This Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado is packed with bright Mexican flavors, and it's so quick and easy to make. Perfect for meal prep, barbecues, and those spring and summer potlucks! (gluten-free | good source of fiber)
Table of Contents
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Step-By-Step Guide with Photos
- Variations
- Storage
So this salad would actually be dangerous if it weren't so stinking good for you. As soon as I make it, I can't stop eating it.
The textures.
The tangy lime dressing.
Avocado.
I've brought it to a potluck where it was a hit - I even made it dairy-free and avocado-free that day for my mother-in-law (be sure to check out the variations section of this post!) Still SO freaking delicious.
It's practically summer (look, let a girl dream!), the summer potlucks and barbecues are coming, and this is the recipe you need!
Ok, let's do a little Q&A, then I'll show you how to make it 🥑
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this quinoa salad be made dairy-free?
Yep! Leave out the cheese and add a little extra salt to taste.
Would this salad still be good without cilantro?
Yes! I know plenty of you don't eat cilantro, but no worries! This will still be delish.
Is this Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado healthy/nutritious?
Yes! This one is packed with the good stuff.
- The quinoa and black beans are a good source of protein and fiber (plus they're complex carbs that digest more slowly than simple carbs, keeping you fuller, longer)
- The veggies/cilantro are filled with vitamins and antioxidants (tons of vitamin C in bell peppers - more than an orange!)
- Olive oil & avocados for heart-healthy fats
It's also gluten-free, 21 Day Fix friendly, and Weight Watchers friendly (see recipe card for counts).
What is the best way to make the quinoa?
Any way is the best way.
- You can buy it premade at the store and save yourself time.
- You can follow the stove-top package directions.
- You can do what I do and make a big batch in your Instant Pot and freeze what I'm not using in portions.
Can this be made vegan?
Yep! Leave out the cheese, swap out the honey for a vegan sweetener, and add a little salt in the end to compensate for the salt from the cheese.
Is this recipe good for meal prep?
Yessss! I love this recipe for meal prep!! It only gets better as it sits in the fridge. Would be great with some Smokey southwest-seasoned shrimp or this Instant Pot Apple BBQ Chicken!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Substitutions:
- Fresh lemon juice
- Bottled lime or lemon juice (just note that you may need more or less than fresh because they're not quite the same, so start low and taste your way up!)
Substitutions:
- Any neutral oil you have on hand
Substitutions:
- I think a lot of vinegars you might have on hand would work fine here, but if you have red wine vinegar on hand, I'd probably go with that.
Substitutions:
- Granulated, brown, or raw sugar
- Coconut sugar
- Stevia (though you'd probably need to use less)
Substitutions:
- Any other similar Mexican-style hot sauce
Substitutions:
- No subs here really, but if you left this out, your salad would still taste great.
Substitutions:
- You could make this with any grain you have on hand!
Substitutions:
- orange or yellow bell peppers
- broccoli
- extra cucumber
- zucchini / yellow squash
Substitutions:
- extra red bell peppers (or orange or yellow)
- broccoli
- zucchini / yellow squash
Substitutions:
- Cannelini beans
- Kidney beans
- Chickpeas
- extra quinoa
Substitutions:
- White onion
- Yellow onion
- Green onions
- Shallots
Substitutions:
- If you're dairy-free or wanting to make this vegan, the cheese can be left out (though you'll likely need a little extra salt in the end to compensate)
- Feta
- Ricotta Salata
- Parmesan
- Romano
Substitutions:
- If you're not into cilantro, this can be left out.
Substitutions:
- No subs for this, but I originally tested this without the avocado, and it's still delish without it if you don't have any or don't want to use it!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado
In your serving bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients except for the olive oil. Continue whisking while drizzling in the olive oil until the dressing comes together.
To your serving bowl full of dressing, add all of the remaining ingredients except the avocado and give it a good mix.
When it's time to serve, you can either add the diced avocado to the bowl (I'd do this if I were taking it to a potluck, and knowing that it would likely get eaten), or add the diced avocado to each serving and enjoy!
Variations
- Spicy - You can make the dressing spicy by adding some cayenne or chipotle paste/powder. You could also add some extra Tapatio or Sriracha to taste at the end.
- Dairy-free - leave out the cheese, add a little extra salt to taste at the end
- Vegan - leave out the cheese, add extra salt; swap the honey for a vegan sweetener like granulated or coconut sugar
- Make it a meal - add some protein; I think some shrimp seasoned with a little salt and chili powder would be amazing tossed into this.
Storage
This quinoa salad will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing it.
Top tip
Be sure to give the salad a good stir right before serving because some of the dressing will sink to the bottom after it's been sitting!
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado:
Don't forget to save this Cilantro-Lime Salad with Avocado recipe to Pinterest ⇓
📖 Recipe
Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado
This quinoa salad is so full of flavor and will be perfect for a summer potluck or barbecue! Great for meal prep, too!
Ingredients
Lime Dressing:
- 3 ½ Tbs fresh lime juice
- 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs white distilled vinegar
- ½ Tbs honey (or just some sugar to make this vegan)
- ½ teaspoon Tapatio, or similar hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Salad:
- 1 ½ cups cold, cooked quinoa* (see notes)
- ¾ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cotija cheese
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (or however much you like, really)
To stir into individual portions when serving:
- ¾ cup + 2 Tbs ripe, diced avocado (2 Tbs per serving)
Instructions
- In a serving bowl, whisk together: 3 ½ Tbs lime juice, 1 Tbs distilled vinegar, ½ Tbs honey, ½ teaspoon hot sauce, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. While still whisking, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to whisk until it comes together.
- To the serving bowl with the dressing, add all remaining ingredients except avocado. Stir everything together well. Give it a taste and check your seasonings in case you want to add extra lime, a pinch of salt, hot sauce, or whatever floats your boat. This can be served right away, but it's also nice to make it ahead a bit and let the dressing soak into everything (just be sure to stir it really well right before serving).
- When serving, you'll add 2 Tbs of the diced avocado to each serving. You don't want to put it in the serving bowl (unless you feel confident it'll all get eaten in one sitting), because the avocado won't keep well for very long.
Notes
*You can either use pre-cooked frozen (thawed) or shelf-stable quinoa, make the quinoa in the Instant Pot, or follow the stovetop package directions. Refrigerate until cold (you could even stick it in the freezer for a bit if you're short on time).
21 Day Fix Counts per Serving: ½ Yellow, ¼ Green, ½ Blue, ½ Orange,
Weight Watchers Points:Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: ½ cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 174Total Fat: 10.7gCarbohydrates: 16.5gFiber: 4gProtein: 4.3g
If you guys give this Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado recipe a try, let me know what you think! You can leave a comment below or tag me on Insta @thefoodieandthefix. Or if you’re in my private Facebook group, I’d love to see a photo of your creation in there! I hope you enjoy ♥
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