11 Shares

This quinoa salad is lip smacking delicious. It’s a sort of prelude to summer:)

This Quinoa Salad is a one bowl meal. Full of nutritious deliciousness. It’s:

crunchy
munchy
savory
sweet
tart
light
fresh
satisfying

It’s also a riot of color. Fresh herbs make all the difference here. I went with mint as that’s what I had available. Use what you have and what you love but make sure you use plenty!

Here’s my mint planted in a strawberry pot – it seems to be happy:) This is the beginning of what I hope will be a lovely and prolific herb garden. I’m going for:

mint
rosemary
summer thyme
basil
fennel
sage
dill
oregano
parsley

What am I missing? I love having herbs just outside the kitchen for easy access during the warmer months don’t you?

What can I substitute in this salad?

The sky is the limit, Here are a few suggestions:

any herbs – see the list above (if you go for rosemary make sure you mince it very finely)
different color bell peppers
cucumbers
zucchini
fennel
red cabbage
garden peas
baby spinach
baby kale
rice
farro
bulgar wheat
almonds
walnuts
pecans
pistachios
dried cherries
raisins

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes. It will keep happily in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can add a few more fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving to freshen everything up:)

Is Quinoa good for me?

YES!

Quinoa is full of protein, gluten free and has all the essential nine amino acids (rare in plant foods!)
It contains plenty of fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, calcium and phosphorus.

Quinoa Salad is packed with plant goodness, not only from the quinoa but from a variety of vegetables and herbs. The more the merrier – and the better for you.

If you want to make it into a heartier meal you could add a can of chickpeas or cannellini beans. Just be sure to drain and rinse them thoroughly before adding them to the salad.

Quinoa Salad

Print Recipe

A delightful and highly nutritious plant powered salad.

Author: The Well Fed Yogi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Category: salad

Ingredients

Scale

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup cooked edamame beans

1 summer squash, diced

3 sticks celery, diced

3 carrots, finely sliced

1 cup arugula, roughly sliced

1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if large

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup sultanas or raisins

1/2 cup raw cashews

For the Dressing:

Juice and zest of a lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup filtered water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to the package directions. When cooked transfer to a large bowl to cool.
Prepare the vegetables and herbs, place in a large bowl.
Add the sultanas or raisins and cashews.
When the quinoa is cool add it to the vegetables. Stir well.
To make the dressing: stir together the lemon zest and juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and black pepper. Whisk in the water, TASTE and add more lemon juice or maple syrup if necessary and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Add more fresh herbs if desired.