A delicious and healthy salad makes for a wholesome and hearty weeknight meal. This Instant Pot Quinoa salad/pilaf is super easy to make and is packed with fresh ingredients that will leave you craving for more! A perfect on-the-go salad/pilaf that can be enjoyed hot or cold!
Salads are often seen as a boring meal, and most people tend to run away at the thought of eating a salad for lunch or dinner. However, with a little effort, a boring salad/pilaf can be converted into something exciting that delivers your daily serving of vegetables and fruits. And this Instant Pot Coconut Quinoa and White Bean Salad /pilaf is no exception. It’s a complete game changer and healthy addition to your diet.
This salad/pilaf is the quickest yet nutritious meal that you toss together for a light snack. It comes along in less than 20 minutes and is worth every second. The best part is that this salad/pilaf can be made in so many different ways too. That means you can customize the way you like it and can be prepared with almost any ingredient or veggies you have available in your fridge or pantry. The base for this salad/pilaf is the superfood quinoa. The health benefits of quinoa alone are the reason why this salad/pilaf makes it to my list of protein-rich meals.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF Instant Pot Coconut Quinoa And White Bean Salad!
This protein-rich salad/pilaf is made up of:
Quinoa – Quinoa is the perfect food for anyone, it can be paired with literally anything, and best of all its gluten-free, vegan, and extremely nutritious. And I recently learned that quinoa is a seed? It’s a part of the goose-foot plant, and the seeds of this goose-foot plant are known as quinoa that contains all nine essential amino acids. Impressive, right? Not only that, Quinoa is high in protein, fiber, manganese, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, copper, folate, phosphorus, and other minerals.
White Cannellini Beans – these beans are packed with a wealth of B vitamins. Besides that, these beans are fiber-rich super-foods that also provide iron, potassium, and other essential minerals.
Red Bell Peppers– Among all the varieties, did you know red bell pepper packs the most nutrition. They are rich in many vitamins- especially vitamin C, antioxidants, and multiple carotenoids.
Spinach – As we all know, Spinach is a nutrition-rich vegetable. It’s loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.
Coconut Milk – The addition of coconut milk to this recipe is like the icing on the cake for me. Because of its thick consistency, it lends a rich and creamy texture, and you can taste that creaminess in every bite.
It is no surprise that when combined with all the above ingredients, you get a dinner bowl that is a nutritional powerhouse that can fit into almost any diet! Everyone on the table will love the contrast of quinoa with soft, yet firm beans. Additionally, red bell pepper and spinach will add an extra pop of color to this salad.
How to make Instant Pot Coconut Quinoa And White Bean Salad?
What I love the most about this quinoa salad/pilaf is that it combines two of my favorite ingredients that are a staple in my kitchen: coconut milk (lite) and quinoa. The creaminess from the coconut milk and the nutty flavor of quinoa complement each other perfectly.
After minimal cooking, toss everything in the Instant Pot. Set the timer and let it do all the cooking for you. Everything comes together in one pan and when the pin drops, open the lid, and the result is a yummy looking salad /pilaf loaded with all the goodness. 😊
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OTHER VARIATIONS!
The ingredients used in this salad/pilaf are simple and can be easily swapped with whatever you have on hand. Some tested and tried options are:
- Replace coconut milk with water or vegetable stock for extra flavor.
- Switch up white Cannellini Beans with red kidney beans, black-eyed peas, navy beans or even Northern beans.
- If you have canned beans on hand, give it a try. Cooking time will remain the same.
- This salad/pilaf gets its bold flavor from curry powder, but if curry powder isn’t your thing, then swap it with your favorite spice blend.
- Great creative and use whatever veggies you have at your disposal.
- Quinoa can be exchanged with rice. Cooking time will vary.
This salad/pilaf is incredibly customizable, so go ahead and try different options and make it your own!
HIGHLIGHTS!
Feel free to add this salad/pilaf to your weekly collection, and everyone on the table will love this salad/pilaf because it’s:
- nourishing,
- incredibly flavorful,
- nutrient-dense,
- satisfying, and
- will keep you full all day long! It can be used as a side dish, paired along with a soup or spoon yourself a big bowl and enjoy as is!
I encourage you to give this recipe a try and share your feedback! If you have questions related to this recipe, send me an email, and I would be happy to answer them. We’d love to hear from you. 🙂
Craving for more, try these other options!
- Healthy Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
- Instant Pot Quinoa And Butternut Squash Stew
- Roasted Chickpeas and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Gluten Free Cheesy Quinoa Bites
Thanks for reading.💕
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Instant Pot Coconut Quinoa And White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion (chopped)
- 1.5 cups White Beans (cooked and soft)
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper
- 1 cup Quinoa (toasted)
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Curry Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- - - Salt to Taste
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- 1/2 cup Water (or Vegetable stock)
- 3/4 cup Spinach Leaves (washed and shredded)
- 1 teaspoon Lime Juice (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by rinsing the beans well under tap water for a couple of minutes. Set it aside. Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Add olive oil and onion to the pot. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked beans.
- Add Red bell pepper and Quinoa into the Instant Pot.
- Stir in the seasonings.
- Pour in coconut milk and water.
- Add spinach leaves.
- Mix all the ingredients and cancel the Saute mode. Cover the lid and press PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL. Set the timer to 2 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) and when the pin drops, open the lid.
- Add Lemon juice and give it a stir. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Recipe Notes
- Whenever I cook this quinoa salad, I always make a double batch of this recipe. Some salads don't taste great the next day, but this quinoa salad makes great leftovers.
- Prepare everything beforehand and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The next afternoon you can enjoy a yummy lunch, it tastes great either warm or cold. But prefer it hot.
- Good for lunchboxes and picnics too! This quinoa salad stays fresh in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
- Soak 1 cup beans for 2 hours in hot tap water. Discard the soaked beans water and rinse the beans again.
- Toss the beans along with 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 25 minutes on HIGH. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Carefully open the lid (after the pin drops) and check for doneness. Separate the beans from the water and use as directed.
Alison says
When does the quinoa get added and how do you toast it?
Ruchi says
Alison, quinoa is added in step3 along with red bell peppers.
I got the toasted quinoa from our local store. You can use regular quinoa too.
Deepthi says
Very healthy and super tasty ! Thanks a ton 😊
Ruchi says
My pleasure. 😊