Vegan Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad with Avocado

This vegan cilantro lime quinoa salad with avocado is a healthy and delicious summer side dish. Make it in under 30 minutes for an easy weeknight recipe.

As a Registered Dietitian, I love to incorporate lots of whole grains into my diet. Some of my favorites include brown rice, wild rice, farro, and quinoa! This vegan cilantro lime quinoa salad with avocado is a super delicious way to add a whole grain into your meals. It’s made with simple and nutritious ingredients like quinoa, avocado, tomatoes, and corn.

I love to make grain salad recipes when I want something healthy, easy, yummy, and fast. Grain salads are pretty foolproof – just add your favorite vegetables and a simple dressing plus any other add-ins like cheese, nuts, or protein. Grain salads are excellent options for meal prep, and make for a perfect healthy summer cookout side dish!

More delicious healthy quinoa recipes to try: kimchi fried quinoa, quinoa beet salad with butternut squash, quinoa salmon bowls with broccoli and squash, and Mediterranean gluten free quinoa salad.

Ingredients in vegan cilantro lime quinoa salad with avocado

Here is everything you need to make this vegan quinoa salad recipe:

• Quinoa
• Avocado
• Cherry tomatoes
• Frozen corn
• Cilantro
• Lime juice and zest
• Olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic
• Cumin
• Maple syrup

This quinoa salad recipe is naturally vegan, gluten free, soy free, dairy free, and nut free. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, and makes about four servings.

Whole grain substitution: You can easily substitute a different whole grain instead of quinoa for similar results. Try making it with farro, brown rice, or even whole wheat orzo pasta!

How to make cilantro lime quinoa salad with avocado

This recipe is incredibly simple to make. You pretty much just need to mix together cooked and cooled quinoa, chopped cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, boiled corn kernels, and chopped cilantro in a large mixing bowl. Learn how to cook quinoa here!

Then, prepare a simple lime dressing and drizzle it over everything. I like to add the dressing ingredients to a small jar and shake it up to emulsify. Toss everything up to combine, and you’re ready to dig in!

How to quickly cool off cooked quinoa: This recipe (and many grain salads) are best with cool or room temperature quinoa to retain the texture and taste of the raw, uncooked ingredients. To quickly cool it, spread cooked quinoa out in a thin, even layer on a clean baking sheet. Pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes or so, and it will be cool enough to mix in with the other ingredients.

This recipe can be prepared a day ahead of time, and will stay good in the fridge for 2 days in an airtight container. While this quinoa salad will taste good the next day, just be aware that the avocado may start to brown as it sits.

Serving suggestions

Serve this healthy quinoa salad with any of your favorite protein sources. It would be perfect paired with coconut crusted salmon, cilantro lime shrimp, or tofu!

Quinoa nutrition benefits

Quinoa is a gluten free whole grain that has many nutritional benefits. It’s higher in certain nutrients than other whole grains, making it an excellent substitution for rice or wheat products. One cup of cooked quinoa provides:

• 8 grams of plant-based protein
• 5 grams of dietary fiber
• An excellent source of magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus
• A good source of folate, copper, iron, and zinc

Quinoa is considered a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Many plant-based foods are incomplete proteins, since they are missing one or more of the essential amino acids.

Avocado nutrition benefits

Avocado is an incredibly nutrient dense fruit. One cup of avocado has:

• 10 grams of dietary fiber
• 3 grams of plant-based protein
• 14 grams of heart healthy monounsaturated fat
• An excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and potassium

Avocado is one of the best food sources of monounsaturated fat. This type of fat is healthy for us because it helps lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol in our blood, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Other foods rich in monounsaturated fat include olives and olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

More quinoa salad recipes to try

• Greek Quinoa Salad with Lentils
• Beet Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash, Kale, and Pecans
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
• Kale Quinoa Salad with Fall Roasted Veggies
• Pesto Zucchini Quinoa Salad

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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