Name: Quinoa Stuffed Avocado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 6 avocados; 1 cup quinoa; 2 cups water; 2 tangerines (peeled and cut in small pieces); 1 red bell pepper (chopped (reserve 2 Tablespoons for garnish)); ½ cup cilantro (chopped); ½ cup green onions (sliced, green part only (reserve white part for sauce)); ¼ cup pine nuts; juice of one lime; 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon salt; 6 medium avocados (halved and pitted, with skin removed.); 1 lime (cut in wedges for garnish); 2 cups water; 2 habanero peppers (yellow, red or orange); 1 red bell pepper; 4 cloves garlic (peeled); 3 green onions (white part only (reserve green part)); 1/3 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing); 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 teaspoon salt

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Our quinoa stuffed avocado features flavorful bits of tangerine, pine nuts, green pepper, cilantro, green onion and lime mixed with quinoa, stuffed in an avocado half and drizzled with an exciting habanero sauce!

one avocado half stuffed with quinoa salad on white plate with lime

The first time I had this kind of dish at Peruvian restaurant Viva Chicken in St. George, UT, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! I’m not sure if it was the avocado-quinoa combination or the delicious sauce that covered it, but I knew I had to have it again. And again.

Viva Chicken serves the stuffed avocado with balsamic vinegar glaze and rocoto pepper mayonnaise. The rocoto is a pepper native to Peru and it makes a delicious sauce.

avocados, tangerines, limes, red pepper, habanero peppers, etc on white platter to make quinoa stuffed avocados

What is quinoa?

Quinoa has been growing for 7,000 years in the Andes mountains of South America. Although not an actual grain, it’s known as a “pseudograin” because it’s eaten the same way as grains and has similar nutrients. The majority of quinoa grows in Bolivia and Peru, but it’s beginning to grow in many other places around the world.

How do you pronounce quinoa?

Quinoa is pronounced "KEEN-wah" in English. It’s originally a Qechua word, but comes to English from Spanish.

Ingredients for quinoa salad

When I decided to make this dish at home, I wanted to add a few more ingredients to the quinoa to increase its flavor profile. I experimented with different ingredients, then settled on red pepper, tangerine pieces, garlic, pine nuts, green onions, cilantro, lime, and a dash of balsamic vinegar. This quinoa salad is delicious served as a salad alone. But add avocado and you’ve got something really special!

bowl of quinoa, platter of chopped red pepper, tangerine pieces, green onion and cilantro plus other ingredients for avocado quinoa salad

How to cook quinoa

You cook quinoa the same way you cook rice. Two parts water to one part quinoa. Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, cover, lower temperature and cook for about 15 minutes. You can add salt or any other seasonings with the water while you cook it. It’s fun to experiment with different ingredients.

Is Quinoa healthy?

Quinoa is considered a “super food” due to its high nutrient content and health benefits. It’s a gluten-free "grain" that’s packed with vitamins and minerals. It has more protein, more fiber and more healthy fats than any other grain. Unlike many plants, quinoa is a complete protein (meaning it has all the amino acids our bodies need.) Quinoa grows easily in lots of different conditions which gives it potential to help fight hunger all over the world.

bowl of fresh fruit and vegetables mixed with quinoa for healthy quinoa salad recipe

Appetizer, salad or entree?

Now that we’ve discussed all that, let’s just get on to making this delicious recipe! You can serve quinoa stuffed avocados as an appetizer, salad, side dish, or even a main dish. You could add chicken to the quinoa, but honestly, I like it best just like this. For an entrée I’d serve two half avocados, for an appetizer or side dish, just one is perfect. Follow the recipe directions below to prepare the avocado, quinoa salad, and sauce.

fresh avocado stuffed with quinoa salad on white platter

The habanero sauce

The flavors in this recipe are really a taste but explosion! The quinoa salad is tasty. Stuff it in an avocado to up flavor the game. Then add the habanero sauce and you’ve reached a 10 on the deliciousness scale! As we couldn’t find the Peruvian rocoto peppers easily, we substituted habaneros.

Don’t be afraid of the sauce. Cooking the habanero reduces some of the heat. But please wear gloves while working with these peppers. The lime juice, red pepper and mayo also cut the heat. Do a taste test to decide if you like it, or if you need to add a bit more lime juice and mayo to take the heat down a notch. This sauce would also be great on chicken, potatoes, fries, vegetables, and lots of other dishes!

Anything with this many colors has to be healthy, right? And tasty too! Can you imagine a quinoa stuffed avocado for dinner on a hot summer day? It's great all year long, but how refreshing during the summer months? We hope you’ll try our quinoa stuffed avocado. We think it’ll be a new favorite!

Enjoy!

Dianna

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