Description
Mediterranean quinoa salad blends fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and zesty lemon dressing for a light, nutritious meal. Carefully composed ingredients promise a delightful culinary experience you’ll savor with each refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ⅓ cups uncooked white rice
- 2 ¾ cups water
- 1 cup black beans, cooked and drained
- 1 ⅓ cups whole corn kernels, blanched
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp annatto or achiote powder (optional)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté Foundation: Heat a large skillet over medium flame, drizzling olive oil to create a fragrant cooking base.
- Aromatics Development: Add minced garlic and diced onions, stirring until translucent and releasing their delicate fragrance, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Spice Infusion: Introduce bell peppers and spice blend (chili powder, annatto, crushed red pepper, cumin, cinnamon), allowing ingredients to meld and intensify their flavors for 2-3 minutes.
- Rice Preparation: Incorporate uncooked white rice, thoroughly coating each grain with the complex spice mixture, ensuring complete flavor integration.
- Liquid Activation: Pour water, sprinkle salt, increase heat to high and bring to a robust boil, then immediately reduce flame to low.
- Steaming Phase: Cover skillet and allow rice to simmer quietly for 20-25 minutes, absorbing liquid and developing a tender texture.
- Final Embellishment: Gently fold in chopped tomatoes, corn kernels, black beans, and toasted pine nuts, creating a vibrant vegetarian medley.
- Seasoning Finale: Adjust taste with salt, cracked black pepper, and a bright squeeze of fresh lime juice, warming the entire mixture thoroughly before serving.
Notes
- Spice Intensity Control: Adjust chili powder and crushed red pepper to match your heat tolerance, tasting as you go for perfect flavor balance.
- Rice Absorption Technique: Stir rice gently to coat with spices, preventing clumping and ensuring even flavor distribution throughout the dish.
- Vegetable Freshness Matters: Use crisp, vibrant bell peppers and ripe tomatoes for maximum flavor and nutritional punch.
- Toasting Nut Tips: Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry skillet before adding to prevent burning and enhance their nutty, rich flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg