This simple quinoa salad is filled with spinach, tomatoes, purple onion, avocado and feta with a easy lemon dressing. It’s the proper wholesome facet dish!
If you recognize me, you recognize I really like a very good quinoa salad! I’ve made so many through the years that I’ve constructed up fairly the gathering, however I nonetheless have a favourite that I’ll at all times make time and time once more.
That’s the recipe I’m sharing right this moment.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Straightforward to make – You solely want 8 essential substances (plus salt and pepper) and as soon as your quinoa is cooked this salad comes collectively in about 10 minutes!
- Customizable – I really like this recipe as is, however be at liberty to make it your individual! Use no matter veggies you might have readily available, add protein, use a special dressing… the choices are limitless!
- Meal-prep pleasant – This salad solely will get higher because it sits, making it excellent for meal prep.
// ★★★★★ Evaluate //
“It is a keeper and really easy to make. I doubled the recipe and added some chopped celery for crunch. LOVED it! That is excellent as written however can also be an excellent base salad to make and add no matter contemporary greens I’ve readily available. Very versatile.” – Kyasi
Quinoa Salad Components
Right here’s what you’ll must make this scrumptious (and tremendous simple) quinoa salad:
- quinoa – that is the bottom of the recipe and you need to use any sort of quinoa you want from white, black, purple to tri-color. Any selection will work for this recipe. In relation to find out how to cook dinner quinoa for salad, it’s principally the identical course of as regular, however I prefer to make my quinoa a day upfront, let it cool and chill it within the fridge in a single day after which use it for the salad the subsequent day.
- child spinach – child spinach has a gentle taste and texture that works completely on this quinoa salad. I like thinly slicing it or shredded it so the items are bite-size and straightforward to eat.
- cherry tomatoes – these little guys add such nice taste to the salad.
- purple onion – the proper approach so as to add a little bit of taste and crunch. You need to use yellow onion if wanted.
- lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and pepper – as an alternative of an elaborate dressing, we’re utilizing these 4 gadgets so as to add a light-weight and refreshing taste to the salad.
- avocados – for some creaminess and wholesome fats.
- feta cheese – this provides such a very good taste to the salad so I wouldn’t suggest omitting it. If wanted you need to use a vegan feta.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan feta cheese just like the Observe Your Coronary heart dairy-free feta crumbles.
- Add protein: Every serving of this salad already has 8 grams of protein, however you could possibly at all times add extra by tossing in about 1 cup of chickpeas or white beans or including in some chopped grilled hen.
- Swap veggies: Have totally different veggies readily available? Use no matter you might have! Cucumber, broccoli, bell peppers or a special inexperienced would all be nice additions!
- Add herbs: For some added freshness, combine in some contemporary herbs like parsley, dill, basil or cilantro.
- Add nuts: For some crunch, combine in some nuts or seeds like sunflower seeds, pistachios or almonds.
- Searching for extra quinoa salad variations? Do this greek quinoa salad, roasted broccoli quinoa salad or southwestern quinoa salad. They’re all so good!
Make Quinoa Salad
One your quinoa is cooked and veggies are chopped this quinoa salad recipe comes collectively in a matter of minutes. Right here’s find out how to make it:
Step 1: Prepare dinner your quinoa by first rinsing and draining it. Then add the quinoa and water to a saucepan and convey it to a boil. As soon as boiling, scale back to a simmer, cowl and cook dinner for quarter-hour. Fluff with a fork and let cool for 5-10 minutes. This step could be finished upfront!
Step 2: In a big bowl, stir collectively your cooked quinoa, chopped spinach, tomatoes, purple onion and feta.
Step 3: In a small mixing bowl whisk collectively your lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the quinoa combination and gently stir to verify all the things will get coated with the dressing.
Step 4: Add avocado chunks and serve instantly or let the salad chill within the fridge a pair hours earlier than serving. If chilling, you possibly can add the avocado proper earlier than serving to forestall browning.
What to Serve with Quinoa Salad
Truthfully, this salad pairs properly with absolutely anything! It’s my go-to facet for cookouts and potlucks and I at all times get requested for the recipe. Listed below are some pairing concepts:
Retailer Leftover Quinoa Salad
This salad shops tremendous properly, making it excellent for meal prep!
To make it upfront: I’d suggest leaving the avocado out and including that in proper earlier than serving. The remainder of the salad could be totally assembled and saved in an hermetic container for 3-4 days within the fridge.
To retailer leftovers: Retailer any leftovers in an hermetic container for 3-4 days within the fridge.
Most Salad Recipes
Be sure you try all of my quinoa recipes in addition to the complete assortment of salad recipes on EBF!
Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin.
This publish was initially revealed on April 5, 2021, up to date on September 7, 2023 and republished on April 12, 2024.
