Southwest Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Dressing

This very delicious Southwest Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Dressing might surprise you. It is healthy and full of Tex-Mex flavor. Perfect for a weekend lunch, or make it the day before and grab for a work lunch.

Southwest Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Dressing

Grain Bowls are super popular. We used to call it Rice Salad, back in the day. We hadn’t discovered quinoa yet.

In the last 5 years I have tried many new (to me) foods. Here are some highlights: Goji Berries. Hmmm. I wasn’t in love with them, but the hype was about how healthy they are. I tried disguising them in smoothies, salads, oatmeal, and even a muffin. Nope. I just couldn’t get past their unique flavor, that I still can’t describe. Chia Seeds. Love them, and use them in smoothies and pudding, overnight oatmeal, and even meatloaf, though Paul thought I had gone a little too far. Don’t mess with the man’s meatloaf!

Quinoa was one of my favorite new foods. I love it in soups, and mixed with rice, with gravy, in salads, and grain bowls, of course! Even though it is technically not a grain, but a seed, let’s not split hairs. It’s delicious, healthy and versatile!

The Cilantro Dressing takes this Southwest Quinoa Bowl over the edge of flavor amazingness! You will have leftover dressing, and I encourage you to use it for dipping my Sweet Potato Steak Fries in. Or save it for tacos!

5 from 1 vote

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Southwest Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Dressing

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Southwest Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Dressing is a hearty healthy grain bowl packed with amazing flavors! So easy to put together, and you will love the dressing!

Course: Main Course, Salad, Vegetarian

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 Serving

Author: Sandy Clifton

Ingredients

Quinoa

• 1/2 cup Quinoa
• 1 cup Water
• Pinch of Salt

The Salad

• 1/2 Ripe Avocado mashed
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Squeeze of Lime Juice
• 1/4 cup Corn Kernels cooked
• 1/8 Red Onion thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup Black Beans canned, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 Roasted Red Pepper sliced

Cilantro Dressing

• 1/4 cup Mayonaise
• 3/4 cup Sour Cream
• 1 clove Garlic
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Pepper
• Handful of Fresh Cilantro Leaves rinsed

Garnish

• Sliced Jalapeño
• Cotija Cheese

Instructions

Prepare Quinoa

1. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Take pan off of heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

3. Remove lid and fluff quinoa with a fork. Quinoa is done when it looks translucent and you can see the germ (the little sprout).

4. Set aside to cool.

Make the Dressing

1. Add dressing ingredients to a mini food processor and pulse several times, until ingredients are well chopped and blended.
   

Assemble the Bowl

1. When Quinoa has cooled (you can serve it warm, but I don’t recommend hot), put quinoa in a bowl.

2. Mash the avocado with the salt and lime juice. Place in bowl with quinoa.

3. Add the corn, onion, black beans, and roasted red pepper to the bowl.

4. Drizzle with the cilantro dressing and garnish as desired.