Quinoa Salad Recipes

It is no secret that having a few tasty quinoa salad recipes in your weekly rotation is a good idea, especially if you are looking for easy, filling, and healthy meals that happen to be gluten-free. In our household, quinoa salads are a part of our weekly menu. That’s why I thought that it would be helpful to you to put all my best warm and cold quinoa salad recipes in one easy place.

Packed with protein-rich superfoods and topped with sumptuous dressings, these dishes will be your new favorites—and they take 30 minutes to make! Even better, they are only a handful of my fast and easy quinoa recipes and salad recipes to add to your collection. Your kitchen will brim with fluffy quinoa and fresh veggies with these top-rated meals.

Favorite Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon. It’s vegan and gluten free, too! Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 8 side salads.

Prep: 20min

Total: 40min

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 1 side salad

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 side salad, calories 205 calories, Sugar 3.4 g, Sodium 217.9 mg, Fat 9.4 g, Saturated Fat 1.3 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 25.9 g, Fiber 4.6 g, Protein 6.1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion)
• 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instruction:

1. To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
4. Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
5. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Seriously Good Quinoa Salad

Our ultra-flavorful and satisfying quinoa salad recipe is packed with superfoods. It’s easy to make and tastes incredible. Whether you already love quinoa or don’t cook it often, this will become your new go-to salad. We share how to cook quinoa on the stovetop in the recipe, for other methods including cooking quinoa in the microwave or a pressure/rice cooker, see our article: How to Prepare and Cook Quinoa. If you are using leftover cooked quinoa, one cup of uncooked quinoa yields three cups of cooked quinoa.

Prep: 10min

Total: 25min

Yield: Makes about 8 cups

Serving Size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 cup, calories 282, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 274.5mg, Carbohydrate 33g, Fiber 6.5g, Sugar 7.3g, Protein 8.8g

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 medium English cucumber, diced (1 cup)
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 baby bok choy, chopped (2 cups)
• 1 cup additional grated or chopped veggies like carrots or broccoli stems, optional
• 1/2 cup (65 grams) nuts and seeds like walnuts, pine nuts, pepitas or sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup (35 grams) dried fruit, blueberries or cranberries
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs; use any combination of fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, dill or mint
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• Juice from 2 to 3 lemon wedges, optional

Instruction:

1. Add quinoa to a fine mesh strainer, and then rinse under cool water for 30 seconds to a minute. Alternatively, add the quinoa to a bowl and cover with cool water. Move the quinoa around the bowl, and then drain the water and repeat once more, so the quinoa has been rinsed.
2. Shake the quinoa of any excess liquid. Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed by the quinoa, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Move the saucepan off of the heat and cover for five minutes. This extra time allows the quinoa to steam and “fluff up.” Uncover, and then fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. When the quinoa has cooled slightly, in a large bowl, combine the quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, bok choy, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and the herbs.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey (or maple syrup), salt, and pepper until blended.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Taste then adjust with additional salt and pepper as needed. For an extra pop of flavor, spritz the juice from a few lemon wedges over the salad. Serve.

Quinoa Salad Recipes: Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Need a healthy quinoa salad? Try this traditional Mediterranean Tabbouleh Salad made with protein-rich quinoa, fresh herbs, tomatoes and a simple zesty olive oil dressing.

Prep: 15min

Total: 27min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 303 kcal, Sugar 2 g, Sodium 903 mg, Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Carbohydrate 33 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 8 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
• 1 ¾ cups water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed – plus more to taste)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 cup fresh dill (chopped)
• ½ cup fresh mint (chopped)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 small (or 1 English cucumbers, peeled and chopped)
• 3-4 scallions (sliced thinly both white and green parts)

Instruction:

1. To cook the quinoa: Place quinoa in a saucepan and add in the water and salt. Give it a mix, put the lid on and bring it to a boil in medium high heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for 10-12 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Take it off the heat and let it rest for 15 minutes. Fluff it with a fork and place it in a large salad bowl.
2. Make the salad dressing: Meanwhile, prep the dressing by whisking all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set it aside.
3. To assemble the quinoa tabbouleh: Place all tabbouleh ingredients in the bowl with the cooked quinoa.
4. Drizzle it with the dressing. Give it a toss.
5. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

Quinoa Recipes | Best Quinoa Salad | A&A Homemade

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