For an easy make-ahead salad, I love to use a quinoa base. A perfect protein, you can pack quinoa full of veggies, but it will also stand the test of refrigeration time and keep for days, unlike salads that become a soggy mess after only a few hours. In fact, I have found that the longer dressed quinoa sits, the better it tastes as the flavors marry and meld.
This will be my go-to salad for picnics and gatherings this summer, but it will also be an easy make ahead dish for lunches this fall. You could easily swap out ingredients based on what's in season and what you have on hand.
The longest part of the recipe is making the quinoa, which you can do well ahead of time. Aside from that, this dish came together in about 20 minutes. And the recipe is a big yield, so you’re guaranteed leftovers for your effort.
Make Ahead Mexican Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
3 cups cooked quinoa - room temperature or chilled
5 radishes, thinly sliced
6 green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can sliced black olives, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons Tajin (chili lime salt)
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
Freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste
Avocado - on the side, for serving
Method
Place the quinoa in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and then drizzle with the olive oil and lime juice. Add the seasonings, except the salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly and then add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with sliced avocado on the side or on top, but omit the avocado from the big bowl so leftovers will keep. Enjoy!
This will be my go-to salad for picnics and gatherings this summer, but it will also be an easy make ahead dish for lunches this fall. You could easily swap out ingredients based on what's in season and what you have on hand.
The longest part of the recipe is making the quinoa, which you can do well ahead of time. Aside from that, this dish came together in about 20 minutes. And the recipe is a big yield, so you’re guaranteed leftovers for your effort.
Make Ahead Mexican Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
3 cups cooked quinoa - room temperature or chilled
5 radishes, thinly sliced
6 green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can sliced black olives, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons Tajin (chili lime salt)
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
Freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste
Avocado - on the side, for serving
Method
Place the quinoa in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and then drizzle with the olive oil and lime juice. Add the seasonings, except the salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly and then add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with sliced avocado on the side or on top, but omit the avocado from the big bowl so leftovers will keep. Enjoy!
