thank you for sharing. I made it last night for dinner and my family and I really liked it. My other half dislikes the taste of quinoa so I was surprised at his exclamation; “This is perhaps the best quinoa dish I’ve ever had.” Thank you so much!!! 🙂

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      That’s great! I know my hubby was a hard sell on quinoa too! 🙂 Thanks!

  17. Amy

    Made this today for lunch…so yummy, thanks!

  18. Lara

    This was delicious! I substituted the quinoa for rice (2 cups before cooked) and it was great! It served 4…which is even better!

  19. kristina

    Made this today…it is soooo good I can’t stop eating it, I only did not have lime juice, so I used lemon juice. Can’t wait to make this for next family event.

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Yeah! I’m glad 🙂

  20. barb

    Do I need to cook the beans?

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      I used canned black beans already cooked. Thanks!

  21. Stephanie

    I have made this quite a few times. During the summer I add corn that I have cut off the cob…..I also have added drained canned corn.

  22. Marcel Hoke-Harvey

    I just made this for GNO tonight (they will love it…all boys in this house probably not so much!) I made everything as stated except I used red onion, added edamame (frozen, shelled) and roasted some walnuts and put them in with it. I doubled the recipe but only used 1 tsp. of cumin…..I just taste tested it and it is delicious! thanks for the recipe!

  23. Carol

    Made this tonight exactly like the recipe and it is wonderful. I love the cilantro. The perfect dish for lunch or dinner. Very pretty too.

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      That’s great! Thanks 🙂

  24. Veronica Chuck Jones

    I’m making this right now and it’s turning out great! I did add some finely chopped red onion, garlic powder, and dill weed. Had to use grape tomatoes instead of cherry but it doesn’t seem to make a difference in taste. I also added a very small splash of lemon and vinegar to help keep the avocado. Thank you so much for the awesome recipe! 🙂

  25. Cici

    What do you serve with? Crackers? Etc.?

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Hi this is a salad side dish. So you can just eat as is. Many find it filling enough to eat as a meal as is or by adding meat or protein. Thanks!!

      • Cici

        Just served at lunch with salmon patties, delicious! Thanks!

  26. Heathery Hebert

    I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly except I omitted cilantro since I didn’t feel like buying any. This is delicious! It’s tasty cold or hot. Definitely will be saving this recipe!

  27. LC

    Is this 1Cup of cooked or 1Cup of uncooked quinoa?

    • daisy

      you need 1 cup dry quinoa , boiled with 2 cups of water as the instructions on almost all the packages.

  28. Tonya

    Does anyone know about how many servings you get from this recipe?

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      We have it set as 4 for a lunch type meal, but perhaps 8 as a side dish. Thanks

  29. asia

    I made it like to day 2day a go it was so good to me i love it and my boy friend like it to

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      We have it set as 4 for a lunch type meal, but perhaps 8 as a side dish. Thanks

  30. Abbie

    What is the serving size for this recipe?

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      We have it set as 4 for a lunch type meal, but perhaps 8 as a side dish. Thanks

  31. Kat Moore

    Made this tonight and it was amazing! Added mixed salad greens to fluff it up a bit, topped with sauteed shrimp and served w/ a side of crab cakes. Amazing! My new favorite salad- very flavorful!

    • Lina (Hip's Modern Martha)

      Wow! Sounds great. Thanks for sharing Kat!

  32. Liz

    Great recipe😊😊

  33. Dori Kozlowski

    I made this salad. It was a hit. I have request to make it when invited to friends and family. Easy to prepare. Full of flavor.

    • Lina D (Hip2Save Sidekick)

      Thats so awesome! Thanks for sharing Dori!

  34. Roz

    Love this recipe! Thanks for posting… can leftovers be stored in freezer?

    • Trish (Hip Sidekick)

      You’re SO welcome, Roz! This probably wouldn’t freeze well because of the ingredients included, but if you decide to give it a try, please let us know how it turns out! 🤗💕

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