This Southwest Salad is vibrant and packs a big punch on the taste side.
Black beans, corn, and avocado, and fonio grain are well seasoned with a combination of lime juice and chipotle for a quick and easy salad.
This dish comes together in about 5 minutes but you'll fall in love so deep it will be in your regular rotation.
Southwest Salad Ingredients
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Peaches
- Fonio
- Lime
- Chipotle Adobo Sauce
- Cilantro
- Red Bell Pepper
- Red Onion
- Shrimp (optional)
How to make Southwest Salad (step by step)
This is really an assembly job, no real cooking required besides boiling the fonio grain. You essentially mix all the fresh raw ingredients with the cooked fonio and add in the simple sauce (lime juice plus chipotle)
Serving Suggestions
This salad is great topped with grilled or blackened chicken or even shrimp. Avocado is also a great add. The chicken or shrimp add makes this a great main dish salad option. To keep it vegan, grilled portobello mushrooms make for a great fit.
To make blackened shrimp simply season the shrimp with salt, pepper, parika, and cayenne. Heat a cast-iron skillet on high heat, add butter or oil and cook the shrimp 1-2 minutes per side.
Cooking Tips
- Drain and wash the canned black beans to keep sodium content low and minimize metallic taste
- Use frozen or fresh corn. Grilled corn on the cob kernels work great in this salad
- Make the fonio ahead of time and use when you’re ready to make this salad.
Southwest Salad w/ Fonio Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is fonio grain?
Fonio is an ancient grain common in West Africa. Texture wise it’s similar to quinoa but cooks quickly like couscous.
Where can I find fonio grain?
Fonio is increasingly becoming more people. Yolele Brand makes a version that you can now find in most Whole Foods.
What grain is a good substitute for fonio?
Couscous, rice and quinoa are all great alternatives. I'm partial to quinoa since it has higher protein amount vs the others.
Is this salad spicy?
Not really. The chipotle packs medium heat, but it's tamed with the lime juice and sweetness of the peaches.
For similar recipes like this you might like, try these:
Black Rice Salad w/ Sweet Potatoes
If you make this Southwest Salad with fonio recipe please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
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Ingredients
- 12 oz can Black Beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen Corn defrosted
- 1 Peach diced
- 2 cups cooked Fonio
- 2 Limes juiced
- 2 tablespoon Chipotle Adobo Sauce
- ½ cup Cilantro chopped
- 1 Red Bell Pepper de-seeded and diced
- 1 medium Red Onion diced
- 1 pound Shrimp optional
Instructions
- Mix the black beans, corn, peach, onions, and fonio in a large mixing bowl
- Add the adobo sauce and lime juice then mix well.
- Add cilantro and toss the salad. Serve.
Notes
- Drain and wash the canned black beans to keep sodium content low and minimize metallic taste
- Use frozen or fresh corn.
- Grilled corn on the cob kernels work great in this salad Make the fonio ahead of time and use when you’re ready to make this salad.