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    Home » Appetizers/Sides

    Quinoa Avocado Salad with Lime-Cilantro Dressing

    June 10, 2016 By Patrick 12 Comments

    274 shares
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    For months I've been saying "You can substitute Feta if you don't have Cotija."

    And now I can finally say "You can substitute Cotija if you don't have Feta."

    That's what happens when your kitchen is brimming with Mexican cooking ingredients -- they find ways to improve other dishes that aren't typically labeled 'Mexican'.

    That's the case here with this Quinoa Avocado Salad.  You can also sneak a jalapeno into the Lime-Cilantro Dressing and you've quickly achieved that elusive quinoa combo:  healthy and delicious.

    Our Mexican Cooking Survival Guide is only for people who are tired of greasy taco joints. All others please carry on as if you did not read this.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    Quinoa Avocado Salad with Lime-Cilantro Dressing Recipe

    Quinoa was harvested for human consumption starting about three thousand years ago in the Andean region of South America.  It's been a global ambassador for the plant family ever since; Chenopodium Quinoa.  (Awesome article on the health benefits of quinoa.)

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    But it's got some decidedly human characteristics as well:

    It's picky about who it works with.  It prefers to co-exist with those who complement it.  And it has disdain for those who try to compete with its unique flavor.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    If you're cooking the quinoa, add 1 cup of rinsed quinoa to 2 cups of water (or stock!) along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10-12 minutes.

    (Note that this dish tastes best when the quinoa is chilled, so if you are serving it soon then once cooked you can set it in the fridge for a bit.)

    Take a taste of the cooked quinoa....it's already got a surprisingly complete flavor right?

    Now add a few quinoa-approved fresh ingredients....

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    .....and you've got a meal that is off the charts healthy and can nearly be eaten on its own.

    Nearly.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    Adding a tart dressing seems to be the perfect complement to the dominant flavor of the quinoa.  (We use this Lime Cilantro Dressing in our Avocado Salad as well.)

    Combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, the juice of one lime, one garlic clove, 1/2 jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 10-15 sprigs of cilantro in a blender or food processor.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    Taste for seasoning and add more salt (or jalapeno) to the dressing.  The zip from the jalapeno livens up the room and its inclusion in the salad was instantly approved by the boss (quinoa).  Note:  you could also consider using this Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Dressing.

    Mix all the fresh ingredients together.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    And now here's your chance Cotija lovers!

    Sprinkle as much Cotija on top as you want (or you can substitute Feta!), along with another round of fresh avocado if desired.

    Drizzle with the Lime-Cilantro Dressing, leaving plenty in reserve for quickly approaching future bites.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    And with that final coating of Lime-Cilantro goodness, the mercurial quinoa would like you to know that it feels happy, alive, and thrilled that its full potential is bursting into the world.

    Buen Provecho.

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    This Quinoa Avocado Salad is ridiculously healthy and tastes great on its own. Add in some Lime Cilantro Dressing and it becomes a keeper!! Buen Provecho. mexicanplease.com

    Quinoa Avocado Salad with Lime-Cilantro Dressing

    This Quinoa Avocado salad is good even without the dressing. Adding in a tart Lime-Cilantro dressing takes it to another level.
    4.56 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 438kcal
    Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup uncooked quinoa (2+ cups cooked)
    • 1/2 avocado
    • 1 Roma tomato
    • 1 cup chopped spinach
    • Cotija cheese (or Feta)

    Lime Cilantro Dressing:

    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • juice of 1 lime (1Tablespoon+)
    • 1/2 jalapeno pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 10-15 sprigs cilantro

    Instructions

    • If you are cooking the quinoa, rinse 1 cup quinoa and add to a saucepan along with 2 cups water (or stock) and 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed, 10-12 minutes
    • Set quinoa aside and if serving soon, put it in the fridge to cool it down
    • Meanwhile, finely chop half an avocado, 1 Roma tomato, and 1 cup spinach
    • For the dressing, add 1/4 cup olive oil to a blender or food processor along with the juice of 1 lime, 1/2 jalapeno pepper, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 10-15 sprigs cilantro
    • Pulse blend and taste for heat and seasoning. If desired, you can a bit more jalapeno or salt
    • Combine the quinoa, tomato, avocado and spinach in a bowl.
    • Garnish with cheese (Cotija!) and additional avocado if you want
    • Drizzle Lime-Cilantro dressing over the top

    Notes

    This tastes best when the quinoa is chilled. If you are cooking the quinoa you can put it in the fridge for a bit before serving.
    You've also got the option of blending any remaining avocado into the dressing. This creates a creamier, less tart dressing that is equally delicious.
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

    Like this dish?  Then you'll probably like our Avocado Hummus Tostadas.

    These Vegan Avocado Hummus and Cucumber Pico de Gallo Tostadas will make even the crankiest of carnivores take a second bite. Final zip from some hot sauce highly recommended. So good! mexicanplease.com

    And our Spicy Kale and Quinoa Salad.

    A light, zippy Kale and Quinoa Salad drenched in a yogurt based Creamy Avocado Dressing. As healthy as it gets and loaded with flavor. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Still hungry?!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MJ

      March 23, 2019 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is an amazing recipe! Just starting to experiment with quinoa and really this is a great way to start. The colors are so inviting and the flavor of the lime-cilantro dressing just tops it off. Testing family and friends tonight with this salad and honestly I want it all to myself!!

      Reply
    2. Victor Weinstein

      February 18, 2019 at 6:00 pm

      5 stars
      I really liked it! the jalapeno really gave it a kick! I also liked how the ingredients mixed

      Reply
      • Patrick

        February 18, 2019 at 6:22 pm

        Thanks Victor!

        Reply
    3. Demeter | Beaming Baker

      July 05, 2016 at 2:48 pm

      Patrick, you never cease to amaze me with your incredible Mexican food recipes! The colors are just gorgeous! I'm loving the sound of a quinoa salad--especially topped with this awesome lime cilantro dressing. YUM!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        July 05, 2016 at 4:14 pm

        Hola Demeter! Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it. Especially coming from a photog expert like you 🙂

        Reply
    4. Valerie

      June 24, 2016 at 7:04 am

      Looks like a great and refreshing salad! Quick question - any substitutes that you can recommend for the jalapeno? Not a fan of anything too spicy 🙁

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 24, 2016 at 10:36 am

        Thanks Valerie!

        Anaheims and Green Peppers have very little heat, but I'm not convinced they would work in this dressing. You can scrape out the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno and use only 1/4 of the jalapeno if you want to dial the heat way down.

        To avoid heat altogether I think I would just omit the jalapeno without substituting anything else and dial back on the lime juice. The jalapeno counters the tartness of the lime. Without it I would start with the juice of 1/2 lime and take a taste, adjusting from there. If too tart I would add additional cilantro. If too oily I would add more lime juice.

        Thanks for stopping by, hope it treats you well 🙂

        Reply
        • Valerie

          June 25, 2016 at 7:51 am

          Thanks so much! I think I'll try to scrape everything out and use a little bit of the jalapeno.

          Reply
          • Patrick

            June 25, 2016 at 11:56 am

            OK, I think that will probably work for you. Cheers 🙂

            Reply
    5. Chloe

      June 12, 2016 at 11:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is a delicious dish and works well for dinner as a main dish. I just made it tonight. I found maybe my quinoa was a bit salty but also that could be because I would lots of cotija cheese in the salad and maybe that was a salt double whammy. Also I had question about quinoa cooking...do I let it simmer with a lid on or lid off? I get confused about cooking quinoa..is it like rice this way or better to have the steam come out? thanks for the super recipe..

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 15, 2016 at 12:01 pm

        Thanks for your notes Chloe, they are super helpful.

        Yup Cotija is definitely salty and if you know you will be gobbling it up then 1/4 teaspoon of salt per one cup of quinoa would be adequate.

        And regarding the lid, I cook it the same way I cook rice: lid off during the simmer, then once liquid absorbed turn heat off, cover, and let sit in its own steam for a few minutes BUT you will get lots of opinions on the best way to cook it. Here are some helpful notes to consider:

        http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-63344

        They use lower heat and a lid during the cooking and this should work just as well. Cheers 🙂

        Reply
    6. Chloe

      June 12, 2016 at 12:33 am

      5 stars
      super pics and can't wait to make this next week...just gotta find some cotija

      Reply

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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