This Chipotle Steak with Black Beans and Quinoa Salad meal comes together in under 30 minutes and is quite hearty thanks to protein-packed quinoa and steak. We love the chipotle-rubbed sirloin, but this salad is a wonderful use for any leftover steak.
The chipotle rub is a pepper made from smoke-dried jalapeno peppers. The primary use is a seasoning and can be added as a liquid-like addition to a BBQ sauce or as a dry rub before cooking your meat. This is used extensively through Mexico and the Southwest United States. The popularity of these pepper products is gradually moving across the world as more travelers are exposed to its benefits.
The name Chipotle comes from an ancient Nahuatl or ancient Aztec word that means smoked chill pepper. While not the hottest of peppers such as a Habanero pepper, the products made are equal in taste to jalapenos or Tabasco sauce. You can find Chipotle products in just about every form you could imagine. Some of the more popular are.
The first instance of using the peppers was a drying technique in Mesoamerica. This is even prior to the Aztec use of Chipotle. Probably the first time than a foreigner tasted the pepper was by Columbus or one of the other famous Spanish explorers to the new world.
▸ Chipotle Powder
▸ Chipotle Flakes
▸ Chipotle Pods
▸ Canned Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
▸ Concentrated ChipotleBase
▸ Wet Chipotle Meat Marinade
The most common product used in the United States is the canned Adobe Sauce. This form was originally created in Spain. This marinade contains vegetables including tomatoes, various spices, herbs, onions, the powdered dried chilis, as well as vinegar and garlic. The two most used makers are made by San Marcos and La Morena. The preferred brand in Texas is Chipocludo which is named for a special way the peppers are dried and preserved in most of Central Mexico. The peppers are put in a jar with vinegar marinade and brown sugar.
The second really important part of the recipe is the quinoa. This superfood gives you two major benefits being high in both protein and fiber. The quinoa grain contains more protein than any other grain on the planet. Just 1/2 cup of quinoa contains 14 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. It can be used in a number of cereals for breakfast or as an addition to other recipes calling for a grain. The grain is naturally gluten-free so this makes it a great addition for people maintaining a gluten-free diet. The grain has a nutty flavor and when cooked is light, fluffy, and is similar to couscous.
So now that you know a little more about Chipotle we are ready to create our Chipotle Steak with Black Beans and Quinoa Salad.
Chipotle Steak with Black Beans and Quinoa Salad
Equipment
- skillet
- pot
Ingredients
Chipotle Steak with Black Beans and Quinoa Salad
- 5 Tsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1/2 Tsp Salt Kosher
- 1/4 Tsp Chili Pepper
- 2 6 Ounce Sirloin Steak
- 2 Tbs Orange Juice Fresh
- 2 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tbs Chipotle Adobe Sauce
- 1/2 Cumin Ground
- 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper Fresh Ground
- 1/4 Tsp Honey
- 1 1/2 Cups Quinoa Coked
- 1 Cup Black Beans Unsalted
- 3/4 Cup Red Bell Pepper Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro Chopped Fresh
- 1/4 Cup Onion Thin sliced Green Thin sliced
- 1 1/2 Spinach Leaves
- 1 Feta Cheese Crumbled
- 1/2 Cup Avocados Ripe Peeled Sliced
Instructions
Sirloin Steak
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, chipotle chile powder, and black pepper; rub evenly over steaks. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until the desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut steaks diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
Green Salad
- Combine remaining 4 teaspoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, juice, and next 4 ingredients (through honey) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in quinoa, beans, bell pepper, cilantro, green onions, and spinach; toss to coat. Sprinkle with feta. Divide quinoa mixture evenly among 4 shallow bowls; top evenly with steak and avocado.
Video
Notes
Nutrition