Ancient Grain Quinoa Salad with Fresh Vegetables
This colourful ancient grain quinoa salad is made with fluffy tri-colour quinoa, crisp cucumber, sweet bell pepper, carrots, red onion and plenty of fresh herbs. Everything is tossed in a bright lemon herb vinaigrette that soaks into the quinoa without making the salad heavy.Fresh, crunchy and full of flavour, this easy quinoa salad is ideal for summer barbecues, potlucks, healthy lunches or make-ahead meal prep. It also holds up nicely in the refrigerator, and the flavour gets even better after it has had a little time to rest.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Fine mesh strainer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Small jar with lid or whisk
- Fork for fluffing the quinoa
- Baking sheet or large plate for cooling the quinoa
Ingredients
For the Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked tri-colour
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 cup cucumber finely diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper finely diced
- ½ cup carrot finely diced
- ⅓ cup red onion finely diced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup parsley chopped and fresh
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped and fresh
- 2 tablespoons mint chopped and fresh, optional
For the Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil extra-virgin
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove small and finely minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Rinse the quinoa
- Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it thoroughly under cool running water. This helps remove its natural coating and prevents the cooked quinoa from tasting bitter.
Cook the quinoa
- Add the rinsed quinoa and water or vegetable broth to a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
- Simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the quinoa sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
Cool the quinoa
- Fluff the cooked quinoa gently with a fork. Spread it over a large plate or baking sheet so it can cool more quickly.
- Let the quinoa cool completely before adding the vegetables. Warm quinoa can soften the cucumber and fresh herbs.
Prepare the vegetables
- While the quinoa cools, finely dice the cucumber, red bell pepper, carrot and red onion. Thinly slice the green onions and chop the parsley, cilantro and mint.
- Small, evenly chopped vegetables work best in this quinoa salad because you get a little crunch and colour in every bite.
Make the lemon vinaigrette
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to a small jar.
- Cover tightly and shake until the vinaigrette is well blended. You can also whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Assemble the quinoa salad
- Place the cooled quinoa in a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, red bell pepper, carrot, red onion, green onions, parsley, cilantro and mint.
- Pour the lemon herb vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently until the quinoa and vegetables are evenly coated.
Chill and serve
- Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the quinoa time to absorb the lemon herb dressing.
- Stir the salad before serving and taste for seasoning. Add another squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt or a small drizzle of olive oil if needed.
For the best ancient grain quinoa salad, spread the cooked quinoa on a large plate or baking sheet and let it cool completely before adding the vegetables. This keeps the quinoa light and fluffy while helping the cucumber, bell pepper and fresh herbs stay crisp.
Notes
- Rinse the tri-colour quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer before cooking. This removes its natural coating and helps prevent a slightly bitter taste.
- Cook the quinoa only until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender. Overcooked quinoa can make this ancient grain quinoa salad soft and heavy instead of light and fluffy.
- Let the cooked quinoa cool completely before adding the fresh vegetables. Warm quinoa can quickly soften the cucumber, peppers and herbs.
- Spread the quinoa over a large plate or baking sheet to help it cool faster and prevent the grains from clumping together.
- Chop the vegetables into small, even pieces so every spoonful of this fresh vegetable quinoa salad has a good mix of colour, crunch and flavour.
- Allow the salad to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. The quinoa absorbs the lemon herb vinaigrette, and the flavour becomes noticeably better as it rests.
- Taste the salad again just before serving. Add a little extra lemon juice, olive oil, salt or black pepper if the quinoa has absorbed most of the dressing.
- This healthy quinoa salad can be prepared several hours ahead, making it a convenient side dish for meal prep, summer barbecues and potluck dinners.
- Add feta, chickpeas, grilled chicken or toasted seeds just before serving if you want a heartier quinoa salad with fresh vegetables.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir well and refresh with a squeeze of lemon before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 222mgPotassium: 334mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2789IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg
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