Favorite Quinoa Salad (Print Page)
A refreshing bowl of fluffy quinoa tossed with crisp vegetables, aromatic herbs, and tangy lemon dressing for a light yet satisfying meal.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
→ Fresh Herbs
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Dairy (Optional)
09 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water using a fine-mesh strainer. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature.
02 - While the quinoa cools, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl until well emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, finely chopped red onion, chopped parsley, and chopped mint.
04 - Pour the prepared lemon dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the top and toss lightly. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a chilled presentation.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon Dijon dressing pulls everything together so well that you will want to put it on every salad you ever make again.
- It travels beautifully, making it the dish everyone asks you to bring to picnics and potlucks.
02 -
- Skip rinsing the quinoa and you will taste a soapy bitterness that no amount of dressing can fix, learned that the hard way.
- Letting the dressed salad rest in the fridge for even twenty minutes transforms the flavor completely as the quinoa absorbs the lemon and olive oil.
03 -
- Cook the quinoa a few hours ahead or even the night before so it has time to cool completely and dry out slightly, which prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
- Dress the salad while the quinoa is still slightly warm so it soaks up more flavor than it would when completely cold.