Quinoa Taco Salads With Chili-Lime Vinaigrette
There’s no way you’ll miss the meat in this all veg taco salad.
Jamie Vespa, R.D.
Some research points to fatty red meat as a potential trigger for UC symptoms. So in lieu of ground beef (which is high in saturated fat), this taco salad uses zesty spiced quinoa, which is a lean source of plant-based protein. Get the scoop on how we developed our UC Cooking Club recipes!
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tsp. prepared taco seasoning
- 1 tsp. lime zest, plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ tsp. pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
Directions
- Combine quinoa, broth, and taco seasoning in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 15 minutes, and fluff with a fork. Place in a bowl and transfer to refrigerator to chill.
- Meanwhile, combine lime zest and juice, chili powder, ¼ tsp. salt, and maple syrup in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Gradually stream in oil, whisking constantly, until combined.
- Place lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt in a large bowl; toss to combine. Divide evenly between each of four bowls. Remove quinoa from refrigerator and spoon evenly over salads. Drizzle Chili-Lime Vinaigrette over top and garnish each salad with sliced avocado.
