AI-generated photo.
Peruvian · Peru
Quinoa Lime Salad
Also called Quinoa Salad
Fluffy quinoa, black beans, corn, and a lime dressing.
Pai editors’ mark 4 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
A Peruvian-inspired grain salad in the sense of quinoa, lime, and cilantro, not a copy of any one coastal dish. It holds up in a lunch box.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
89
Health score
Light & nourishing
Healthy
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 15%
- Carbs 60%
- Fat 25%
Watch · Diabetes-friendly
It misses a gentler mark: sugar, fiber, the starch mix, or the richness of the plate.
Suits · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium stay modest, with some fiber.
Watch · Weight loss
Calories, protein, or richness make this a fuller plate than a light day wants.
Watch · High protein
Protein is about 12.1 g, under the 25 g mark.
Suits · Low sodium
About 333 mg of sodium, under the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Suits · Dairy-free
No milk ingredients in the required list.
Suits · Vegan
No meat, fish, egg, dairy, honey, or gelatin in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Suits · Gentle when sick
Mild, not fried, and not a very rich plate. Comfort, not a treatment.
Suits · Kid-friendly
Heat stays mild, and the required list has no alcohol or liver.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Quinoa166 kcal
- Canned black beans, drained69 kcal
- Olive oil44 kcal
- Sweet corn27 kcal
- Cherry tomato7 kcal
- Red onion4 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 19.1. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving, as written, is about 322 kcal.
Allergens. None flagged in the required list.
Make it healthier
Serve three-quarters of the plate
The ingredient mix stays the same. Calories are three-quarters of the counted serving.
About 242 kcal after the change.
Skip the onion.
A milder lunch. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Use brown rice.
If quinoa is out. Cook it longer and expect a different texture. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 322 kcal | 16% |
| Protein | 12.1 g | 24% |
| Carbohydrate | 49.8 g | 18% |
| Fiber | 8.9 g | 32% |
| Total sugars | 5.6 g | 11% |
| Fat | 9.2 g | 12% |
| Saturated fat | 1 g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 333 mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 638 mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 58 mg | 4% |
| Iron | 3.5 mg | 19% |
| Magnesium | 123 mg | 29% |
| Zinc | 2.1 mg | 19% |
| Vitamin A | 13 mcg | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 15 mg | 17% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin E · estimate | 2.6 mg | 17% |
| Vitamin K · estimate | 83 mcg | 69% |
| Thiamin (B1) · estimate | 0.4 mg | 29% |
| Riboflavin (B2) · estimate | 0.3 mg | 20% |
| Niacin (B3) · estimate | 2.5 mg | 16% |
| Vitamin B6 · estimate | 0.4 mg | 21% |
| Folate · estimate | 148 mcg | 37% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% |
Low-confidence marks sit on glycemic load or on vitamins the USDA row left blank. Those vitamins are filled from a food-group reference and labeled as estimates. Reported USDA values, including zeros, are kept. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- Fiber is generous, which helps the meal carry you.
- Sodium stays in a comfortable range.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Quinoa, rinsed1 cup180 g
Water1.5 cups360 ml
Kosher salt0.5 tsp2 g
Canned black beans, drained, rinsed1.5 cups240 g
Sweet corn1 cup150 g
Cherry tomato, halved1 cup150 g
Red onion, minced0.25 onion40 g
Cilantro0.5 cup15 g
Lime juice3 tbsp40 ml
Olive oil1.5 tbsp21.98 ml
Ground cumin0.5 tsp1 g
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Skip the onion.. A milder lunch.
- Use brown rice.. If quinoa is out. Cook it longer and expect a different texture.
Method
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1Simmer quinoa, water, and salt, covered, until the grains pop open and the water is gone.
Simmer 13 min
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2Fluff and cool slightly.
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3Toss with beans, corn, tomato, onion, and cilantro.
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4Dress with lime, oil, and cumin.
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5Taste for salt. Serve warm or cold.
How you know it is done
Quinoa Lime Salad is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Quinoa Lime Salad looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Quinoa Lime Salad spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Quinoa Lime Salad, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- A lunch that does not fall apart by noon.
- Beans and quinoa together make a satisfying plant-protein bowl.
Notes
Pregnancy. Quinoa is cooked. Vegetables are raw and should be washed. No alcohol, no dairy.
Children. Mild if the onion is left out.
From the kitchen. Rinse the quinoa or it can taste soapy.
Allergens in the required list: none flagged.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.