Havarti Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

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I think my now we're all obsessed with the Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad from a few years back on WGC. I gave it a new spin and added some avocado cilantro vin and Havarti and OMG it's equally as perfect! Say hello to your new fav lunch: Havarti Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette!

Two bowls of quinoa with roasted corn, avocado and and cilantro sitting next to two glasses of rose on a tile table.


 

Why I Love This Recipe

I think it's my new mission to have a slew of recipes that are easy to prep ahead when it comes to lunch. So often I find myself working until well into "lunch time" and I am ravenous. If nothing is prepped and ready to eat, I wind up eating a block of cheese or something random I find in my fridge. While an entire block of cheese is in fact delish, I'd rather have something that incorporates that cheese into something a little more filling / nutritious. This easy to prep ahead Havarti Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette is exactly the ticket!

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Red or White Quinoa
  • Corn – fresh corn is best but if it's not in season frozen sweet corn can be substituted
  • Green Onions
  • Jalapeno
  • Cilantro Vinaigrette
  • Avocado
  • Lime
  • Havarti Cheese
  • Chili Powder
  • Salt and Pepper

*For the full recipe and list of ingredients please see recipe card below

How to Make Quinoa Salad

Start by cooking the quinoa. While the quinoa cooks make the Cilantro Vinaigrette. Then add the cooked quinoa and raw corn to a large mixing bowl with the chopped jalapeño, green onions, Cilantro Vinaigrette, all of the lime juice, chunks of havarti cheese and a dash of chili powder. Toss to combine and serve.

Tips & Tricks

  • The quinoa can be prepped ahead of time and kept in the fridge plain until ready to assemble.
  • The cilantro vinaigrette (which we all know and love) is mixed with 1 avocado while in the blender so it's a creamy cilantro vinaigrette! Because there is vinegar in there, you can prep that ahead of time too as that will help the avocado not to turn brown.
  • The rest, easy knife skills and then just toss and stir. MY KINDA MEAL! Feel free to add in any leftover cooked chicken, shrimp, steak etc. Or any other veggies lying around your fridge.

FAQs

What can I put in quinoa to make it taste better?

In my humble opinion, you HAVE to add something to quinoa otherwise it's just not that exciting. Add the cilantro vinaigrette from What's Gaby Cooking really levels it up! Basil vinaigrette would be great too!

What is quinoa salad made of?

The base of all quinoa salads is quinoa! But beyond that - anything goes! I love adding a sauce or a vinaigrette, tons of fresh veggies, cheese, and herbs! Mix it all together and you're in business.

How long is quinoa salad good?

Depending on the mix-ins, I'd say 2-4 days! If you're adding anything that oxidizes, avocados etc, eat it on the quicker side!

More Quinoa Salad Recipes

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!

Havarti Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Author: Gaby Dalkin
4.9 from 10 votes
Havarti Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette is hands down my new favorite lunch. Big chunks of creamy havarti, the most addictive cilantro vinaigrette plus quinoa and veggies! It's perfect.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Side Dish, Salad, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup red or white quinoa
  • 2 cups corn about 4 ears, cut from the cob
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1 jalapeno, diced and seeds removed
  • 1 recipe cilantro vinaigrette
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 lime juiced
  • ½ cup havarti cheese cubed
  • chili powder to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
  • Once cooked, add the quinoa and raw corn to a large mixing bowl with the chopped jalapeño, green onions, cilantro avocado vinaigrette, all of the lime juice, chunks of havarti cheese and a dash of chili powder. Toss to combine.

For the Cilantro Vinaigrette

  • Make according to the link above but add 1 avocado into the mix before blending until smooth. If it's too thick, smooth out with a few tablespoons of water. The consistency should be that of mayo.

Notes

  • The quinoa can be prepped ahead of time and kept in the fridge plain until ready to assemble.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 704mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @WhatsGabyCookin or tag #whatsgabycooking!

15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Holy heck this was good. Love the addition of the avocado to the vinaigrette—so creamy! Made this as a side this time, but can’t wait to make it again as a main dish and add shrimp.

4.91 from 10 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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