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Classic Quinoa Salad

July 25, 2020 By Dianne 28 Comments

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quinoa salad with text overlay
quinoa salad with text overlay
quinoa salad with text overlay
quinoa salad with text overlay

quinoa salad with text overlay

Quinoa salad is a delicious light and healthy meal for warm spring days. It’s also perfect for summer potlucks and picnics! Serve it as a main dish or side for your veggie burgers and sandwiches. This is the best quinoa salad recipe! It’s easy to make, and it’s vegan and gluten-free.

two bowls of saladQuinoa Salad

Do you have one of those recipes that you make all of the time but don’t really write down? I have a lot of them! One such recipe is classic quinoa salad. It’s so easy to make that it doesn’t really even need a recipe.

Quinoa salad in bowl from above

I’ve been making this quinoa salad for years. It’s fun to make for potlucks, and I often have some in the fridge for days when I need an easy lunch. I give this recipe to my health coaching clients when I talk about grains, as it’s an easy dish to make and always a crowd-pleaser. 

Salads made with quinoa are great quick meals for busy days. You just need some cooked grains, a dressing, and some chopped veggies. I like to cook a big pot of quinoa a the beginning of the week and freeze it, so that I have some on hand if I’m in need of an easy meal.

pot of cooked quinoaHow to Cook Quinoa

I like to use multi-colored quinoa for to make the dish look nice, but of course, any color quinoa will due. Unlike rice, the different colored types of quinoa don’t have different nutrient contends.

When making quinoa salad, I like to cook my quinoa in vegetable stock, or with water and a bouillon cube, for extra flavor, but plain water will just fine.

cooking breakfast quinoa

Quinoa uses a 1:2 ratio with water, and it doubles in size. So, if you need 2 cups of cooked quinoa, you’ll need 1 cup of dry quinoa and two cups of liquid. Combine the quinoa and the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. Then remove it from the heat and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork, and you’re ready to go!

salad ingredients

How to Make Quinoa Salad

This recipe couldn’t be easier to make!

  • After your quinoa has cooked, allow it to cool.
  • While the quinoa is cooling, mix together the dressing ingredients.
  • Next you place the quinoa in a large bowl and mix in all of the salad ingredients. 
  • Then you add the dressing to the bowl and gently mix everything together. And your quinoa salad is done!

making quinoa salad

This salad can be served cold or a room temperate. You can pack it and take it with you to a picnic, because it travels well. It’s also a great lunch to take with you to the office.

quinoa salad bowlHow to Customize Your Quinoa Salad

This salad is pretty versatile. You can change things up to suit your tates.

  • If you don’t like cucumbers, you can use another vegetable, such as roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts.
  • You can make the dish a little heartier by adding chickpeas or white beans.
  • If you don’t have almonds on hand, you can use toasted pecans, walnuts or pistachios.
  • Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds can be used instead of almonds to keep the recipe nut free.
  • You can use a flavored balsamic vinegar to create a new flavor profile for your salad.
  • If you don’t have quinoa on hand, you can use 2 cups of cooked rice or farro.

close up of saladtwo bowls of salad

quinoa salad square
Print

Springtime Quinoa Salad

This quinoa salad is a perfect light meal for warm spring days. It’s also perfect for summer potlucks and picnics!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword Quinoa Salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Yields 8 servings
Calories 171 kcal
Author Dianne

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable stock or water
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 scallions sliced
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half
  • 1 cucumber chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds toasted

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add the vegetable stock and quinoa. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Allow to simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes or until water is fully absorbed. Set aside and let cool.

  2. While the quinoa is cooling, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt.

  3. Toss together the quinoa with the scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, parsley, and slivered almonds. Gently mix in the dressing.

  4. Serve cold or at room temperature.

quinoa salad square

More quinoa recipes you might enjoy include:

  • Peanutty Thai Quinoa Salad
  • Double Broccoli Quinoa Salad
  • Super Quinoa Burgers
  • Quinoa and Kale Bowl

More summery salads you might enjoy include:

  • Greek Pasta Salad
  • German Potato Salad
  • Brown Rice Salad
  • Vegan Tomato and Feta Pasta Salad
  • Cruciferous Crunch Salad

 

Filed Under: Vegan Recipes, Vegan Salad Recipes Tagged With: basil, cucumber, gluten free, parsley, quinoa, tomatoes

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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Reader Interactions

   

Comments

  1. Becky Striepe says

    April 10, 2017 at 11:49 AM

    I love how fresh this looks!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 10, 2017 at 3:19 PM

      Thank you, Becky!

      Reply
  2. Kristina says

    April 10, 2017 at 4:26 PM

    I am craving fresh right now – but fresh that still fills me up! this will be perfect, I made a batch of quinoa this morning!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:07 AM

      I hope you enjoy it, Kristina!

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    April 11, 2017 at 12:42 PM

    That looks so refreshing, Dianne! I love quinoa salad but usually think of it as a winter thing. Thanks for the inspiration for spring quinoa salad!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:07 AM

      Thank you, Sarah!

      Reply
  4. Nicole Dawson says

    April 11, 2017 at 2:58 PM

    I make a similar Quinoa Tabbouleh! So so good, especially with the cukes and tomatoes.

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:07 AM

      Thanks, Nicole!

      Reply
  5. Jenn says

    April 11, 2017 at 7:05 PM

    It’s gorgeous – so fresh and colorful.

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:07 AM

      Thank you, Jenn!

      Reply
  6. Dreena Burton says

    April 11, 2017 at 9:42 PM

    Same here, Dianne — I don’t remember eating special Easter dishes. My mother had family over, but often the food was a collection of favorites rather than holiday specialties (as with Christmas). I think the food traditions have grown over the years! p.s. the quinoa salad looks nourishingly delish!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:06 AM

      Thank you, Dreena!

      Reply
  7. Alisa Fleming says

    April 11, 2017 at 11:23 PM

    This looks like a spring-right-through-summer salad! Such amazing fresh flavors and quinoa is never out of season 🙂

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:06 AM

      Thank you, Alisa!

      Reply
  8. Mel | avirtualvegan.com says

    April 11, 2017 at 11:37 PM

    I am loving all the lovely salads around at the moment. It’s a sure sign the weather is improving. This quinoa salad looks delicious. Perfect for bulk making for packed lunches!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 14, 2017 at 9:06 AM

      Thank you, Mel!

      Reply
  9. Linda from Veganosity says

    April 14, 2017 at 11:21 AM

    This is perfect for Easter, or any other day. Happy Easter!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:09 PM

      Thank you, Linda! I hope you had a great Easter!

      Reply
  10. Ricki says

    April 14, 2017 at 5:47 PM

    So pretty! Looks delish, and perfect for this time of year. Yay spring!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:09 PM

      Thanks, Ricki!

      Reply
  11. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite says

    April 15, 2017 at 8:06 PM

    Quinoa is the perfect salad grain!! I love the texture cold. Yummy!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:10 PM

      Thank you, Sophia!

      Reply
  12. Sarah says

    April 16, 2017 at 3:18 AM

    This looks delicious! I love bringing a hearty salad that could double as an entree to pot lucks! That way if there’s nothing else vegan I still have a big meal!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:10 PM

      Thanks, Sarah!

      Reply
  13. Vegan Heaven says

    April 18, 2017 at 10:35 AM

    This looks so fresh and delicious, Dianne! Perfect for spring. 🙂

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:08 PM

      Thank you!

      Reply
  14. The Vegan 8 says

    April 18, 2017 at 11:52 AM

    Well, you do sound like you’ve been really busy but you still managed to come up with a gorgeous salad! I absolutely love all the flavors you added to this salad and especially that fresh basil and parsley! This is one of the best quinoa salads I’ve seen!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 18, 2017 at 8:08 PM

      Thanks, Brandi!

      Reply

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Dianne Wenz

Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz and I am a Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, Plant-Based Chef, and cookbook author. I offer group and individual nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to people across the U.S., and I teach cooking classes in Northern New Jersey. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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