Name: Taco Salad with Pinquito Beans
Ingredients: 1 TBS avocado oil; 1 white onion, diced small; 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup mushrooms, minced; 1/2 cup quinoa or rice (optional) and 1 cup water; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground paprika; 1/2 tsp dried or fresh oregano; 2 cups pinquito beans, cooked; about 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste.; 1 cup cilantro, chopped (divided); 1 tsp dijon mustard; 2 TBS red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar; 1/3 cup olive oil; 1 head lettuce, washed and torn; 3 tomatoes, chopped; 1 cup grated cheddar or jack cheese (optional); 1 tortilla, cut into strips and fried (optional)

Taco Salad with Pinquito Beans

Author: Danielle Goldstein

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Ingredients

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Bean mixture

1 TBS avocado oil
1 white onion, diced small
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, minced
1/2 cup quinoa or rice (optional) and 1 cup water
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp dried or fresh oregano
2 cups pinquito beans, cooked
about 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste.
1 cup cilantro, chopped (divided)

Dressing

1 tsp dijon mustard
2 TBS red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil

Salad

1 head lettuce, washed and torn
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar or jack cheese (optional)
1 tortilla, cut into strips and fried (optional)

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Instructions

1- You’ll want to soak the pinquito beans overnight and cook them the day before. A faster way is to cook the soaked beans in a pressure cooker, if you have one, for 13-15 minutes and let them rest in the pressure cooker for another 15 minutes. I like to put a pinch of epazote in my beans to make them more digestible; if you don’t have any, you can add a pinch of baking soda before cooking them.
2- Heat a cast iron skillet and add the 1 TBS oil. Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the jalapeno, garlic, and mushrooms, and continue cooking on low heat for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
3- If you are using quinoa or rice, now is the time. Add it to the skillet along with the 1 cup water and the spices. Let everything bubble and cook together for 15 minutes. Then turn off the flame and cover the pan. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
4- Stir the beans into the skillet and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes to marry the flavors. Add salt to taste, and stir in half the cilantro.
5- In a small bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and remaining cilantro to use as a dressing. Arrange your lettuce on a bowl or platter, and top decoratively with the bean mixture, the tomatoes, the cheese (optional), and the crispy tortilla strips (also optional).

Notes

You can dress this salad up with drizzles of sour cream and hot sauce, and get luxurious by adding diced avocado if you please.