Quinoa Salad with Red Bell Pepper and Cilantro
This quinoa salad is easy, nutritious, and packed with flavor!
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Resting Time15 minutes mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cilantro, Easy, Jalapenos, Make-ahead, Quick, Quinoa, Red Bell Pepper
Servings: 4
Author: Nicole
- 1 cup pre-washed Quinoa
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium red bell pepper finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium jalapeño steamed, seeded and finely diced (about 2 Tablespoons)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated on a microplane
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a large saucepan over medium heat, toast the quinoa, stirring often, until the quinoa is lightly toasted and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Stir in the water and 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to simmer until the quinoa has absorbed most of the water and is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir the quinoa, recover and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl to cool.
When the quinoa is cools stir in the bell pepper, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, whisk the lime juice, oil, mustard, garlic, and cumin together, then pour over the quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
The quinoa salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; season with additional salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste before serving. Enjoy!
Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1276IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg