Description
This healthy kale and quinoa salad is a fresh and vibrant Mexican inspired salad. It’s made with chopped green kale, fluffy white quinoa, protein-rich black beans, red bell pepper, juicy cherry tomatoes, charred corn, pepitas, crumbled feta cheese, and tossed in a zesty cilantro lime dressing.
Ingredients
Units
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For the salad:
- 6 cups lightly packed chopped kale, ribs removed, finely chopped
- 2/3 cups dry quinoa
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup frozen or canned corn (drained if using canned corn)
- 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or grape tomatoes)
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (or diced red onions)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup roasted salted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (or cotija cheese)
- 1 cup tortilla strips, for garnish (optional)
- Cilantro lime dressing (recipe below)
For the Cilantro Lime Dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup packed cilantro leaves (some small stems are okay)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt (optional to make it creamy)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (honey or agave nectar work too)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa. Combine the dry quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid has evaporated (about 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- Make the skillet roasted corn. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the corn and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the kernels are nicely browned and charred on all sides. Set aside to cool.
- Make the cilantro lime dressing. In a food process or blender, add the cilantro, lime juice, mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt (if using), maple syrup, jalapeño pepper, garlic, ground cumin, salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and process until smooth.
- Massage the kale. Add the kale to a large mixing bowl and drizzle 3 tablespoons of the prepared dressing over the kale. Use your hand to massage the dressing into the kale for 2 minutes. This helps remove the bitterness of the kale and makes it easier to eat.
- Assemble the salad. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa, black beans, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, green onions (or red onions if using), corn, roasted salted pepitas, and crumbled feta (or cotija cheese if using), and the remaining salad dressing. Toss until everything is combined.
- Serve and enjoy! Sprinkle the tortilla strips on top of the salad just before serving (if using). Leftover salad will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. (If you’re using the tortilla strips, they will lose their crispiness and soften over time).
Notes
- Make-ahead instructions: You can make the salad and dressing up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The salad will absorb the dressing as it sits in the fridge but still taste delicious. You can add a splash of lime juice or drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over leftover salad if you want to freshen it up.
- Pepitas substitute: You can use roasted salted sunflower seeds instead.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chopped
- Cuisine: Mexican