This Low Calorie Mexican Quinoa Salad is just 97 calories and has 2.9g of protein per 1/2 cup (the perfect side dish size!). It’s also naturally vegan and gluten free, and has less than 1g of sugar!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup quinoa well rinsed and drained
- 1 ¾ cups low sodium vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ red onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced
- 1 avocado diced
Low Calorie Mexican Quinoa Salad
Healthy Mexican Quinoa Salad Meal Prep and Storage
Meal Prep: To meal prep a salad, add all the ingredients to individual meal prep containers, or family sized containers. Add the dressing to a separate container and do not add it until you are ready to serve.
Storage: Will hold in the fridge for 4-5 days, does not hold well in the freezer.
Serving: If you added the dressing and the salad gets soggy, add it to a sandwich wrap or large tortilla. It’s a great way to salvage leftover soggy salad.
Low Calorie Mexican Quinoa Salad
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Low Calorie Mexican Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Low Calorie Quinoa Salad:
- Olive oil spray
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup quinoa well rinsed and drained
- 1 ¾ cups low sodium vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- ½ red onion chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced
- 1 avocado diced
Quinoa Salad Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Homemade Taco Seasoning (or store-bought)
- ⅛ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, and spray with olive oil.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the quinoa and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the quinoa from the heat, and set aside to cool a little.
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk (or shake in a jar with a lid) until well combined.
- Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl and stir in the corn, black beans, onions, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Top with avocado and serve warm or cold.
Nutrition
About the Author
Hi, my name is Audrey Johns and I am a 4 time best selling cookbook author! All 4 of my low calorie cookbooks are published by HarperCollins (the oldest publishing house in the US!) and have been featured on prominent TV shows like The Today Show, Rachael Ray and The Doctors. I am a low calorie and healthy recipe authority and my delicious recipes are tried and loved by thousands of readers.
After a one year 150 pound weight loss (and I’ve kept it off for 13 years!) I started sharing all of my low calorie recipes with the world. They are always all-natural and geared around weight loss and weight management. I have even made some of these recipes with my Biggest Loser pal Bob Harper! Check out my weight loss story, my best selling cookbooks, and my numerous TV appearances by clicking here.
Nutrition and Calories in Quinoa Salad
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