Simple Quinoa Salad

Healthy and delicious quinoa salad filled with veggies, fruits and nuts. Tossed with a little lemon and olive oil, this salad is the perfect side dish at any meal that is wholesome and filling.

I must admit, my quinoa salad is a main feature at most gatherings or celebrations. It is not only a healthy option but also works as a salad and filling side dish. It is vegan and gluten free making for an allergy friendly recipe option. It is very simple to make and you can do the prep ahead of time to make the process easier. You can customize the ingredients based on your fridge and taste.

What ingredients do you need to make this Simple Quinoa Salad?

Quinoa –

I have made this recipe with tricolored quinoa, white or black quinoa. They all work well here. If you prefer you can use barley or couscous as well but I would recommend using quinoa here considering it is a quinoa salad.

Vegetables –

I have used a combination of bell peppers, carrots, chilies, cucumbers, tomatoes and scallions. You can use any veggies you like. I have also used mushrooms, shredded cabbage, green beans that have been blanched etc.

Fruits –

Raisins, pomegranate, avocado is what the recipe calls for. But you can use dates, figs, oranges, pears, apple, berries or any fruit you prefer.

Legumes –

I have used black eyed beans to make this salad, you can use red kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas or any other legumes you prefer.

Herbs –

I have used a combination of fresh and dried herbs. Fresh herbs being parsley, coriander, mint and dried herbs being dried basil.

Seasoning –

We need salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup. At this stage you can get creative and use garlic olive oil or chili oil. You can use lime juice or apple cider vinegar too.

Nuts –

I love adding walnuts, cashew nuts and pine nuts. I also love adding sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. You can add any nuts or seeds you prefer. Chopped toasted almonds also work well here.

What equipment do you need to make this Simple Quinoa Salad?

We need a chopping board and knife to prep the veggies. We also need a large mixing bowl to make the salad. I like using a rubber spatula to mix it together but a spoon works well. We also need a serving platter.

How to make this Simple Quinoa Salad?

Start by cooking the quinoa as per the packet instructions. This should take 15-20 mins. In the mean time start chopping all the veggies into dices. Once everything is ready, set it aside. Strain the quinoa and rinse under cold water, drain out the excess liquid and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped veggies, fruit, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, pepper and mix together until combined evenly. Transfer to a platter and top with chopped nuts.

Serving and storing this Simple Quinoa Salad?

I like to serve this salad as a wholesome side dish, add a couple of boiled eggs into the salad and make it a complete meal. Serve it with grilled chicken, steamed fish or potato cutlets. Once the salad is made, you need to store it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Looking for more salad recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this Simple Quinoa Salad, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.