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A mixture of beets, beet greens, quinoa, recent herbs, and nuts comes collectively on this vibrant Beet & Quinoa Salad. From the recent pink shade to the tangy balsamic dressing, it’s a facet dish or gentle meal to not be missed. Vegan and Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Possibility.
You don’t need to be the world’s greatest fan of beets to get a kick out of this Beet Quinoa Salad. A scorching pink mixture of fluffy quinoa and shredded beets is mixed with recent herbs, beet greens, and walnuts and tossed in a easy balsamic French dressing. It’s so recent and filling, you’ll be consuming it year-round!
Desk of Contents
A Vibrant Quinoa Salad
You don’t need to be Barbie to confess that consuming pink meals is a lot extra enjoyable. Simply get a load of this Beet and Quinoa Salad! As if its scorching pink shade wasn’t sufficient to make you need to dive proper into the bowl, its recent flavors, tender greens, and tangy dressing may even have you ever asking for seconds.
Similar to my Beet Pasta and these Vegan Rainbow Flatbreads, beets are the key behind the eye-popping shade right here. They’re shredded and mixed with cooked quinoa (immediately turning the grains scorching pink), then tossed with recent herbs, leafy beet greens, and a balsamic French dressing.
Take pleasure in it as a hearty facet dish or a lightweight lunch. Irrespective of the way you serve it, this one’s a head-turner, so be ready to share!
Substances for Beet and Quinoa Salad
Apart from the plain beets and quinoa, you want round 10 easy components to make this salad. A mixture of recent components within the salad and pantry staples within the dressing leaves you with a easy salad with layers of flavors. Right here’s what the recipe requires:
- Quinoa: go for white quinoa for the brightest pop of pink. Save the crimson or tri-colored quinoa for this Southwest Quinoa Salad as a substitute.
- Beets and Beet Greens: uncooked crimson beets are shredded, whereas the beet greens are repurposed for the salad (they’ve a barely candy and earthy taste that marries nicely with the nutty quinoa and shiny herbs). In case your beets didn’t include the greens hooked up, exchange them with 2 to three cups of chopped spinach, chard, or arugula as a substitute.
- Inexperienced Onions: these add a refined oniony chunk to the salad. In case you don’t have inexperienced onions, finely cube 1 / 4 of a crimson onion as a substitute. Be at liberty to soak the chopped crimson onion in chilly water for 10 minutes to tone down its sharp taste.
- Contemporary Herbs: a mixture of recent parsley and recent mint brings a beautiful burst of brightness that cuts by means of the stronger savory flavors.
- Walnuts: the walnuts are delicate and buttery however nonetheless crunchy sufficient to convey some thrilling textures. In case you love beets and walnuts collectively as a lot as I do, then you need to do that Roasted Beet Salad with Fennel as nicely.
- Dressing: this salad is served with a easy dressing comprised of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
Make a Quinoa Salad with Beets
- Cook dinner the quinoa in a saucepan with boiling salted water till tender and fluffy. Switch the cooked quinoa to a big bowl and fluff with a fork.
- Shred the beets into the bowl with the quinoa. Use a spatula to combine the 2 collectively till the quinoa turns shiny pink.Â
- Subsequent, separate the beet inexperienced stems from the leaves. Finely chop the stems, and roughly chop the leaves.
- Shake the dressing components collectively in a sealed jar till emulsified.
- Add the beet greens and stems, inexperienced onion, parsley, mint, and walnuts to the bowl with the cooled quinoa. Pour the dressing over high and toss to coat.
- Serve the quinoa salad straight away or chill it within the fridge earlier than serving.
Caitlin’s Cooking Ideas
- All the time rinse the quinoa first: Add the raw quinoa to a positive mesh strainer and rinse it underneath cool operating water. This can wash away the bitter outer coating and make the cooked quinoa a lot tastier and fluffier.
- Peeled beets vs. unpeeled beets: Truthfully, something goes right here. You possibly can peel the beets for those who’d like, however I discover that they’re simply positive with the peel saved on (I at all times give them a very good scrub underneath operating water earlier than shredding).
- Work smarter, not tougher. Why peel the beets by hand and switch your arms pink when a meals processor can do the be just right for you? Simply match the processor with a shredding blade, then shred away.Â
- Marinate the salad for quarter-hour earlier than serving. This offers all of these great components and flavors time to get to know one another and style even higher.
Serving Ideas
You possibly can just about serve this beautiful pink salad year-round. Beets are in season from summer season to winter, which suggests you possibly can serve this salad as a refreshing gentle meal at yard barbecues or as a surprising facet dish at vacation dinners.
And identical to any quinoa salad recipe, you too can take this one to lunch with you. I’d counsel serving it with my Rosemary Garlic Tofu to stretch every serving additional, or on the facet of a Rainbow Veggie Sandwich for an entire (and further colourful) meal.
In case you’re on the lookout for extra crave-worthy vegan quinoa salad recipes, you’ll additionally love this Kale & Candy Potato Quinoa Salad, this Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad, and this Rainbow Quinoa Salad!
Retailer Leftover Quinoa Salad
Leftover beetroot quinoa salad will preserve for as much as 5 days when saved in an hermetic container within the fridge. In case you’d wish to make it upfront or for meal prep, retailer the quinoa and beet combination, recent components, nuts, and dressing individually, then toss every thing collectively earlier than serving.
Benefit from the chilled leftovers straight from the fridge or place them on the kitchen counter for 20 to half-hour to convey them all the way down to room temperature.
Substitutions and Variations
- Balsamic Vinegar Substitutions: In case you’re all out of balsamic, exchange it with equal components crimson wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Nut-Free Variation: The walnuts might be changed with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Elective Vegetable Add-Ins: Mix the crimson beets with a shredded carrot or golden beets, or bulk up the salad with additional leafy greens.
- For a Protein Enhance: Add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans when tossing the salad collectively. Or, serve the salad with my Crispy Tofu or Baked Tempeh on high.
Recipe FAQs
No, the beets are shredded uncooked for this salad. They’re nonetheless tender when uncooked, however the heat cooked quinoa does a very good job of barely softening the shreds.
Sure, you possibly can freeze the beets and quinoa combination for as much as 3 months. Thaw it in a single day, then toss with the recent components and dressing earlier than serving.
Quinoa in and of itself is gluten-free, but it surely’s typically harvested with wheat. All the time purchase licensed gluten-free quinoa to keep away from any potential for cross-contamination.
Take pleasure in! In case you make this recipe and determine to share it on Fb or Instagram, don’t overlook to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I’d additionally like it for those who may depart a remark beneath with a recipe score! Thanks for the help 😊
For the Salad:
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 1 bunch of beets about 3 medium, greens and stems included*
- 2 inexperienced onions thinly sliced (or ¼ crimson onion, positive cube)
- 1/2 bunch parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons recent mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
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Cook dinner the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa nicely, then add to a medium saucepan with the salt and water. Carry to a boil, uncovered, over excessive warmth, then cowl and cut back the warmth to medium-low. Simmer for quarter-hour, then flip the warmth off and let sit for five minutes earlier than you switch the quinoa to a big bowl and fluff with a fork.
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Shred the Beets: Within the meantime, trim the ends off of the beets and set the beet stems and greens apart. (You possibly can peel the beets for those who’d like, however I want to simply give them a very good scrub.) Reduce the beets into quarters and use a meals processor to shred them, or shred by hand utilizing a field grater. Switch the shredded beets to the bowl with the quinoa and use a spatula to combine nicely, till the quinoa is a shiny pink shade. Put aside to let cool.
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Trim the Beet Greens: Wash the beet greens and stems nicely and pat dry. Separate the stems from the leaves; finely chop the stems, and roughly chop the leaves. Put aside.
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Make the Dressing: Add the oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a small jar. Seal the jar and shake till emulsified; put aside.
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Mix: As soon as the quinoa has cooled to room temperature, add the beet greens and stems, inexperienced onion, parsley, mint, and walnuts. Pour the dressing over the salad and use tongs to combine nicely, till mixed. Season with extra salt and black pepper, to style.
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Serve & Retailer: Serve instantly, or place within the fridge for quarter-hour to sit back and let all the flavors mix. Retailer any leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
- Beet Greens: In case your beets didn’t include the greens hooked up, add 2-3 cups of chopped spinach, chard, or arugula to the salad as a substitute
- Balsamic Vinegar Substitutions: exchange with equal components crimson wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Nut-Free: Replace the walnuts with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Add Protein: Add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans so as to add a lift of fiber and protein to this recipe, or pair with my Crispy Tofu or Baked Tempeh.
