Quinoa is a healthy and delicious whole-grain addition to many salad recipes. It is also a quick-cooking and delicately flavored grain. These healthy quinoa salad recipes are satisfying meals for lunch and dinner, as well. Next time you’re looking for a healthy and hearty quinoa meal, try making one of the following quinoa salad recipes.
1. Lemony Quinoa Salad and Shaved Vegetables
Active time: 25 minutes; Total time: 1h, 25 minutes; Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 small black radish
- 1 medium fennel bulb, cored
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground pepper and salt
- or 1 large watermelon radish or
- 1 medium carrot, peeled
- 1 cup quinoa, preferably red, rinsed
- Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
- Use a mandoline and thinly slice the carrot, fennel bulb, and radishes. Put it in a big bowl full of ice water and leave it in the fridge until crisp, for about one hour.
- Meanwhile, add the water and quinoa to a saucepan to a boil. Cover it and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Let it cool.
- Now, drain and dry vegetables. Combine, juice, and lemon zest with the oil. Add the quinoa and toss it, Next, season with pepper and salt. Top the quinoa with the vegetables and serve in bowls.
2. Quinoa Salad with Sugar Snap Peas
Active time: 15 minutes; Total time: 40 minutes; Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
- a quarter of cup plus one tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup minced chives
Directions:
- Simmer the peas in a small saucepan of boiling salted water for about one minute, until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and spread out on a big plate in order to cool. Next, cut the peas into 1-inch pieces, diagonally.
- Put the quinoa and two cups of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover it and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, until all of the water has evaporated and the quinoa is tender. Now, uncover the quinoa and fluff it. Then, transfer to a big bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
- Combine the vinegar, oil in a bowl and season with pepper and salt. Add the peas to the quinoa with the chives, dressing, and pumpkin seeds. Stir it. Season with pepper and salt and serve lightly chilled or at room temperature.
3. Quinoa Salad with Feta and Pickled Radishes
Active time: 30 minutes; Total time: 1h, 15 minutes; Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 pound thin green beans
- 1 large English cucumber (seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice, halved lengthwise)
- Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 4 medium radishes, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 3 and a half tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 6 ounces Greek feta cheese, thinly sliced
Directions:
- Put the red wine vinegar in a small saucepan to simmer with the sugar. Now, remove from the heat and add the slices of radish. Leave it for about one hour, until cool.
- Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in a big saucepan of salted boiling water for about 3 minutes, until they are crisp-tender. Next, drain and rinse the beans under cold water, until they are cool. Dry the beans and cut them into one and a half-inch lengths.
- Put 1 3/4 cups of water in a medium saucepan to boil. Next, add the quinoa, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 12 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed. Uncover it and let it stand for about 10 minutes, until cool.
- Toss the cucumber with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium bowl and season with pepper and salt. Toss the quinoa with the lemon juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the parsley in a big bowl, and season with pepper and salt. Now, drain the radishes and add them to the quinoa, along with the cucumber, feta, and beans. Toss it well and serve.
4. Lemony Quinoa Salad with Olives and Pine Nuts
Active time: 10 minutes; Total time: 25 minutes; Servings: 1
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons pitted green olives
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt
Directions:
- Boil the water in a saucepan. Now, add the quinoa, cover it and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Put it in a bowl.
- Toast the pine nuts over moderate heat in a skillet, until golden. Next, add them to the quinoa along with the olives, lemon juice, and cilantro. Season with salt. Serve.
5. Santa Fe Quinoa Salad
Active time: 20 minutes; Total time: 45 minutes; Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- One 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 3/4 cup quinoa (about 5 ounces)
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 3-ounce jar cocktail onions, nicely chopped and drained
Directions:
- Combine the quinoa, a pinch of salt, and water in a medium saucepan to boil. Cover it and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Now, spread the quinoa on a baking sheet and then refrigerate it for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds over high heat in a small skillet, shaking the pan for about two minutes, until fragrant. Now, transfer to a blender. Before you blend, add the oil and the lime juice. Season with pepper and salt.
- Pour the dressing into a bowl and add the bell pepper, cocktail onions, cilantro, and black beans. Now, scrape the quinoa into the bowl and season it with pepper and salt. Serve.