This southwest quinoa salad is hearty and tangy with a hint of spice. This lunch packs protein and fiber, keeping you full all afternoon.
A note on some of the ingredients:
Quinoa: Quinoa is technically a seed but is classified as a grain. It is high in protein and fiber and has a slightly nutty flavour. While it is naturally gluten free the processing can introduce gluten depending on the facility so ensure that the package states it is gluten free. A great alternative to using quinoa in this salad is whole grain rice.
Plain vegan yogurt: I use a vegan plain yogurt that is oat based and gluten free because I find that the coconut based yogurts still have a hint of coconut flavour to them. Use your preferred yogurt for this recipe or substitute it with vegan mayonnaise.
Vegan mayonnaise: I have used a few vegan mayonnaises over the years and I prefer vegan Hellman’s. It is not watery and is incredibly similar to regular mayonnaise. Use your favourite vegan mayonnaise or substitute it with plain yogurt.
How the southwest quinoa salad is made:
Peel the sweet potato and chop it into 1 cm cubes. Toss it with the oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper either right on the baking sheet or in a small bowl and spread it out evenly on the baking sheet.
While the sweet potato is roasting cook the quinoa based on the package directions. This is also when the dressing can be made. Simply mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl or a jar and store covered in the fridge until ready to use. If the dressing needs to be thinned out a little add an extra tablespoon or two of non dairy milk.
Use fire-roasted corn if available, but if not, heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add frozen corn as a quick alternative.. Toss the corn around the pan only occasionally so that it doesn’t stick. Once the corn starts to brown remove it from the heat and let cool.
Chop some peppers, wash and tear the cilantro, and the salad is ready to assemble!
Other ingredients that can be added to the salad are chopped tomatoes, pepitas or crispy tofu.
Enjoy!
Southwest Quinoa salad with zesty ranch dressing
A protein and veggie packed salad that is topped with a spicy ranch dressing.
4
servings15
minutes30
minutes260
kcal45
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1 cm pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each, coarse sea salt & fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 red pepper, diced into 1 cm pieces
2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
handful cilantro
- Zesty Ranch Dressing
1/3 cup plain vegan yogurt
2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 – 3 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsp non dairy, unsweetened milk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a medium sized baking pan with parchment paper.
- Toss the chopped sweet potato in olive oil, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Spread the potato on the lined pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing half way.
- Cook the quinoa as per the package instructions.
- While the quinoa and sweet potato are cooking, make the dressing. Mix all of the dressing ingredients (except for the milk) together in a small jar. Add the milk in 1 tbsp increments until the dressing is pourable.
- “Fire” roast the corn by pouring it into a small non stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook until any liquid has evaporated and the corn has begun to char, turning only to ensure that it is not sticking to the pan.
- Chop the peppers, drain and rinse the black beans and wash the cilantro.
- Once the sweet potatoes and the quinoa are cooked and cooled slightly assemble the salad.
Notes
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate.
- Nutritional information does not include the Zesty Ranch Dressing.
- The salad can be eaten warm or cold. All ingredients will stay in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Additions: tomatoes, pepitas or crispy tofu.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 260kcal
- Carbohydrates: 47.6g
- Protein: 10.4g
- Fat: 4.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9g
- Sodium: 242mg
- Potassium: 677.1mg
- Fiber: 10.1g
- Sugar: 7.9g
