This easy quinoa salad is fresh, tasty and goes well with a variety of different mains or enjoy it on its own for a healthy lunch. It is chock full of simple, healthy ingredients that the whole family will love! Gluten Free and Vegan.
This quinoa salad is one of my favourite go to salads. It makes a fresh and simple side dish that is great for entertaining or to take to a potluck. It can easily be made ahead of time and enjoyed for lunches or as an easy side for dinners during the week.
This is a great way to use up any leftover quinoa but it is equally a simple salad when made from scratch and can easily be made in 30 minutes.
Why this Quinoa Salad will become one of your new favourite salads....
- This salad is quick and really easy to make!
- It is filling - it contains complex carbs, protein, healthy fats and loads of healthy veggies!
- This salad is super versatile...You can easily swap out some veggies for others and use up whatever produce you have on hand.
- You will love the fresh flavours and textures.
- This salad is gluten free, dairy free, nut free and Vegan, so is suitable for many to enjoy.
How to make Quinoa Salad
1. First you will need to cook the quinoa if you are not using leftover cooked quinoa.
2. Rinse the quinoa then place in a medium sized saucepan, and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat then decrease to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and bring to the boil and then simmer for about 12-15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Then rinse the quinoa again in cold water, leave it to drain to make sure any excess water is removed, and place in a bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Prepare the rest of your fresh ingredients.
4. In a large serving bowl add the quinoa, then the spinach leaves and toss. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss.
5. For the dressing get a small bowl or jug and combine the crushed garlic, olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper. Whisk or stir until combined.
6. Pour over the salad and toss. Add additional salt and pepper or fresh herbs as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
One of the best things about using quinoa in a salad is that it is not only nutritious and a good source of fibre but it makes the salad more filling than your average salad just made from veggies.
This is due to quinoa also being a source of protein. Quinoa has a unique amino acid profile for a plant based food as it contains all 9 essential amino acids giving it 8 grams of quality protein per cup (source).
Additional Recipe Notes and FAQ.........
What type of quinoa should I use for this salad?
You can use any type of quinoa, I prefer to use red as it has a nuttier texture and holds its shape together better.
What is the difference between red and white quinoa?
There is not a huge difference and it can come down to personal preference, however as mentioned above red quinoa holds its shape better so it is often the better choice to be used in salads. It is also thought to be higher in antioxidants than white quinoa (source).
How long will this quinoa salad keep?
It should keep up to three days in an airtight container in the fridge.
What sweetcorn should I use?
You can use leftover cooked corn from cooked corn on the cob (cooked any way you prefer) or use unsweetened sweet corn from a can with no added sugar.
If you are looking for other salad recipes you may like to try:
Healthy Broccoli Salad (No Mayo)
Beetroot, Avocado & Quinoa Salad with Spiced Walnuts & Mint
Roasted Pumpkin, Chickpea and Sundried Tomato Salad.
Sweet Potato & Feta Salad with Pomegranate & Pecans
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
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Hope
Serves 8
Hope Pearce
The best Quinoa salad, full of fresh, healthy ingredients! Gluten Free & Vegan.
15 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 1 review(s)
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
- 2 cups of water
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered
- 1 medium cucumber, chopped
- 1 medium red capsicum, chopped
- ½ avocado, chopped
- 1 cup sweetcorn
- 1 cup black olives, pitted
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley to garnish
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First you will need to cook the quinoa if you are not using leftover cooked quinoa.
- Rinse the quinoa then place in a medium sized saucepan, and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat then decrease to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and bring to the boil and then simmer for about 12-15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Then rinse the quinoa again in cold water, leave it to drain to make sure any excess water is removed, and place in a bowl and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the rest of your fresh ingredients.
- In a large serving bowl add the quinoa, then the spinach leaves and toss. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss.
- For the dressing get a small bowl or jug and combine the crushed garlic, olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper. Whisk or stir until combined.
- Pour over the salad and toss. Add additional salt and pepper or fresh herbs as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
This salad should keep up to three days in an airtight container in the fridge. I have used red quinoa in this salad but you can use white if you prefer, red does seem to hold its shape better for salads, please see additional notes in blog post. This quinoa salad will serve 8 as a side salad. This nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy to readers. It was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed in the recipe card. Please feel free to use your preferred nutrition calculator. Please consult your doctor about any specific dietary requirements.
