This is one of the best quinoa salad recipes I have made! It is full of fresh vegetables, texture and flavor. Our simple homemade dressing makes the quinoa taste incredible!
I made this quinoa salad for it for everyone I like (even those who don’t usually like quinoa). However, I was not surprised. We pack so much texture and flavor. It’s hard not to like this simple quinoa salad.
Our homemade quinoa salad seasoning requires honey, but if you want to make a vegan quinoa salad, change to maple syrup, you can all fix it!
Key Ingredients
This is one of the best quinoa salad recipes as it is full of sweets. I added a lot of colorful and crunchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and chickpeas to stick.
- Quinoa: We’ve shared the entire post to guide you on how to cook quinoa, but here’s the main takeaway: Rinse the quinoa and then cook it to reduce the bitterness. For completely fluffy quinoa, use 2 cups of water as 1 cup of dry quinoa.
- vegetable: I use fresh cucumbers, Bok Choy, grated carrots and pepper, but in this salad any fresh, crispy veggies or grilled veggies will work. I especially like Bok Choy, which adds a mild crunchy texture.
- Nuts and Seeds: I like buttered pine nuts and pepitas. Walnuts, pistachios, almonds or sunflower seeds (such as sunflower seeds) are also great choices.
- dried fruit: In the photo, we added dry wild blueberries. Cranberries or raisins will also work. If they are seasonal, fresh fruit will work too. I can’t wait for summer so I can add some fresh blueberries to this salad.
- Fresh herbs: Add color and flavor. I like to stir up a lot of parsley and mint.
- Chickpeas: Make our quinoa salad more hearty and satisfying. You can use canned or home-cooked chickpeas (this is how to cook dried chickpeas).
- Quinoa Salad Dressing: I keep it simple with apple cider vinegar, second mustard, honey and high-end olive oil. For vegan, swap honey for maple syrup. If so, add extra fresh lemon juice. It makes everything brighter.
How to make a quinoa salad
To make a quinoa salad, you need Cook quinoa first. Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove saponins, which makes the chainless quinoa bitter. Then, add the rinsed quinoa to the pot and water (I cook 2 parts of water with 2 parts of quinoa). Cook the quinoa until the liquid is absorbed for 10 to 15 minutes.
Set aside the pan and let the quinoa steam and fluffy. Then, fluff it with a fork and let it cool a little.
While the quinoa is cooled, prepare the rest of the salad. I make salad seasoning in a small bowl and stir together. It takes a few minutes. I then added the cooled quinoa and all the remaining salad ingredients to a large bowl. Drizzled with all the dressings and gave all the flavors very well. Simple!
Store quinoa salad
This quinoa salad lasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. After three days, the salad may wither slightly but the taste is still great! I don’t recommend frozen salads. For tips on preparing and frozen cooked quinoa, see this guide to cooking quinoa.
More Quinoa Recipes
The best quinoa salad
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This incredible quinoa salad recipe is packed with superfoods. It is easy to make and make beautiful salads.
Make about 8 cups
Watch us make recipes
You will need
For salad
1 cup of dried quinoa
1 (15 oz) can be made with chickpeas or 1½ cups of cooked chickpeas
1/2 medium English cucumber, diced (1 cup)
1 medium bell, chopped (1 cup)
1 baby bok choy, chopped (2 cups)
1 cup extra grated or chopped vegetables such as carrots or broccoli stems, optional
1/2 cup (65g) nuts and seeds such as walnuts, pine nuts, pepitas or sunflower seeds
1/4 cup (35g) dried fruit, blueberries or cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs such as fresh cilantro, cilantro, basil, dill or mint
For flavor
1/4 cup (60 ml) super olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of simplified mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, more flavor
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
2 to 3 lemon wedges, optional juice
direction
- Cook quinoa
1Place the quinoa in a fine mesh filter and rinse the quinoa thoroughly in cool water for 30 seconds to one minute. Or, add quinoa to the bowl. Cover with cool water, spin the quinoa, and drain. Repeat this rinse process again.
2After rinsing, gently shake the quinoa to remove any excess water.
3Add rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water to medium pot.
4Place the pan on medium heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, so cook slowly and cook until the quinoa absorbs all the liquid, 10 to 15.
5Remove the pan from heat, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Then, use a fork to find and break the quinoa. Let the quinoa cool slightly before using the salad.
- Make Quinoa Salad
1In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard sauce, honey (or maple syrup), salt and pepper until combined.
2Mix cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cucumbers, peppers, Bok Choy, extra veggies, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and herbs in a large bowl.
3Pour the seasoning over the salad and throw away until everything is covered. Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper when needed. For a fresher flavor, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Quinoa salad will be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- As a replacement for dried fruit, consider adding 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh fruit, such as blueberries, diced or chopped mangoes.
- For vegan quinoa salad, replace honey with maple syrup.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
Service size
1 cup
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Calories
282
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Total fat
14g
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Saturated fat
2G
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cholesterol
0mg
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sodium
274.5mg
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carbohydrate
33 grams
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Dietary fiber
6.5g
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Total sugar
7.3 grams
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protein
8.8 grams
We are Adam and Joanne, a couple who are passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? Inspire you to enter the kitchen and cook fresh and delicious meals confidently.
