Today we are making a delicious quinoa salad loaded with fresh veggies (bonus: it’s heart healthy too).
It’s so easy to put together! It’s so beautiful with its many colors you will feel like you’re truly eating a rainbow.
This recipe makes a lot of salad. In my family, we don’t mind eating leftovers. We enjoy the quinoa salad for a couple of days in a row, especially since it’s more flavourful after all the ingredients had a chance to blend together.
My husband said that this is one of the best things I have ever made. And both my children said that the salad was really good. Well, it sounds like we have a winner!
Although it’s vegetarian, this salad is rich in protein from quinoa, chickpeas and feta. So good and healthy! Yum! My family and I love feta, so we like to sometimes double the amount of feta we use in this recipe. Is feta an ingredient you love to use in your recipes?
Good To Know
There aren’t many plants that are complete proteins, but quinoa is one of them – so it’s beneficial to include it in your diet, especially if your diet is mostly plant-based.
Substitutions
You don’t have to follow the ingredients and their amounts to a T. When baking a delicious treat we have to use the exact amounts that the recipe needs, but making this quinoa salad is not an exact science. You can add more or less of certain ingredients, depending on your dietary preferences.
Make it
Gluten free – the recipe contains no gluten. It is naturally gluten free.
Dairy free – omit the feta.
Vegan – omit the feta.
Extra health points
You can turn this quinoa salad into a heart-healthy meal by serving it with broiled or grilled salmon.
Salmon is rich in omega 3s healthy fats which are known to have a role in lowering inflammation and blood pressure.
Storing, freezing and reheating tips
Store
Store it in the fridge in mason jars and take it on the go with you. Or you can impress your guests at a dinner party.
Freeze
Avoid freezing as the salad does not freeze well.
Watch how to make it step-by-step!
Heart-Healthy Quinoa Salad: A Quick and Easy Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minuntes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch, Main
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Looking for a healthy and delicious meal option that’s quick and easy to prepare? Look no further than a quinoa salad! This versatile dish is perfect for a lunch or dinner and it’s sure to satisfy your taste buds and keep you feeling full and energized.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw quinoa
- 1 can (540 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 diced yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 3 diced celery stalks
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- 1 cup pitted and sliced black olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- chopped parsley
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
Instructions
- We start by cooking the rinsed quinoa in 2 cups of water, on medium heat, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Allow the quinoa to cool.
- Chop all the ingredients.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together.
- Chill the salad so the flavours have a chance to combine and really come out.
Enjoy!
Notes
I like to cut the veggies quite small so there is a bit of everything in each bite.
You can find my favourite quinoa here.
What To Cook Next
Are you ready for another nutritious recipe that is amazingly delicious? Check out this breakfast casserole that you will fall in love with and your brain will thank you for.
