Easy ✔ Gluten-Free ✔ Vegan ✔
Introducing Sunchef’s favorite quinoa salad! This bright and colorful salad is a great summertime recipe (or anytime you want to feel like it's summertime). Light and citrusy, it's a whole new way to enjoy quinoa. This quinoa salad is refreshing, crisp, and delicious. It’s perfect for lunch, dinner, or a side salad to your main dish.
Are you looking for a simple salad that you will absolutely LOVE? Yes, you can LOVE salad, if you don’t believe us, make this Easy Quinoa Salad. We guarantee you will love it. It is easy to throw together, especially if you have leftover quinoa in the fridge. It is light, refreshing, and full of flavor. Plus, it is allergy-friendly making it a great salad for almost everyone!
Don’t be afraid of cooking quinoa, it is super easy to make. Quinoa is amazing because it is healthy, hearty, and a good source of protein. You can make the quinoa in advance so the salad is easy to throw together. You can keep cooked quinoa in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Make sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin which can make it taste bitter. Pour the uncooked quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to a minute. A lot of packaged quinoa now comes pre-rinsed, so check your package to potentially save a step!
You can improve the flavor of quinoa by seasoning it generously. A little bit of salt goes a long way, so don’t forget to add it in. To 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, add 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Sea salt has large flakes, so if you use table salt, you’ll use much less.
Let the quinoa steam. Once the liquid is absorbed, don’t rush to cool the quinoa; instead, let it stand (covered) for at least 10 minutes. Letting the quinoa stand allows it to fully “pop” and ensures it doesn’t end up watery or mushy. If the quinoa has cooked through, but there is still liquid in the pot, make sure to drain off that liquid.
Let the cooked quinoa cool completely before adding the other ingredients.
Once assembled this quinoa salad can be stored covered in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving. Serve salad cold for best results.
Sunchef’s Souraya loves creating recipes that turn traditional dishes into delicious, decadent, and guilt-free foods. From her happy belly to yours, today, she redefines Quinoa Salad.
Ready to chop? Here’s what to do.
UTENSILS
You will need:
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Chopping board and knife
You can find most of the ingredients listed below at Mint Basil Market.
DRESSING INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup smooth Almond Butter
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos or Tamari Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 limes juiced
- 5 tbsp Water
SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1 Broccoli floret, finely chopped
- 3 Carrots, shredded
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 small Red Cabbage
- 2 Spring Onions
DIRECTIONS
Step 1
Cook 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups of water for 10mins.
Step 2
Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk very well.
Step 3
Chop all your desired vegetables.
Step 4
Mix your vegetables and dressing in a large bowl and make sure the sauce is well distributed.
Take a generous bite and enjoy! If you tried this recipe or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.