I present to you my preferred quinoa salad! I love all of the quinoa salad recipes I’ve shared over the years, but this one is unquestionably my favorite.
This quinoa salad is tasty, crisp, and revitalizing. Fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, fresh parsley, and a garlicky olive oil and lemon dressing are all that are needed to make it. The salad is somewhat reminiscent of tabouleh, a bulgur- and tomato-based herbed Lebanese salad.
Top Quinoa Salad Recipe
This recipe is great for three reasons:
- Additionally, this quinoa salad recipe comes together quickly and easily, especially if you use leftover quinoa (see recipe note). The dish use the quinoa-cooking technique I find to produce consistently fluffy quinoa.
- This salad travels well for picnics, road trips, and flights.
- Bring this allergy-friendly salad to your next potluck so that everyone can enjoy it. It is vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and nut free.
- Although this recipe doesn’t taste very “simple,” it has many advantages that make it a go-to option in my kitchen. I hope it ends up becoming your go-to recipe for quinoa salad as well! Please remark and let me know how it goes for you.
Bota Box Wine is the sponsor of this article.
I’ve had a lot of enjoyable, unstructured get-togethers with pals this summer. Yes to potlucks, strolls around the park, and impromptu poolside afternoons. It’s convenient to have supplies on hand. My fridge is stocked with quinoa salad and Bota Box Wine (thanks, Bota Box! ), and my pool bag is full with magazines and sunscreen.
For an evening picnic in the park, the “Bota Mini” size is quite lightweight and convenient to carry. Because you don’t need to remember to pack a bottle opener, the little boxes are practical. Additionally, the empty boxes are portable and recyclable. Three glasses of wine, or little more than half of a typical wine bottle, are contained in each 500 mL mini. I suggest consuming this crisp summer salad with their mild, crisp Sauvignon blanc.
Also read: Kale, Apple & Goat Cheese Salad with Granola “Croutons”
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, drained in a sieve with fine mesh
- 2-cups of water
- 1.2 cups of cooked chickpeas or 1 can (15 ounces) of washed and drained chickpeas
- Chopped and seeded one medium cucumber
- 1 chopped medium red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup finely minced red onion (from 1 small red onion)
- 1 cup of flat-leaf parsley, cut finely (from 1 large bunch)
- Olive oil, 1/4 cup
- Lemon juice, 1/4 cup (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1/fourth cup red wine vinegar
- 2 minced or pressed garlic cloves
- 12 teaspoon of sea salt, fine
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- How to prepare quinoa: In a medium saucepan, mix the water and rinsed quinoa. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil; then, turn down the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water, gradually lowering the heat to maintain a moderate simmer. To give the quinoa time to puff up, remove it from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for five minutes.
- Combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and parsley in a sizable serving bowl. Place aside.
- Olive oil, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, and garlic should all be combined in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and then set aside.
- Add the quinoa to the serving bowl once it has cooled to room temperature, then top with the dressing. Mixture should be completely blended after each toss. If necessary, add an additional pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Let the salad sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving for the tastiest results.
- For around 4 days, this salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered. Serving suggestions: Cool or room temperature.