Southwest Quinoa Bowls with Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

By Ashley Cote of Spoonful of Flavor

Quinoa Bowls are the perfect meal for lunch or dinner! They are packed with protein and can be adapted to fit your taste. Pile quinoa high with your favorite ingredients like roasted sweet potato, black beans, corn and avocado to create Southwest Quinoa Bowls. Drizzle the bowls with our creamy homemade avocado cilantro lime sauce and enjoy this plant-packed meal!

How to Make Southwest Quinoa Bowls

These bowls come together easily with a few simple steps. You can even prep some of the ingredients in advance to save time when serving.

First, roast chopped sweet potato with olive oil, cumin and salt. The cumin is a must because it adds a nice flavor.
Next, cook the quinoa. Make sure to follow our recipe for quinoa below to ensure the fluffiest quinoa every single time. Once the quinoa is cooked, add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Layer the quinoa into a bowl and top with roasted sweet potato, chopped red onion, corn, black beans and avocado. Drizzle with the sauce and enjoy!

If you cook the sweet potato or cilantro lime quinoa in advance, store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the bowls (up to 3 days.)

How to Make Avocado Cilantro Lime Sauce

The creamy avocado cilantro lime sauce is one of the best parts about these quinoa bowls. Add a few simple ingredients to a blender or food processor then mix and enjoy. It’s that easy!

For the sauce, we combine olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, avocado, agave nectar, garlic, salt and cumin. Slowly add water to the sauce (up to 2/3 cup) to achieve the desired consistency. We like our sauce a little thicker so we only add about 1/3 cup water. Just add the water a little at a time. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired too. If you love cilantro, add more. Or if you want a little more of a kick, add more cumin.

If you need to save more time, you can use your favorite store-bought cilantro lime dressing. We still think our recipe for avocado cilantro lime sauce is the best, but a store bought sauce works too in a pinch.

Adjust this recipe to fit your taste. If you don’t like black beans, simply swap them for something else like red peppers or even chickpeas. You can also pack these bowls in meal prep containers for a delicious on-the-go healthy lunch.

No matter how you enjoy these protein packed bowls, we know that you’re going to love them. Go ahead, dig in!

Southwest Quinoa Bowls

Serves 4 | Prep time: 20 minutes; Cook time: 30 minutes

Vegan, nut-free, dairy-free

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained
1 ¼ cup water
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Juice from one lime
1 cup black beans
¾ cup frozen corn thawed
½ cup chopped red onion
½ medium avocado
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

For the avocado cilantro lime sauce:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium avocado
¼ cup cilantro
Juice from one lime (about 2 to 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the sweet potatoes onto the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin and salt over the top. Toss with your hands until the potatoes are well coated. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Add the quinoa and 1 ¼ cup of water to a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook covered for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and add the chopped cilantro and lime juice.
To make the sauce, blend all of the ingredients for the sauce together in a blender or food processor. Add up to 2/3 cup of water, a little at a time, to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
To assemble the bowls, divide cooked quinoa evenly between four bowls. Layer with roasted sweet potato, black beans, corn, onion and avocado. Garnish with cilantro, drizzle with sauce and enjoy!