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    Home » Entrees

    Chipotle Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Corn

    Published: May 14, 2010 · Modified: May 10, 2022 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 36 Comments

    25Shares

    This southwestern chipotle quinoa salad is perfect for potlucks and picnics. Or serve it as a side dish with grilled chicken any night of the week.
    Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn & Chipotle Pepper, Lime & Honey Dressing Recipe

    There are times when I ponder what it might be like to go vegetarian. I made an attempt the other night to walk on the light side by cooking up a veggie burger for myself. All was going along swimmingly - a whole wheat bun, a grain and bean-filled patty, and a dollop of yogurt-dill sauce leftover from the Pan-Fried Bulgur Cakes. The saturated fat count was low, no animals were harmed in the process, and I was feeling very proud of my meatless meal. That is, until I topped the burger with a strip of crispy, salty bacon. It rapidly became clear to me that I am not cut out to be a vegetarian. And let me tell you something - that was the best veggie burger I have ever consumed.

    In an attempt to pay penitence for meat-filled indiscretion, I fixed a truly vegetarian dish for lunch today. Quinoa, my whole grain paramour, became a hearty meal when mixed with black beans and corn, and tossed with a spicy and sweet dressing made from lime juice, cumin, chipotle peppers, and honey. It was so satisfying that I felt momentarily guilty for my bacon gaffe the night before.

    Combine 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water in medium saucepan set over high heat. Once the water boils, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl.


    In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons honey, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon seeded and minced chipotle pepper. Chipotle peppers are sold in cans and are usually labelled as "Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce".



    While whisking constantly, slowly add ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the chipotle mixture to form a dressing. Set aside.

    Stir ½ cup cooked black beans and ½ cup fresh or frozen (defrosted) corn kernels into the quinoa.


    Add the chipotle dressing to the quinoa and gently toss to combine. Stir in ¼ cup chopped cilantro. Serve.


    Other quinoa recipes:

    Cookin' Canuck's Quinoa with Braised Fennel, Thyme & Toasted Almonds
    Cookin' Canuck's Quinoa with Caramelized Mushrooms, Soy Sauce & Ginger
    101 Cookbooks' Double Broccoli Quinoa
    Gluten Free Goddess' Quinoa Salad with Lime & Fresh Mint
    Kalyn's Kitchen's Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Radishes, Cucumbers & Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette

    Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn & Chipotle Pepper, Lime & Honey Dressing

    1 cup quinoa
    2 cups water
    2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    2 teaspoon honey
    1 teaspoon ground cumin
    1 teaspoon seeded & minced chipotle peppers (sold in cans as chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
    ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    ½ cup cooked black beans
    ½ cup fresh or frozen (defrosted) corn kernels
    ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

    Combine quinoa and water in medium saucepan set over high heat. Once the water boils, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl.

    In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime juice, ground cumin, salt, and chipotle pepper. While whisking constantly, slowly add ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the chipotle mixture to form a dressing. Set aside.

    Stir black beans and corn kernels into the quinoa. Add the chipotle dressing to the quinoa and gently toss to combine. Stir in cilantro. Serve.

    Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish or 3 to 4 as an entree.

    Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Kimberly

        September 13, 2012 at 9:31 pm

        Love this recipe! I've made it a few times and each time, I find it tastes even better.

        Reply
        • Dara (Cookin' Canuck)

          September 19, 2012 at 4:09 pm

          I'm so glad to hear that, Kimberly. It's one of my favorites, too.

          Reply
      2. Christy

        December 05, 2011 at 11:41 am

        Finally a recipe with quinoa that I really enjoy. I've been wanting to use this grain, but hadn't found the right recipe to eat it regularly. Thank you! I didn't have honey or the peppers so I substituted agave nectar and hot sauce, seems that the sweet spicy combo still worked.

        Reply
      3. linda-rd

        September 15, 2010 at 3:26 am

        this looks divine. quinoa is a very healthy gain and you can do alot with it..thanks for sharing your recipe

        Reply
      4. Natalie (The City Sisters)

        May 28, 2010 at 1:18 pm

        The is such a perfect recipe! We are cooking for a brood this weekend in Texas and this will be the perfect side dish to our pulled pork tacos! Can't wait to try it!!

        Reply
      5. Melody Fury - GourmetFury.com

        May 27, 2010 at 6:10 pm

        This is a beautiful recipe! I would love for you to enter it to our 8th monthly veggie contest. This month's theme vegetable is corn!

        More details: http://tiny.cc/ikije

        Have a great day 🙂

        Reply
      6. Michelle @ Brown Eyed Baker

        May 19, 2010 at 12:36 am

        Awesome summer dish! I love quinoa and black beans 🙂

        Reply
      7. ivoryhut

        May 18, 2010 at 8:21 pm

        I love the addition of corn! I always enjoy a little crunch with quinoa, and this sounds really good.

        Reply
      8. Tracy

        May 18, 2010 at 7:45 pm

        Love it! I still have yet to try quinoa...crazy, right? 🙂 I definitely want to give this a try.

        Reply
      9. Jenny

        May 18, 2010 at 6:55 pm

        I am a quinoa fanatic! This one sounds great!

        Reply
      10. Maria

        May 18, 2010 at 5:09 pm

        Love this one Dara!

        Reply
      11. Maggy@ThreeManyCooks

        May 18, 2010 at 3:56 pm

        I love quinoa - this recipe looks fantastic! Great flavors going on.

        Reply
      12. jen

        May 18, 2010 at 3:01 am

        i love quinoa salad, your dressing sounds awesome. we will definitely be using it next time!

        Reply
      13. sweetlife

        May 17, 2010 at 2:18 am

        great recipe, I love wuinoa and the dressing I can imagine adds great flavor..

        sweetlife

        Reply
      14. Trudy (veggie num num)

        May 17, 2010 at 12:43 am

        The dressing sounds so light and delish! What a wonderful veggie lunch.

        Reply
      15. Danielle

        May 16, 2010 at 10:20 pm

        Mmmm that looks so healthy and delicious!

        Reply
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      Hi there! Welcome to Cookin' Canuck.

      I'm Dara, a Canadian living in the U.S. and sharing my favorite healthy recipes. My cooking motto is that healthy eating never needs to be boring!

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