WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Bell peppers work especially well in room- temperature grain salads, lending a burst of crunchy, juicy sweetness. Here we chose red bell pepper, along with jalapeño and red onion for a spicy counterpoint, and fresh cilantro for a bright herbal note. All these ingredients both tasted and looked great paired with the hearty, chewy quinoa (which happens to be high in protein). Before serving, we tossed the salad mixture with a bright dressing flavored with lime juice, mustard, garlic, and cumin. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, drain it, and then spread it on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a dish towel and let dry for 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. To make this dish spicier, add the chile seeds.
SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup prewashed white quinoa, rinsed and dried
- 1½ cups water
- Salt and pepper
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped fine
- ½ jalapeño chile, minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
INSTRUCTIONS:
- TOASTING THE QUINOA
- Toast quinoa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until quinoa is lightly toasted and aromatic, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in water and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer.
- Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is mostly absorbed and quinoa is nearly tender, about 12 minutes.
- Spread quinoa out over rimmed baking sheet and set aside until tender and cool, about 20 minutes.
- PREPARING THE SALAD
- Transfer cooled quinoa to large bowl.
- Stir in bell pepper, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro.
- In a separate bowl, whisk lime juice, oil, mustard, garlic, and cumin together, then pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
