Southwest Vegan Quinoa and Black Bean
Try this delicious and healthy Southwest Vegan Quinoa and Black Bean recipe to enjoy your favorite flavors.
Try this delicious and healthy Southwest Vegan Quinoa and Black Bean recipe to enjoy your favorite flavors.
- 1 onion chopped
- pepper to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic minced
- 3/4 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 can chickpeas (or corn) drained and rinsed (i use chickpeas to decrease carbs and gmo's)
- 2-15oz cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 ripe avocado diced
- 1/2 tsp salt to taste
- Carbohydrate 36.3162076895803 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 10.0711590151569 g
- Fiber 7.07359688483844 g
- Protein 7.49070803032337 g
- Saturated Fat 1.39148590151557 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (214g)
- Sodium 217.255420454772 mg
- Sugar 29.2426108047419 g
- Trans Fat 0.683283522729766 g
- Calories 257 calories
Step-by-step
- Rinse quinoa in a strainer.
- Heat a couple tablespoons of Vegetable broth in a large nonstick saucepan. Stir in chopped onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onion is soft.
- Add quinoa and the rest of the vegetable broth to the pan. Add cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 min.
- Stir in lime juice and chickpeas. Heat for approx 5 more minutes until chickpeas are hot.
- Finally stir in black beans and cilantro. Top with avocado.
- Serve hot or cold. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
While a standard Mexican rice relies heavily on refined starches and a tomato-forward cooking base, this grain-forward preparation trades white rice for protein-rich quinoa simmered directly in vegetable broth with cumin and cayenne pepper. Roasting poblano peppers or pressing warm corn tortillas on a cast-iron comal until charred spots appear provides an earthy contrast to the spiced legumes.
Pairing and Texture Management
Serving grain salads alongside crisp, acidic elements cuts through the rich creaminess of diced avocado. A simple cabbage slaw tossed with fresh lime juice, sea salt, and minced jalapeños adds necessary crunch that elevates the entire plate. When simmering quinoa, visual cues replace thermometers entirely; look for the tiny spiral germ to separate from the seed and form a translucent halo around each grain. Removing the saucepan from the heat source right as the liquid absorbs prevents the starches from breaking down into a sticky paste. Incorporating canned legumes later in the process keeps their skins intact rather than dissolving into mush.
- Ensure the saucepan lid fits tightly during the 20-minute simmer to trap steam and cook the quinoa evenly.
- Store leftovers in airtight glass containers in the refrigerator for up to four days without losing texture.
- Substitute black beans with pinto beans at a 1:1 ratio if a softer interior is preferred.
