This versatile quinoa salad recipe combines crunchy veggies with a savory dressing! It’s ideal as a side dish, for lunches, picnics and more.
Here’s a work salad that’s fresh, delicious, and extremely versatile: this deli-style salad Quinoa salad! There are many ways to make a salad with this fluffy grain, and after years of experimenting, we’ve figured it out the one. This recipe is deliciously refreshing, a blend of crisp and colorful veggies, fluffy quinoa grains, and a zesty Dijon mustard vinaigrette. It’s loaded with veggies, making it a great way to add veggies as a side dish, lunch, or even a picnic or potluck. Come and experience the magic!
Ingredients of this quinoa salad
Quinoa is the most popular whole grain of the last decade: even though it’s not actually a grain! It’s actually a seed, so some people call it a “pseudograin” because it’s eaten the same way grains are. It comes from South America and was first eaten by the Incas in the Andes 7,000 years ago: How about an ancient grain?
This flavorful seed is great seasoned as a side dish or even stuffed into enchiladas. But it tastes best in a salad, with vegetables and a dressing similar to rice, bulgur or pasta. The main idea of this salad? Boil the quinoa, chop the veggies and toss with the dressing! There are just a few things to consider before diving in. Here’s what you need for this quinoa salad:
- dry quinoa
- Parsely
- tomatoes
- english cucumber: The English cucumber is a mild flavored variety with thin skin and small seeds that do not need to be peeled. If you want to use a regular cucumber, be sure to peel it.
- Red pepper
- Tuscan cabbage: we prefer the mild flavor of Tuscan cabbage over spicy kale; it’s easy to find at the grocery store (often called lacinato or dinosaur cabbage)
- Green Onions
- salt and dried basil
- For the dressing: Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar and olive oil
- The feta falls apart (Optional)
Tips for cooking and cooling quinoa
Quinoa can be a little hard to come by: even for seasoned kitchen pros! It can come out slightly soggy and muddy. We have a few tips for cooking quinoa so it’s juicy and ready for this quinoa salad:
- Use our optimized water ratio for fluffy beans. Most quinoa recipes suggest a ratio of 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, but it can get soggy. After extensive testing, we have developed a new quinoa/water ratio: try it 1 cup quinoa for 1 ¾ cup water. Bring it to a simmer and it results in fluffy grains that aren’t soggy.
- Allow to cool before using in the salad: here’s a tip! You can’t empty the freshly cooked grain directly into the salad: it’s too hot and too humid. Instead, we have a trick: place it on a baking sheet in a single layer, then pop it in the freezer for 2-3 minutes. Then you can use the quinoa at room temperature!
- Or prepare the quinoa ahead of time. If you wish, you can prepare the quinoa up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve: you can then skip the chilling step.
Ways to serve this quinoa salad
Some recipes only work for one purpose. But our favorite recipes are the ones that are extremely versatile: and this one is! There are so many different ways to serve it:
3 more quinoa salad recipes!
Want to try a few more quinoa salad recipes? Here are some variations on the theme that use different flavor combinations:
- Kale Quinoa Salad: This Kale Quinoa Salad with Tuscan kale and hearty chickpeas is perfect for lunch.
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad: A main course salad modeled on a Panera salad, this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad layers a tomato and quinoa sofrito on a crispy romaine with Kalamata olives and feta cheese.
- Mexican Quinoa Salad: Try this Mexican Quinoa Salad, a blend of black beans, corn, tomatoes, and fajita seasoning.
Another place you could use quinoa? Replace it with this Lemon Barley Salad.
This quinoa salad recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, plant-based, dairy-free, and vegan (excluding the optional feta cheese).
The description
This versatile quinoa salad recipe combines crunchy veggies with a savory dressing! It’s ideal as a side dish, for lunches, picnics and more.
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup finely chopped curly parsley
- 1 pint Cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 English cucumber, diced (peeled if using a standard cucumber)
- 1 red peppers, diced
- 1/2 at 1 Bunch of Tuscan kale* (aka lacinato or dinosaur kale), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 Green Onions
- ¼ cup chopped shallot or red onion, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, shared
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta, optional
- Prepare quinoa: Rinse the quinoa with a fine sieve and drain completely. Place in a saucepan with 1 ¾ cup water and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer where the water is bubbling, until the water is completely absorbed, about 15-18 minutes. (Check by removing the quinoa with a fork to see if any water remains.) Turn off the heat and allow to steam with the lid on for 5 minutes, then stir the quinoa with a fork. (This step can be done the night before; refrigerate quinoa until ready to make salad.)
- Cool quinoa to room temperature: If you’re preparing the salad right after cooking the quinoa, here’s a tip: Pour the quinoa onto a baking sheet and spread them out in an even layer. Place it in the freezer for 2-3 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
- Cut and season vegetables: Chop the parsley, tomato, cucumber, red pepper, Tuscan cabbage and onion as directed in the ingredients list above. Place in a large bowl with the remaining ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and the dried basil.
- Prepare dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together honey or maple syrup, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Slowly stir in the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully mixed and an emulsion forms.
- Serve the salad: Mix together the quinoa, vegetables and dressing. Enjoy immediately or marinate 30 minutes to 24 hours before serving (then taste and salt if needed). Keeps in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Remarks
* Bun sizes may vary, use half a bunch if you are very tall or if you prefer less kale in your quinoa salad.
- Category: salad
- Method: No chef
- Kitchen: salad
- Diet: vegan
Keywords: Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Salad Recipe
