Home · Recipes · Recipes · Main Dishes Red Quinoa Bowl with Lime Cilantro Ranch Author: Maryanne CabreraPublished: Mar 31, 2014Updated: Jun 23, 2023 View Recipe11 ReviewsThis post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy. Think of this red quinoa bowl as a vegetarian burrito without the tortilla. Top it with beans, corn, tomato, and avocado and toss in homemade lime cilantro ranch. Table of Contents Quinoa BowlMore Quinoa RecipesRed Quinoa Bowl with Lime Cilantro Ranch DressingView moreView less I’ve always wondered who has the lucky job of developing the recipes found on the back of Trader Joe’s products. This quinoa bowl was inspired by ingredients purchased from Trader Joe’s. Quinoa Bowl Forget boring salads. Grain bowls are all the rage these days. Grain bowls are super customizable and very easy to make. Start with a high-protein grain like quinoa or farro. Top it with greens, vegetables, and other proteins like beans, tofu, or meat. And finally, bring the bowl together with a nice dressing or sauce! I really like quinoa. There are several types of quinoa ranging in different colors: red, black, tri-color (rainbow). Quinoa is such a better and healthier alternative to rice. It is rich in protein and dietary fiber. Quinoa is such a versatile grain. Eat it sweet, savory, hot, or cold! Any which way you prepare it, it’s going to taste delicious. More Quinoa Recipes Quinoa Tabbouleh 3 Reviews Strawberries & Cream Breakfast Quinoa 1 Review Yogurt Quinoa Parfait 2 Reviews You can’t go wrong with this dish. It’s like a vegetarian burrito in a bowl without the extra carbs of a tortilla. And it’s gluten-free. Not only is the quinoa bowl easy to make ahead of time, it holds up well in the fridge making a perfect lunch to bring to the office. Say hello to my designated lunch option for Meatless Mondays! Lime Cilantro Ranch Dressing Of course you could simply purchase pre-made ranch dressing. Trader Joe’s happens to sell a delicious cilantro dressing. However, there’s something so satisfying about homemade ranch dressing. All you need to a food processor to whip this dressing together. Add the fresh cilantro (leaves and stem) into the food processor along with sour cream, fresh squeezed lime juice, ranch powder, and optional jalapeño. Drizzle in olive oil while the machine is running. Pulse until mixture is smooth and homogenous. That’s it! Note: You may use store-bought ranch powder or make your own! Recipe for homemade ranch seasoning powder in the notes section of recipe card. Red Quinoa Bowl with Lime Cilantro Ranch Dressing No ratings yet Think of this red quinoa bowl as a vegetarian burrito without the tortilla. Top it with beans, corn, tomato, and avocado and toss in homemade lime cilantro ranch. Prep Time: 15 minutes minutesCook Time: 20 minutes minutesTotal Time: 35 minutes minutes Servings: 4 Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe IngredientsRed Quinoa Bowl:▢ 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed and drained▢ 2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, reduced-sodium variety▢ 15 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed▢ 1 ½ cup roasted corn kernels▢ 1 avocado, large dice▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered▢ ⅓ cup chopped red onion▢ 2 Tablespoon chopped jalapeño, remove seed if desired▢ sour cream, to garnish▢ chopped cilantro, to garnish▢ salt and pepper, to tasteLime Cilantro Ranch Dressing:▢ ¾ cup cilantro▢ ½ cup sour cream▢ 2 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice▢ 1 Tablespoon ranch powder▢ 1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeño▢ 3 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Instructions Red Quinoa:Cook quinoa according to package instructions using broth. Place 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups broth in medium sauce pot. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover pot and cook for 12-15 minutes until all the broth has been absorbed by the quinoa. Remove cover and fluff with a fork. Set aside.In a large bowl, combine black beans, roasted corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion and jalapeño. Add about half of the lime cilantro ranch dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Set aside.To serve, distribute cooked quinoa between serving bowls. Top with bean, corn, avocado mixture. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of chopped cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Serve with additional lime cilantro ranch dressing on the side.Lime Cilantro Ranch Dressing:In a food processor, combine cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, ranch powder, and jalapeño. With the processor running, drizzle in olive oil. Pulse until mixture is smooth and homogenous. Keep chilled until ready to serve. NotesIngredients: Quinoa comes in a variety of colors. Choose whatever version you’d like. Quinoa can also be cooked in water. However, it won’t be as flavorful as quinoa cooked in broth. Corn: Thaw frozen corn, drain canned corn, or use fresh cooked corn Use store-bought ranch seasoning mix packet (i.e. Hidden Valley Ranch or Trader’s Joe) or homemade ranch seasoning listed below: Homemade Ranch Seasoning (makes about 1/2 cup) store excess in airtight container in the fridge: 6 Tbsp dry buttermilk powder 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp onion powder 2 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried chives (or freeze dried chives) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper NutritionCalories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 1152mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 5mg Author: Maryanne Cabrera Course: Main CourseCuisine: American Did you make this recipe?Show us on Instagram! Tag @littleepicurean and hashtag #littleepicurean. More grain bowl recipes to enjoy Barley rice bowl with butternut squash and teriyaki sauce Chia oatmeal breakfast bowl Miso barley oatmeal Baked kimchi fried rice
genevieve y says: April 1, 2014 This has everything I love in a meal. I hope the spring and summer sunshine comes soon so I can enjoy this outdoors! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: April 1, 2014 Me too! I can’t wait until tomatoes are in season so I can add a nice salsa! :)
Angie@Angie's Recipes says: April 1, 2014 Had some red quinoa salad with strawberries for the lunch today…..love yours with ranch dressing! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: April 1, 2014 Thanks Angie! Red quinoa with strawberries sounds perfect for spring :)
Ceren says: April 9, 2014 lately i’ve been experimenting with red quinoa and it really frustrates me at times.. The first time i cooked, i’ve done everything wrong and ended up with chewy – very sesame-ish particles instead of a fluffy pilaf. The second time though I was more careful, and the seeds were not as flat, yet I feel like I’m doing something wrong. Maybe it’s the natural texture of it, I wouldn’t know because never eaten it before. Is it supposed to be crunchy, even when it’s perfectly cooked? If not, can you give me some tips? :| Also, I wonder if white quinoa is the same or turns out more soft and fluffy when cooked? Thank you already! Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: April 9, 2014 Hi Ceren, red quinoa and white quinoa are essentially the same. The only difference is the color. If you have trouble cooking quinoa on the stove, you can also cook it in a rice cooker. Before you cook the quinoa, be sure to rinse it with cool water. Drain it and then add cooking liquid. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 12-15 minutes until all the cooking liquid as been absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for another 3-5 minutes. Remove cover and fluff quinoa with a fork. Cooked quinoa isn’t as soft as rice, it will still have a little of a bite, but it’s not supposed to be crunchy. I hope that helps!
JAycee says: July 3, 2020 This salad was soooooo good! I didn’t have any quinoa, so I substituted Hawaiaan Sweet Onion potato chips. My husband loved it, and so did our teenager… will become a regular for us. Reply
Maryanne Cabrera says: July 16, 2020 Thanks for trying out the recipe! Glad you and the family enjoyed it!