Quinoa Taco Salad with Chipotle Aioli

A bowl containing black beans, corn, chopped red onion, diced tomatoes, and creamy chipotle aioli is mixed with wooden spoons—perfect as a quinoa taco salad with bold flavors and vibrant colors.

5 from 1 vote

Quinoa Taco Salad with Chipotle Aioli

This no-cook Quinoa Taco Salad is quick, easy, and full of fresh veggies, corn, and black beans. It’s tossed in a creamy, spicy chipotle aioli made with cashews, giving it bold flavor in every bite. Perfect for lunch or as a side dish!

Prep Time40

Cook Time5

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Sides & Snacks

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Author: Nisha Kapur

Equipment

Ingredients

For Vegan Chipotle Aioli

1/2 cup cashews soak in boiling water, rinse & drain
1/2 cup water
1 large clove garlic
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 chipotle peppers from a can
salt to taste

For Quinoa Taco Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa cooked & cooled, See Notes 1
15 ounce can black beans drained & rinsed
1 cup frozen corn rinsed with warm water
1/2 cup red onion chopped
1/2 cup scallions chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper chopped
1/2 jalapeno chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
to taste black pepper
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 fresh lime
1/3 cup cilantro
all the chipotle aioli less or more as needed
tortilla strips for garnish

Instructions

Make Vegan Chipotle Aioli. Soak the cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Rinse and drain. Then, add the cashews and the remaining ingredients for the chipotle aioli to a blender. Blend until thick and creamy.
Assemble Quinoa Taco Salad. In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, rinsed and drained canned black beans, thawed and rinsed frozen fire-roasted corn, and chopped red onions. Next, add chopped tomatoes, scallions, jalapenos, and green bell pepper. Then, add taco seasoning. Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add fresh cilantro.
Toss. Pour all the vegan chipotle aioli over the veggies. Toss well. Garnish with tortilla strips nd enjoy! Adjust salt if needed.

Notes

For Stovetop Quinoa: To make stovetop quinoa, add 1 cup rinsed & drained quinoa to a pot with 2 cups water and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. Turn off the gas and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy.
For Less Spice - Skip the jalapeno and use a mild taco seasoning (I used Trader Joe's, which is quite spicy).

Nutrition