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Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad

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Delicious Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is a tasty way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods into your diet.

This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad

Quinoa, black beans, mango and vegetables with cilantro and lime juice – a delicious combination perfect for lunch or as a side dish. (perfect for Meatless Mondays!) Leftovers are great, the flavors only get better the next day.

This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.

Is quinoa salad healthy?

Quinoa is rich in fiber, minerals, antioxidants and all nine essential amino acids, making it one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods. Add mango, black beans and bell peppers, and this quinoa salad packs with vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, folate, iron and lutein, so it’s not just tasty,  it’s also good for you.

What is the best color quinoa to use in quinoa salad?

This versatile seed comes in a variety of colors. The most common available are white, red, and tri-color which is a blend of white, red and black. White quinoa is the fluffiest so it’s best as a replacement in rice dishes. Red and tricolor work best in salads because they have a firmer texture and hold their shape without becoming too mushy.

How Long Does Quinoa Salad Last in the Refrigerator?

This quinoa salad actually tastes better after a day once the flavors meld. The salad itself comes together quickly, and will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Is Quinoa Gluten-Free?

Yes, quinoa also happens to be naturally gluten-free.

This recipe is from The Plant-Powered Diet by Sharon Palmer, RD who I met in California on a trip to visit the Dole farms. A great book if you’re are interested in adding more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.

This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.

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Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad

4.90 from 47 votes
2
Cals:164
Protein:6
Carbs:27
Fat:4
This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.
Course: Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
This healthy Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad is delicious, a great way to get more vegetables and plant-based foods to your diet.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 15- ounce can black beans, no salt added, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa, (red or tri-color)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mango
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
  • juice from 1 medium lemon or lime
  • 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Instructions

  • Mix together the beans, quinoa, corn, bell pepper, mango, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a mixing bowl.
  • Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric in a small bowl.
  • Drizzle over the mixture and toss.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Last Step:

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Notes

This recipe is from The Plant-Powered Diet by Sharon Palmer, RD

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cup, Calories: 164 kcal, Carbohydrates: 27 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 4 g, Sodium: 93 mg, Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 11.5 g

Categories:

Photo credit: Jess Larson 

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273 comments on “Southwestern Black Bean, Quinoa and Mango Salad”

  1. This is fantastic! Paired it with a black bean burger and was amazing. Your recipes never disappoint. Thank you.

  2. Very tasty and healthy! The whole family enjoyed it. Some use the salad as a filling for soft tacos in corn tortillas. I used lime rather than lemon.

  3. Avatar photo
    Cynthia Pelletier

    I wanted something different for lunch. Used shell macaroni in place of quinoa and black beans because it was what I had. It was Excellent!! I also did add a little salt at the end. Can’t wait to share this with my family!

  4. This was delicious! I totally forgot to add the cilantro (even though I bought it) and it was still yummy. Thumbs up from the kids too.
    Thank you!

  5. I absolutely love this dish. I’ve made it so often over the years. The flavours all meld together perfectly and the end result is delicious. Excellent side dish, lunch, snack or for whatever it is you need.

    Thank you Gina for making healthy taste delicious and for sharing with those of us who have relied on your expertise for years.

  6. Omg! I was very skeptical about this recipe but it’s delicious!!!! I just added lettuce to it and perfection!!

    I am a gluten free vegetarian and this is perfect for lunch.

    Thank you!

  7. I made this today and it is absolutely delishcious. Wondering if it can be frozen as I will be the only one wating it?

  8. This is my new summer go-to. I am breastfeeding so I am trying to eat very nutritiously and this salad is bursting with flavor. It’s super refreshing. I added more cilantro and went the extra mile and roasted some ears of corn on the grill and used that instead of canned. For the dressing, I think using a lime over a lemon really elevates the flavor. I only used 1T evoo. I am thinking of marinating shrimp in TJ’s chili-lime seasoning and adding for a complete meal. Thank you Gina for this winner!

  9. My new favorite dinner! Absolutely amazing. My one change was to only add 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa. I served in bowls with a piece of grilled blackened salmon on top. A crave worthy dinner and so healthy!!! I can’t wait to have this again.

  10. I like making a double batch of this on Sundays and having it for lunch for a few days. It takes my husband and I about 45 mins of working together to chop everything, but I’m pretty careful with the peppers to remove ribbing and seeds so the fella can handle the spice. I agree that it tastes even better after a day in the fridge. Might try it with garlic powder instead of minced garlic next time, which would cut down on prep time and would mix better in the sauce than the raw garlic does.

  11. This recipe is full of flavor and tastes great! I used microwavable quinoa and brown rice since I didn’t have plain quinoa and it was great! I allowed the quinoa and rice to cool before mixing it with the rest of the salad.

  12. This has become a staple salad in our home! We use it as a side or grilled some chicken or shrimp to put on top & make it a main course. It’s great to take to picnics because it has not dairy in it too! Absolutely love it!

  13. This is a great salad! I love the variety of ingredients. First time I made it I thought the dressing missed the mark. The next time I made it I made a couple adjustments which I encourage you to try to take this salad to amazing! Increase cumin to 1 teaspoon, ditch the minced garlic and try quality garlic powder 1 teaspoon, turmeric is an interesting addition to the dressing but doesnt do much for the flavor, try 1/4 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce instead. The lime juice, olive oil and chili powder I left as is. Good luck and happy healthy eating.

  14. Avatar photo
    Kate Sullivan

    Tried this yesterday for the first time. First time trying black beans too! Definitely a keeper! My boyfriend loved it. Thanks!

  15. I used 1 cup dry quinoa  (makes 3 cups cooked) … was this a mistake?  I was confused by the directions.

  16. I made this it’s very yummy. The only thing different I added english cucumber I had leftover thatch didn’t want to go bad.

  17. This has become a staple recipe in our home!! It’s absolutely fantastic! Great flavor and so versatile in its use. Thank you!!

  18. This was delicious!! I don’t like mango or avocado so I substituted pineapple and it was so good!! This will be a regular recipe in my house.

  19. My son says this was heavenly, we paired with shrimp cakes. Will definitely be making this salad a staple!

  20. Avatar photo
    Jessica Sears

    I made this and it was Delicious! However, when I added the recipe to WW it was 4 points for blue. I’ve doubled check all the ingredients and amounts and I can’t figure out why it’s not 2 points.

  21. I unfortunately only had frozen mango, which I let thaw in the fridge overnight, but the flavors still came together quite nicely. I would love to make this again, but with fresh mango.

  22. Ok my apologies. I couldn’t figure out why this was 9 blue points accoeding to the nutritional info provided so I entered it as a recipe and it is indeed only 2 blue points. Glad to know as I really enjoyed it but would not have made it again at the 9 pt value originally thought. Again my apologies for jumping the gun!

    1. Aaaahhhh. I questioned another recipe because when I put the. nutritional info in it wasn’t right points according to the green WW plan. This might be why. Thanks for that. I’ll double check before asking next time. 

  23. This was very good. I substituted ACV for the lemon juice. I went to log it in my Weight Watchwrs app and blue point total is 6 not 2 as stated. Will definitely be checking others prior to making from now on as I ate 1 1/2 cups on the assumption it would be 3 pt but was 9 so now need to adjust the rest of my day.

  24. Another really great recipe! I made it tonight with a tri-tip and it was perfect on a hot fall evening. I only added a bit of salt as my husband is a salt nut….so yummy and will probably be even better for lunch tomorrow.

  25. Has anyone frozen this? I’m prepping for 2 weeks. Doubled the recipe. We’ll see how it holds up after freezing!

  26. Avatar photo
    Ilene Perfetto

    Made this salad yesterday and brought to a friend’s house for lunch. Sooooo refreshingly delicious, the mango “makes” this salad! and my friend kept the leftovers! LOL. But that’s ok cause I made more today! YUMMMM!

  27. I made this on Sunday and ate it all week for lunch. It was AMAZING!!! I added some chopped up chicken we had bbq’d and it added some yummy zero point protein. I will definitely be making this again.

  28. Excellent recipe for a light lunch in the suumer. It has a wonderful flavor. I did add a few shakes of tajin to it. This one is a keeper.

  29. Made this for the 1st time last night and brought it to work for lunch today! It was so fresh and delightful. I added some leftover rotisserie chicken with my lunch portion.

  30. Avatar photo
    Debbie Deerfield

    This is a delicious salad of large portions. I made it for an outing and everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. I used the juice of 2 limes, tricolor quinoa and added a little kosher salt to taste. Definitely make this at least 1 day before you need it so the flavors have a chance to develop.

  31. Neither my husband nor I like jalapeño peppers, and I can’t eat green peppers. Is there anything I can substitute for the jalapeño? Or simply omit it?

    1. I had a 2” piece of zucchini begging to be used up, so I small diced that in place of the jalapeño.  It doesn’t add the same flavor as a jalapeño, but it added some nice color.  When I make it next time, I’ll be sure to add some diced poblano pepper.

  32. This was delicious! I added some halved cherry tomatoes which added some nice acidity. I did need to add a little salt and pepper to taste which wasn’t in the recipe.

  33. Avatar photo
    Debbie Jackson

    This is so good as easy! I served with lightly sautéed shrimp!  Love i. Did not modify the recipe

  34. This was a delicious dinner for a hot summer day. Everything melded together beautifully and it tasted even better on the following day. It is also lovely to look at.

  35. Avatar photo
    andrea trautman

    So sorry to say that all the pop-up ads make it impossible to download recipes. They cover at least a third of the page, making the instructions unavailable. I do have three of your cook books, and I am always looking forward to new recipes; it’s such a disappointment to have them unavailable.
    .

    1. Avatar photo
      Victoria Hensch

      Hello and hallelujah! That is one awesome salad! I used white quinoa because it’s all I had, and same for avocado instead of mango. It took a while to make but was totally worth it–took more than 15 min. for me to rinse, drain, cook, squeeze, & chop everything. I can only imagine how yummy it will be tomorrow after resting a bit. (I didn’t wait, but dug right in after it was ready.)

      This is only my second recipe of yours, but love love love it! Carry on, Gina. 🙂 FIVE STARS

      1. Gina, I’m allergic to mango and avocado. Any other substitution suggestions? This recipe I would love to try! Thank you!

  36. Gina, your recipes do not disappoint.  This dish is sooo crazy, delicious (and colorful)!!  I served it for dinner tonight with the Air Fryer Chicken Milanese & Arugula, YUM!! 

  37. Avatar photo
    Camille Casey

    Made this last night and wow it was fantastic tasting!  Loved how the Margo made it taste soooo good!  Will make again!  Gina your recipes are really winners!  I am a lifetime member of WW and have been using your recipes for years. This is my first post!  Thanks again!

  38. Great Vegan recipe. I absolutely love it. I’ts a great combination of sweet, tangy and spicy. I’ve made and shared this recipe several times now and it was enjoyed by all. Thank you Gina

  39. Yum! Made this today, but had to substitute farro instead of quinoa as that’s what was on hand. It is delicious!

  40. Wow can I say wow.  I love this and so versitlle. Grilled shrimp tonight having with seared Tuna tommorow and chicken for lunch on Tuesdsy.  I just love your recipes.  Thanks.  

  41. I made this for the first time last night for my lunches for the week. I was so excited to have lunch today. It did not disappoint at all.  It’s great just the way you have it outlined in your recipe!!  I will be making this again!!!

  42. I made this for a family reunion. Doubled the recipe and added grilled chicken. It was delicious. Took leftovers to work for lunch.

  43. Avatar photo
    Phillip J Labossiere

    This recipe was amazing and super simple to make. I subbed Avocado instead of the Mango and it was even tastier than I imagined.. Your site is a life saver…I already lost 21lbs and it is So thanks to the recipes on this site.

  44. SO grateful for coming across this recipe! Gina, what a delicious, hearty, and healthful fuel for our bodies 🙂 Thank you!! I’m going to use the leftovers for lunch at work and try it as the stuffing for stuffed peppers 🙂

  45. Love doing salads for meal prep for work lunches. When I pair this salad with a chicken breast or a couple of drumsticks, I always feel satisfied!

  46. Pingback: Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa Salad « katecooking

  47. Pingback: 15 Summer Salads and Sides Perfect for a Cookout - Meal Planning Mommies

  48. SO clearly I’m working my way through the Skinnytaste site!.. and I am LOVING it! Made this delicious quinoa salad as a side to the “Quick Garlic-Lime Marinated Pork Chops” (also from this site!) I LOVED this salad! It is light and packed with fresh ingredients! I am currently doing WW and a cup as a serving for 4pts is fantastic! My ONLY thought (and my husbands too) was that maybe next time I will increase the dressing a bit… or add some orange zest or juice from an orange when making the dressing. But that’s just our opinion… we really enjoyed this!

  49. Soooo a few people asked and I don’t see a answer.  Is it one cup of Quinoa dry or one cup after it’s been cooked????  MAJOR difference. 

  50. Someone else asked this question. Is it 1 cup of cooked quinoa or 1 cup dry quinoa? There is a huge difference.

  51. I just  made this dish and it is delicious.  I did add agave to the dressing as I thought it was too acidic and it made it!! 

  52. Pingback: Top 5 Protein-Packed Snacks - Ruff Tuff Cream Puff

  53. This recipe is excellent, a definite keeper. Everyone loved it.

    I cooked one cup of dry quinoa and used the whole thing, otherwise, there isn’t much quinoa. I made 1.5x the dressing recipe. Thank you!

  54. My husband “hates’ quinoa but had seconds of this. Totally delicious and 100% anti-inflammatory, so that made me even happier. I simply cannot tell you how much I love this recipe. Thank you for sharing!

  55. I made this for the 1st time last night & took a picture of it after assembling. It was so beautiful! Just so colorful! I thought, “Wow, even if this tastes like sh*t, it sure is gorgeous!” 😛 It tasted AMAZING!!! This salad is exploding w/ flavor! SO SO GOOD!

  56. This was so good! I doubled everything but the jalapeño and onion and it was perfect. I did 1 and 1/4 cup dry quinoa in my rice cooker and it gave me about five servings. I also left out the corn. I can’t wait to make this again! 

  57. Hi Gina- I have the same question someone wrote above. Do you mean one cup cooked quinoa? Or one cup uncooked quinoa (and whatever that yields, which would be more)?

    Your site is my go-to and I’m so grateful for it and you!

  58. AMAZING!!!  This recipe was wonderful…perfect for summer!  This will definitely be on our menu rotation!!

  59. This is delicious! Quick question, when I calculated the Smart points on the WW app I got 6, instead of 4. Is some of the info wrong? 

  60. I cannot eat quinoa. My intestines actually tie into knots although I do like the taste. What might be a good alternative?

  61. I just made this for dinner as a Main dish.The blend of flavors are amazing!! Since I love avacado, I added 1/4 of an avacado, cut in chunks to my 2 cup portion. thank Gina!

  62. Avatar photo
    Diana Cloudlet

    It’s such a great post! Awesome! I like your style of writing and your photos!
    I know how much time it requires to keep updating your blog, but don’t stop doing it!)

    Diana Cloudlet
    http://www.dianacloudlet.com/

  63. Avatar photo
    Heather Mason@NuttyNutrition

    Yummy! This looks soo good! It's been too long since I've made quinoa. It's almost like a mango salsa with quinoa.

  64. Avatar photo
    Cookin' Canuck

    What a great mixture of flavors, Gina! The sweet of the mango and spice of the jalapeno…perfect.

  65. I forgot to check the "notify me" button and would love to know if frozen mango would work. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!

  66. Would frozen mango work? Sounds delicious and I'm going to make this as soon as I have all the ingredients!

  67. Avatar photo
    Mandy and Jon

    How funny, I made this for dinner 2 days ago (from your archives). I served it with grilled shrimp. It was a hit with the hubs. Delicious!

  68. Had this for lunch yesterday. SOOO good. I did add some additional corn and used a full mango as the 1 cup of quinoa was not enough to make 6 servings. Still tasty though.

  69. If you freeze the leftovers, will it still be good. Have to travel and cleaning out the frig.

    – Mary Ellen

  70. I made this last night and it turned out excellent! Another great skinnytaste recipe. Thanks Gina!

    – Alicia

  71. This was delicious. Just made if for the first time last night. The portions are quite generous too!

  72. I made this today, minus the red onion and pepper because I didn't have them, and it is a great lunch! However, I'm not sure I did it right because it sure looks wetter than your pictures. Maybe I needed more quinoa? I topped it with avocado. Yum!

  73. I've made this several times for parties and picnics and everyone loves it. It's great because it doesn't seem like "diet food", but it's so healthy!

  74. I made this for the first time about a month ago and every week since. My 6 year old son says it is his favorite thing I make and even asks to take it to school for lunch. Thanks Gina.

  75. Avatar photo
    Ms. Blackburn

    Made it for our street's block party and it was the only side dish scraped clean! Everyone loved it!

  76. This quinoa was delicious, one of my favorite quinoa dishes that I've tried! My whole family liked it and I plan to make it again! I shared your recipe in a recent meal plan on my food blog, rainbowdelicious.com. Thanks!

  77. This was amazing!! I added about 8 oz of chicken for even more protein, and 1/2 a tsp of salt. I think it was one of my favorite skinnytaste recipes!

  78. Hi everyone ! So the next day of making this I had it with tostitos scoops and the following day I made burritos with it! I used the 10" wraps and used 1/4 cups of the quinoa 1/4 cup of cilantro lime white rice , pico de gallo and two slices of avocado. I also used chulula sauce. This was amazing! I felt like I was eating at Qdoba! You guys should really try it this way. You will absolutely love it! I can't wait to make it again next week. The meat wasn't missed. Excellent! Thanks Gina.

  79. I have made this recipe twice already and doubled the second batch! I any enjoying it for lunch and dinner with some avacado added for a little creaminess. Such wonderful recipes! Thanks

  80. This recipe rocked! My friend and I do meal prep every week and we always choose one recipe from Skinnytaste to try out. This was our pick this week and we are in love! My mother-in-law coincidentally made it too and was also a fan. Mmm good!

  81. I made this two days ago and my husband and I loved it!! It made so much that we had some with dinner, for lunch the next day and dinner again last night. It was delicious – as is every single recipe I have tried from you! Thanks Gina!

  82. I've made this recipe before, and we loved it just as much this time! I did add another tbsp of lime juice, and a little salt. Mmmm good!

  83. Hi! I am planning on making this too I've tried so many of them and they are all keepers! Thanks Gina!
    Question: will this taste good warm/hot ? Or does it have to be cold??

  84. Wondering how this would be with some chunks of avocado on top, plus maybe some sour cream and tortilla chips for lunch. I'm gonna try it out tomorrow. This was delicious as a side with our grilled burgers tonight!

  85. Wondering how this would be with some chunks of avocado on top, plus maybe some sour cream and tortilla chips for lunch. I'm gonna try it out tomorrow. This was delicious as a side with our grilled burgers tonight!

    1. Delicious with avocado and sour cream! Sort of like a different version of a chipotle burrito bowl.

  86. Avatar photo
    Jennifer and her Jelly Bean

    Gina, you rock. This looks wonderful!

    I am hosting a dinner on Saturday and am just starting to appreciate cooking. Can anyone suggest other things to accompany this? I have 2 vegetarians coming.

    Thanks so much!

  87. Made this last night (prob the 20th time I've made it!) to accompany a fritatta, and green tossed salad! My family loves it everytime I make it! I do not add the cumin, chili, or tumeric, I just to the olive oil/lime with salt & pepper (I only like those other seasonings in my Venison Chilli!) Delish and fresh tasting!

  88. Just made this recipes. I subbed chickpeas for the mango. Plan on trying tomorrow for dinner!! 🙂

  89. This is a great recipe. Very nutritious & filling! I used fresh pineapple in place of the mango, that's what I had on hand. I am a leftover person & it's great the next day.

  90. OMG! I already make something just like this, I make it all summer long, it's so delicious, the combination of flavors are outstanding, and it's so good for you! Thanks Gina, i can't wait to try your recipe! MmmMMmm

  91. Gina, I have made over a dozen of your recipes, and I still have yet to find one I don't like! I have never been a huge quinoa fan, but I've been looking for good recipes to help make me like it. I had some fresh mangoes, and thought I would try this. I loved it!! The marinade is wonderful! You're so creative, and your blog is the only one I keep coming back to! I'll be first on the list to get your new cookbook!

  92. Avatar photo
    Lisa Kaminsky

    I have made this twice and really enjoy it over a simple salad. The second time I made it, I used pineapple instead of mango (frozen tidbit worked great), lime, zest of one lime, and did not deseed my jalapeno. Love it! Handy because it lasts forever in the fridge…

  93. Avatar photo
    Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking

    Such a tasty twist on quinoa! I've got to get my hands on some and make this soon!

  94. Avatar photo
    Laura's Linguistics

    You always have awesome recipes, so I decided to try quinoa again. The first time I made it, it had an awful flavor, but I rinsed it many, many times this time. I did make a few alterations – kidney beans because I didn't have any black beans on hand, and no peppers because I'm a wimp! I have to say, this is delicious! Thank you for giving me the courage to try quinoa again! You've opened up a whole new door for me!

  95. I really don't like quinoa but love the idea of this recipe. Do you have a suggestion of what I could use instead?

  96. Hi- I'm the daughter of your daughter's teacher. I made this last night also (made the spicy cauliflower too and noted on this site). This was great as well! I did leave out the cumin and tumeric only because I didn't have any but it was still really delicious!

  97. We made this a couple of days ago and loved it. We happened to have fresh pineapple, so we threw that it with some goat cheese that we also had around. It was delicious.

  98. This is delicious, I just made it and am eating it with tortilla chips and sour cream – even more delicious!!

  99. For those who asked about a mango substitute: My husband hates mango, so we subbed with Pineapple, works great!

  100. Avatar photo
    Jenny @ Savour the Senses

    We just went over grains in culinary school last week and made a lot of quinoa, this version sounds to die for!

  101. I've made this three times so far, for myself and for group events … it's always a HUGE hit! Thank you!

  102. This is so tasty its not even right. We didnt add the garlic as in europe garlic seems to be 2-3x more potent. Added a touch of sweet to bring the mango and tumeric out and a dash of apple cider vinegar. Y.U.M.

    Now I dont have enough for lunch :/

  103. Oh my! What a great combination of flavours! This salad is simply fabulous. As I am somewhat a sissy when it comes to raw onions and garlic, I instead added a chopped shallot and grilled garlic to the quinoa that I cooked in chicken broth. I also put 1/4 of the seasonings in the broth for the quinoa. Super, thank you!

    Lyne

  104. This recipe is amazing. I've never cooked quinoa before. I omitted the red pepper and turmeric because I didn't have any on hand (but tossed in a small amount of saffron). This will be my lunch for the next couple of days. YUM! thanks, Gina!

  105. I've made this twice, and here are my tips:

    Watch the amount of garlic. The first time I made it, I found two cloves to be way too overpowering for this dish (they were pretty big cloves.) This time around, I only used one large clove & it's juust right.

    I also agree with the previous posters, that 1 cup of quinoa just doesn't cut it (and doesn't turn out looking like the pictures above.) I'd recommend doubling or even tripling the amount of quinoa.

    That being said, this is an absolutely awesome recipe! So flavorful and interesting. Definiteley worth the pain of chopping that mango! 😉

  106. Delish! I didn't have enough quinoa on hand, but had some tiny star pasta, so I used that. And, instead of chopping up mango and onion and jalapeno and cilantro, I used fresh mango/peach salsa! OMG, so good!

  107. Absolutely loved this recipe. It is such a great mix of flavors. Do yourself a favor & double the recipe! I accidentally forgot the corn and had to use bottled lemon juice and it still turned out great.

  108. So delicious! It was my first time cooking quinoa and it was a success! I left out the cilantro because I'm not a huge fan, but there was still PLENTY of flavor! Love your blog!!

  109. Just finished making this for my lunch-for-the-week and it's so delish. Subbed bell peppers with ancient sweets and poblano for the jalapeño since uts what I had. It's so awesome – my grandmother, who's a very picky eater, loved it as well!

  110. This was awesome! Followed it to a tee and added some shrimp on top. Yum!! Can't wait for the cookbook!!

  111. Avatar photo
    Ashli Phillips

    Check out my dinner I made with the fabulous quinoa tonight as well! 🙂

    http://runningwithginger.blogspot.com/2012/08/hawaiian-chicken-with-pineapple-coconut.html

  112. Yum!!! I omitted the cilantro because, to my dismay, hubby HATES (LOATHES!) cilantro. 🙁 But even with my beloved cilantro being absent, this was still VERY delicious! I added a bit of green onion to sub for the cilantro, and used two whole mangoes. MMMMMM! Great flavor and texture.

  113. I must say that this is one of my favorite quinoa recipes now. I did make an entire batch, I should have done half because it is for just myself, but the spices and mixture of veggies alone are wonderful! I had not even added the dressing at the time of the tasting! I did use a yellow pepper, I did not have a red pepper and I am so pleased with this I just had to tell you!!! I have tried other recipes on here which have also become favorites, and THANK YOU for including nutritional info (including sodium when you can).

  114. Made this last night but tweaked it a little. My boyfriend and I hate peppers so we just left them out, added a little chicken to make it more of a dinner, and added a little bit of BBQ seasoning to add some smokiness and make it more of a dinner. My boyfriend said it didn't need the seasoning, but I figured I would give it a shot. Great recipe! Thank you Gina for helping me show my boyfriend that I can cut a lot of calories without cutting any flavor!

  115. Made this tonight and it is FAB! Such a beautiful array of colors and so fresh and light. Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow. With the quinoa and black beans, it doesn't even need a meat protein. Thanks so much for this fantastic recipe.

  116. This is really good! I made it with brown rice because quinoa is a bit expensive for my budget (at least in the midwest). It tasted a little too lemon-y for me, so next time I will only squeeze half of the lemon. I may have grabbed a large instead of a medium.

  117. I've been reading your recipes for months now, but this is the first one I tried (not a lot of cooking this summer!) – YUM! Also first time I cooked quinoa. Delicious – I acually used 1 c dry quinoa which is more like 3 c cooked, but it came out looking like yours. I will have lunch for the week – thanks.

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    Melissa Sheridan

    This sounds amazing! I'm always looking for new quinoa recipes that look like they have a lot of great flavor.

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    Elizabeth Woolever

    I'm making this for a potluck tomorrow except I'm using bulgar wheat instead of quinoa as it just plain costs a lot less and I'll be making a large batch. I also love the addition of grilled shrimp another poster listed, but that won't be added for the potluck either.

    PS – I just love your recipes and so does my family, so far the Swedish meatballs & Cajun Pasta (with shrimp) have become staple go to dinners in our house.

  120. I made this Tuesday for dinner and we absolutely loved it. It made a huge amount. I shared the leftovers with my daughter and I finished my portion today.

  121. Made this tonight and it was delish! Such a good summer meal! I added some extra mango because in my opinion, that was the best part. (The worst part is cutting the mango!) And for zero points, why not! I also used 1 1/2 c of cooked quinoa to get a couple more servings out of it. Thank you for a new way to prepare quinoa!

    1. Avatar photo
      The Home Cook

      Hey Nikki, Have you seen this? Its a mango cutter. I have one and absolutely LOVE it! http://pamperedchef.biz/kaytecooks?page=products-detail&categoryId=90&itemId=2418&productId=33218

  122. TO DIE FOR!!! Gina you're so in the same mindset as I am… I am always finding flavorful and colorful ways to dress up quinoa.. and mango is always a favorite!

  123. I made this about five minutes ago and I'm already scarfing down my second bowl. I hope I still have some left for lunch tomorrow!

    Definitely making this for a party I'm hosting next week.

  124. I made this last night and it was so refreshing and good. It's light enough but filling to feel satisfied. I will be making this often.

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    Pattie Rundgren

    Delicious! We had it as a side with Salmon for dinner. I tossed in some grilled shrimp the next day for lunch. It tasted even better the second day. I love your site. Everything I have tried has been fabulous!

  126. I made this last night with brown rice since I didn't have any quinoa and it was still delicious!

    Thanks Gina! 🙂

  127. I made this this evening and absolutely fell in love with it. I invited a friend over to share it. Truly a winner.

  128. I made this to go with dinner tonight (as a side dish to the Fiery Pork Tenderloin recipe on this site), and it was delicious! I wasn't sure exactly how much quinoa to prepare, so I used 1/2 cup dry + 1 cup water, which yielded about 1-1/2 c. of cooked quinoa (I saved the extra 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa… maybe for breakfast tomorrow). I used fresh corn in my recipe, and since I had green onions, used those instead of the red onion. This was really delicious, and the mango really makes the dish! Oh, and I used frozen mango from Trader Joe's, and it worked beautifully. I did add a little sprinkle of salt to my serving.

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    Nannie Pirtle

    Oh my goodness, this is delicious!!! The textures, the zippy heat, the sweetness.. Maes a party in my mouth!

  130. This may seem like a silly question, but is the corn cooked? I have fresh corn on the cob, but am unsure if I should just cut in off and use it or cook it first? Thanks!

  131. I made something similar to this quite often since it is so tasty. Your pictures are lovely. I really love your addition of turmeric considering how great it is for you, and the lovely color it imparts!

  132. Yum! Looks great, and I am really in a lunch rut so this will help.

    I have some cubed frozen mango from Trader Joe's. If I let it thaw, would it work in this recipe, do you think?

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    Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner

    I love coming across recipes that involve quinoa. I have a big bag of it downstairs that I would love to use. Thank you! 🙂

  134. My husband said it needs more mango!! I was fine with the recipe but next time im putting lots more mango because why not.. So ya very delish! First time i ever made Quinoa. There is Quinoa all over my kitchen.

  135. Made this tonight because I actually had all the ingredients on hand! Orange pepper instead of red. It was delicious! Savory, sweet, and spicy — yumm! Oh, and beautiful!

  136. So, I saw this recipe today and figured "why not!". It was my first time making quinoa…I was feeling a little adventurous. Sooo glad I made this! I also added some tomato in it as well. My bf doesn't normally like to try "out of the box" type of recipes but he ate 2 helpings. That's how I know it was a good recipe. Thanks again for another AMAZING and DELICIOUS recipe!!!

  137. I love all the ingredients, but recently found out that a newly acquired allergy to mangoes is what has been causing me to break out in severe hives. So sadly, I never shall eat them again (I'm pretty broken up about it, I only discovered mangoes a couple years ago) – any suggestions for a substitute for them?

    1. Apricots or peaches would make a good substitute (I have made something similar with peaches before). Chop more finely than you would the mago and maybe use slightly less (they have a stronger taste). Sorry to hear about your mango allergy! Had the same thing happen to me with apples

  138. I made this tonight and loved it. So absolutely flavorful and healthy and filling. You are the best. Thank you!!!!

  139. I made this for dinner tonight to have with fish. It is delicious. I have enough left over to take for lunch tomorrow! Try it!

  140. Gina thank you so much for being my savior!!! My husband recently had to give up gluten and dairy, and I am trying to lose the baby weight… your website is the only one that makes cooking for our family possible!

  141. I love this recipe!! I nominated y'all for the One Lovely Blog Award http://appletondesserts.com/2012/08/05/one-lovely-blog-award/

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    Ashlee Christopher

    This is awesome! I love all the ingredients! I will be stumbleing it and pinning it! Haters are gonna hate haha just reading your comment above. Thanks for all of your great recipes Gina!

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    babystepstobalance

    This looks so good! I have a bunch of leftover Quinoa that I needed to do something with 🙂

  144. LOVE this site!! I have the same question- I know it says one cup cooked, but that doesn't seem like enough for 6 servings

  145. Is it one cup quinoa after it is cooked or one cup quinoa before it is cooked? I'm not sure, but I thought it expanded after being cooked.

  146. This looks wonderful. But I've never cooked quinoa and am not sure where to find it our even what it is…. Any help with that? Or could rice be substituted?

    – Sarah

    1. Quinoa is a grain and in my market, it is typically by the rice and beans. I LOVE the flavor of it (and it is a complete protein which is good for us)

    2. Avatar photo
      The Home Cook

      Quinoa is a seed that most people think is a grain. I live in So. Cal and most of our stores carry it in the healthier part of the store, or the specialty health stores carry it in a large bulk bins. When you cook with it, make sure you rinse it well first or you will git a really bitter taste. Some people put a couple paper towel down in their colander and then rinse it through that since it is so small. The cooking ratio is 2 cups liquid (water or chicken stock) to 1 cup quinoa. Bring liquid to a boil, add quinoa, cover and boil over medium for 20 mins. Stir every once in a while to avoid burning, but not that often as you need the moisture. Enjoy!