I remember the first time I made this recipe a few years after seeing something similar in the window at a grocery store pre-made section. You know what I’m talking about — the section of the grocery store by the deli where you can order fried chicken, pasta salad, roasted veggies, among others. I saw they were charging something like $8.99 a pound for a quinoa salad and I told my dad I wanted to create my own iteration of a southwest quinoa salad instead.
This grocery store visit was long before Breathe Sweat Eat was even an idea, I was just playing around in the kitchen. And for at least 5 years, this has been a staple recipe at my parents house and once I moved onto college and to my own apartment in Chicago. I love making this southwest quinoa salad for pot lucks or gatherings with friends, it’s a dish that pleases everyone.
More recently, I made it for a social distanced BBQ with my guy friends and they all asked it I could leave the leftovers 😂 And I took some on a recent Colorado road trip to keep in the cooler for lunch. Seriously, it’s always a crowd pleaser.
Eat it alone, add to a bed of spinach with some chicken for a bomb salad, eat with tortilla chips or inside pita pockets. This quinoa salad is such a versatile recipe that keeps well for up to a week. Perfect for Sunday meal preps to eat throughout the week at your desk. Whole grains, protein and veggies all packed into one dish, yes, please!
Ingredients & Alternatives
Quinoa: Any kind of quinoa works for this recipe — red, tri-colored, black or white. If you don’t have quinoa on hand, you could easily swab another grain like brown rice, basmati rice or bulgar wheat. If you use anything other than quinoa, the cooking instructions will be different so please follow the packing directions.
Bell pepper: Any color bell peppers works but I stick to red or orange for more flavor.
Black beans: Right out of the can is great, but you can also make your own in the Instant Pot from a dried bag of beans. If you do this, add 1 pound of dried black beans to Instant Pot with 3 cups water for 30 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes. Whenever I make them this way, I’ll separate into a few different Tupperwares are freeze some.
Corn: Use a 15oz can for this recipe, but if you happen to have fresh shucked corn, you can use that, too! I know my mom does this and I’m sure it would be amazingly fresh in this recipe.
White or red onion: You’ll use half an onion for this recipe, I prefer white or red.
Taco seasoning: Choose your favorite taco seasoning for this recipe! I recently snagged this one from Costco and love it. It has some cocoa in it, which gives it a unique taste.
Lime: You’ll use the juice from 1-2 limes, but you can opt for lime juice if you want. In that case, you’ll want 2-4 tbsp’s depending on how you prefer the taste.
Cilantro: Essential to the taco, southwest taste but omit if you don’t like cilantro. I like to mix some in the dish and then sprinkle some on top before serving for good flavor in every bite.
How To Make Southwest Quinoa Salad 2 Ways
Step one for making this recipe is cooking the quinoa. You have two options: Instant Pot & Stovetop.
- Instant Pot: I prefer to make quinoa in the Instant Pot because I swear the texture is fluffier than when made stovetop. Add 1 cup of quinoa to Instant Pot with 1 1/2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Seal the Instant Pot and turn on manual for 1 minute. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build inside, then the timer will start. After the 1 minute is up, quick release pressure and fluff with a fork.
- Stovetop: Depending on which kind of quinoa you are using, the instructions may vary slightly. Traditionally, you should be able to add the 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a pot. Turn to medium-high heat to achieve a boil, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork once cooked.
Once the quinoa is cooked, let cool for 10 minutes or so. Then add in the remaining ingredients right into the Instant Pot bowl or the pot — chopped bell pepper and onion, black beans and corn. Once well mixed, add in the taco seasoning, lime juice and salt to taste.
You can separate the servings into different containers for ready-to-go lunches throughout the week or in a larger Tupperware container for up to a week. If you don’t think you’ll eat all of it, throw some in the freezer and thaw before serving at a later date. Enjoy!
MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES TO TRY:
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- Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Simple & Healthy Instant Pot Turkey Pumpkin Chili
- Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
One Pot Southwest Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Stove
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 15 oz can black beans
- 15 oz can corn
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 2 limes
Instructions
- Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of quinoa to Instant Pot with 1 1/2 cups water and a pink of salt. Seal the Instant Pot and turn on manual for 1 minute. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build inside, then the timer will start. After the 1 minute is up, quick release pressure and fluff with a fork.Stove Top: Add 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a pot. Turn to medium-high heat to achieve a boil, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork once cooked. Depending on which kind of quinoa you are using, the instructions may vary slightly. Traditionally, you should be able to
- Once quinoa is cooked, let cool for 10 minutes.
- Add chopped onion and bell pepper and drained cans of black beans and corn to Instant Pot bowl or pot. Mix well.
- Add in the taco seasoning and juice from limes, stirring until well combined. Add salt to taste.