Mango makes quinoa salad bright
Sure, quinoa is a complete protein and is known as a “superfood,” so it’s a great base for a hearty and healthful main dish salad. But we love it also for its intriguing and delicate texture and nutty flavor.
For a quinoa salad that showcased these great qualities, we started by toasting the quinoa to bring out its flavor before adding liquid to the pan and simmering the seeds until nearly tender.
We then spread the quinoa on a rimmed baking sheet so that the residual heat would finish cooking it gently as it cooled, giving us perfectly cooked, fluffy grains.
Black beans, mango and bell pepper lent the salad bright flavor, color and satisfying heft. A simple but intense dressing made with olive oil, lime juice, jalapeno, cumin and cilantro gave this dish the acidity needed to keep its flavors fresh.
Finally, sliced scallions contributed bite and a generous topping of avocado slices provided a creamy richness that balanced the bright dressing.
If you buy unwashed quinoa (or if you are unsure whether it’s washed), be sure to rinse it before cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin). For a spicier dressing, add the jalapeno ribs and seeds.