This simple quinoa salad gets tons of flavor from a dressing of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce sweetened with honey over crunchy veggies and huge chunks of avocado.
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword quinoa salad
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 10servings
Calories 442kcal
Ingredients
3cupschicken broth or water
2cuptri-color quinoa
2teaspoonskosher salt, divided
2ears of grilled corn, husks removed
1red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1cupcherry tomatoes, halved
1 15-ouncecan black beans, drained
½cupchopped red onion
⅓cupchopped fresh cilantro
4avocados, seeds removed and cut into 1-inch chunks
½cupvegetable or canola oil
⅓cupfresh lime juice, from about 4 limes
2-3canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (to taste)
2tablespoonsseasoned rice wine vinegar
2tablespoonshoney
2teaspoonscumin
Instructions
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa and season with the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, bring back to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the broth has absorbed and the quinoa is tender with the "tails" of the quinoa appearing. Add more broth or water as needed. Spread the cooked quinoa on a baking sheet to cool. When cool, add to a large serving bowl.
Meanwhile, heat the grill to high and grill the corn, turning occasionally, until the corn is tender and charred in spots, about 5-10 minutes. Cut the corn from the cob and add to a large bowl with the red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, drained black beans, chopped red onion and avocado chunks and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.
In a small bowl, mix the vegetable oil, lime juice, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey cumin and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk together and taste for seasonings and spiciness of the chipotle peppers. It should taste pretty spicy as it will dilute once added to the quinoa.
Drizzle over the quinoa and vegetables and gently fold to combine, taking care with the avocados so they don't break apart.
Taste for seasonings and add more salt to taste. If you like it more spicy, mix more adobo with 1 -2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and fold in.
Sprinkle with more cilantro if desired. Can be refrigerated overnight if desired.