Easy high protein vegan lunch idea
Looking for an easy vegan lunch to meal prep for the week? Wondering how to cook quinoa in a pressure cooker, rice cooker or on the stove? Keep reading to learn how to make this delicious southwest quinoa salad recipe
This recipe was the first way I learned how to cook quinoa way back when I first went vegan.
I love cooking with quinoa because it’s loaded with vitamins, iron, phytonutrients, minerals and it’s a complete protein according to the New York Times.
Quinoa (pronounced Kee-Nwah) will help you feel full without weighing you down and it’s extremely versatile.
This recipe is packed with tons of flavor, but also tons of protein from the black beans and quinoa.
How to cook quinoa in a pressure cooker
- Depending on if your pressure cooker lets a lot of steam out, your water needs will be different.
- Most pressure cookers require the water to quinoa ration to be 1:1
- Always add a little salt or veggie bouillon. You can also cook with veggie broth instead of water.
- Make sure to always rinse the quinoa before cooking to get rid of the bitter coating. Use a fine mesh strainer, or rinse in a pot and slightly crack the lid to pour the water out.
- Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes and quick release. Fluff up the quinoa with a fork
How to cook quinoa in a rice cooker
- Rice cookers require the water to quinoa ration to be 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa
- Always add a little salt or veggie bouillon. You can also cook with veggie broth instead of water.
- Make sure to always rinse the quinoa before cooking to get rid of the bitter coating. Use a fine mesh strainer, or rinse in a pot and slightly crack the lid to pour the water out.
- Place all ingredients in the rice cooker and let it do its thing. Use the white rice setting if your rice cooker requires that choice.
- Let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes before opening, to give it a chance to fluff up.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve
How to cook quinoa on the stove
- Cooking on the stove requires the water to quinoa ration to be 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa
- Always add a little salt or veggie bouillon. You can also cook with veggie broth instead of water.
- Make sure to always rinse the quinoa before cooking to get rid of the bitter coating. Use a fine mesh strainer, or rinse in a pot and slightly crack the lid to pour the water out.
- Place all ingredients in a pan and bring to a low simmer with the lid off
- Continue to cook on a low simmer with the lid off until the water is absorbed. Should take about 10-15 minutes.
- Turn off heat and place lid on the quinoa. Let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes before opening, to give it a chance to fluff up.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve
Tips for making southwest quinoa salad
- Always rinse the quinoa. Quinoa has a coating that makes it taste bitter if you don’t rinse it. Even if you get pre-rinsed quinoa, rinse it.
- Cook the quinoa with some sort of flavoring, either veggie bouillon cube or paste or vegetable broth
- Make sure to chop up all of your veggies to about the same bite-sized pieces. This ensures that you will get multiple flavors in one bite, instead of one large chunk of something overpowering each bite.
- I love to use cherry tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, black beans and sweet corn.
- Sometimes I will also add either english cucumbers, bell peppers or cooked beets.
- Lime is what brings this whole dish together, so don’t skip this part. Roll out the lime on the counter to ensure you get the most juice out of it. Then cut it in half and use a citrus squeezer to juice the lime.
How to serve quinoa salad
- I love meal prepping a big batch and having it ready to go for lunch every day.
- This salad tastes great by itself, but you can also serve it over some romaine lettuce and add some cooked beets.
- This also tastes great served over massaged kale. Cut up some kale and massage in an avocado for about 5 minutes. This helps to break down the cell walls and make it digest easier and taste better because it gets rid of some of the kale’s bitterness. Sprinkle a little salt over the kale.
More plant based lunch recipes to try
Southwest quinoa salad
Healthy, delicious and easy southwest quinoa salad. Great lunch to meal prep and take with you every day. Goes great over romaine lettuce or massaged kale
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Servings: 6
Calories: 402kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa rinsed
- 1.5 tsp veggie bouillon paste OR 1 veggie bouillon cube can also use ½ tsp of salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 can black beans – drained and rinsed
- ½ avocado
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- ½ red onion
- large handful of cilantro
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn rinse under warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup lime juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse off the quinoa (helps get rid of the bitter taste)
- Put 2 cups of quinoa, 2 cups of water and 1.5 tsp of veggie bouillon paste in a pressure cooker and cook on high for 4 minutes. Quick release when done (directions for stovetop and rice cooker in notes section below)
- Let quinoa cool for 10-15 minutes. While you wait:
- Chop up your tomatoes, onions and avocado into the same bite-sized pieces.
- Chop up cilantro and rinse frozen corn under warm water to thaw
- Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and cover with the juice of two limes and one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Salt to taste
- Tastes great by itself, or over chopped romaine lettuce or kale massaged with some avocado and salt. Add in some cooked beats for even more flavor and nutrients
Video
Notes
To cook quinoa on the stove top
2 cups of quinoa, 4 cups of water and 1.5 tsp of veggie bouillon paste (or ½ tsp of salt)
Bring to a simmer and keep the lid off. Cook until water is absorbed – about 10-15 minutes.
Turn off heat and cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to fluff up the quinoa To cook quinoa in a rice cooker: 2 cups of quinoa, 4 cups of water and 1.5 tsp of veggie bouillon paste (or ½ tsp of salt)
Close the lid and let the rice cooker do its magic.
Let it sit for 5 minutes in the rice cooker after it’s done to fluff up the quinoa Tastes great by itself, or over chopped romaine lettuce or kale massaged with some avocado and salt. Add in some cooked beats for even more flavor and nutrients I also sometimes love adding english cucumber, bell peppers or olives
Bring to a simmer and keep the lid off. Cook until water is absorbed – about 10-15 minutes.
Turn off heat and cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to fluff up the quinoa To cook quinoa in a rice cooker: 2 cups of quinoa, 4 cups of water and 1.5 tsp of veggie bouillon paste (or ½ tsp of salt)
Close the lid and let the rice cooker do its magic.
Let it sit for 5 minutes in the rice cooker after it’s done to fluff up the quinoa Tastes great by itself, or over chopped romaine lettuce or kale massaged with some avocado and salt. Add in some cooked beats for even more flavor and nutrients I also sometimes love adding english cucumber, bell peppers or olives
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 1291mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1570IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 6mg
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