ABK’s recent Quinoa Salad is every little thing you need in a unbelievable summer time dish – fast to arrange, full of recent herbs and veggies, and filled with taste. Our Quinoa Salad is made with do-it-yourself French dressing and it’s even higher on day two!  

I first made this salad again in 2012. It was impressed by a recipe in Bon Urge for food which appeared a bit fussy with endive and different elements that aren’t simply accessible. I pared it again, used elements which are generally discovered at a neighborhood grocery, and made the best possible quinoa salad ever!

This salad is recent and simple to make for lunch or dinner and it lends a little bit of inexperienced to any menu! Additionally, this recipe is least more likely to present up, however all the time a welcome addition to nearly any meal as a facet dish.

The best way to cook dinner quinoa in a rice cooker + just a few suggestions for cooking quinoa:

Quinoa could also be cooked on the stovetop, however I want utilizing a rice cooker. The water/liquid ratio for cooking quinoa is 3/4 cup quinoa to 1 1/2 cups water or rooster broth (for extra taste). For this recipe, we use 1 1/2 cups quinoa, so we add 3 cups liquid.

Quinoa must be rinsed to take away the pure coating on the quinoa, which might trigger a bitter taste.

1. Place the rinsed quinoa right into a rice cooker (or rinse it within the cooking pot and drain effectively). Add liquid.
2. Activate rice cooker. When completed cooking, let sit for five minutes. Take away lid, gently fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, unfold on a platter or baking sheet and let cool.

Quinoa Salad tastes nice served as-is, or tossed together with your favourite greens. We discovered that it retains effectively in a single day – however greens wilt, so solely add sufficient to eat at one sitting. 

How do I serve Quinoa Salad?

1 ½ cups of dry quinoa makes nearly 5 cups cooked, so this recipe makes about 9 cups of salad. Add greens and you may stretch it even additional. I really like this salad in the summertime when the times are sizzling and motivation to cook dinner is low! Since this recipe makes loads, it’s supreme for making early within the week so it’s accessible for a fast lunch or dinner as a most important or facet dish.

5 (+1) Fast Info About Quinoa:

1. Quinoa is definitely a seed, not a grain.
2. It’s gluten free.
3. It’s a full protein (which is uncommon for plant-based meals).
4. Wealthy in fiber and minerals equivalent to iron and magnesium.
5. Its low glycemic index helps preserve blood sugar regular. 

We love salads! Listed here are some we all know you’ll love too: Contemporary Thai Cucumber Salad, Orzo Salad with Contemporary Lemon and Chive Dressing, and Contemporary Corn and Tomato Salad. 

This submit initially revealed June 2012, up to date with new pictures and content material August 2025

Course: brunch, Salad, Aspect Dish

Delicacies: Mediterranean

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Whole Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

This fast and simple quinoa salad is the right facet or most important dish salad for nearly any event!

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
• 4-5 child cucumbers, or backyard cukes, seeded, reduce into 1/4-inch cubes*
• 1 small pink onion, reduce into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes, reduce in half , or one giant tomato cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 bunch Italian parsley leaves, chopped
• 2 bunches mint leaves, chopped (or one package deal from grocery)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to style)
• freshly floor black pepper (to style)
• 6 cups loosely packed romaine, spinach, inexperienced or pink leaf lettuce, or your favourite greens
• 1 avocado, reduce into chunks

Cook dinner ModeStop your display screen from going darkish

• Cook dinner quinoa in keeping with package deal instructions. I used a rice cooker and cooked 1 1/2 cups quinoa in 3 cups of water.

• When cooked, fluff with a fork and funky fully.

• Add cooled quinoa in a big bowl together with cucumbers, onion, tomato, parsley and mint. Toss. High with avocado.

• In a small bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice salt and pepper.

• Pour dressing over the salad and calmly toss to coat.

• Serve by itself or over a mattress of greens as desired.

•  In the event you don’t have a rice cooker, comply with package deal instructions for cooking on the range prime. Quinoa may be cooked in an On the spot Pot on the “Rice Cooker” setting. 
• It’s important to fully cool the quinoa after cooking. Fluff it up a bit and place in fridge. This will even be carried out a number of hours earlier than serving, or as much as a day earlier than.
• The greens will be positioned on a platter or bowl with the salad spooned on prime, or chopped up and added to the salad and tossed. 
• Add cooked, chopped rooster for a most important dish.