I stole this recipe for Quinoa Salad from cookingclassy.com. This delicious salad is perfect for the summer. A homemade salad dressing is made with olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parsley, cilantro, garlic and salt. Then quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, chickpeas, artichokes and avocados are mixed together. Next the dressing is mixed with the vegetables and quinoa. The salad is chilled until ready to serve. Keeping this salad in your fridge is a great addition to any meal, no matter what Garfield thinks.
The ingredients for this recipe are: 3 ½ cups leftover cooked quinoa (chilled), 2 cups diced English cucumber, 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved, ½ cup chopped red onion, 14.5 oz can chick peas, ⅓ cup olive oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 2 garlic cloves minced and salt
Prepare the dressing first, in a mixing bowl stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parsley, cilantro, garlic and salt. (Italian seasoning can also be added, if desired.)
Whisk well to combine, diced sun-dried tomatoes can be added to the dressing at this time. Chill while you prepare remaining ingredients.
If adding chopped avocado to this salad, season with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning, then toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Then in large bowl add the chopped and seeded tomatoes and cucumbers.
Then add onion, drained and rinsed chickpeas, chopped artichokes and avocado.
Lastly add the quinoa.
Toss well to coat vegetables and quinoa with dressing.
Keep chilled until ready to serve.
If you liked this recipe for Quinoa Salad you try other salad recipes like Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad, Shrimp Panzanella, Corn Edamame Succotash Salad, Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad, Charred Corn Salad or Super Italian Chopped Salad.
Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups leftover cooked quinoa chilled
- 1 large red pepper
- 2 cups diced English cucumber
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1 medium carrot shredded (½ cup)
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 14.5 oz can chick peas drained and rinsed
Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 garlic cloves minced 2 tsp
- Salt
Instructions
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Roast red pepper. Chill, peel and seed.
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Prepare dressing, in a mixing bowl stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parsley, cilantro, garlic and salt. Chill while you prepare remaining ingredients.
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Toss together quinoa, pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, carrot, onion and chickpeas with dressing. Serve within 4 hours. Keep chilled.
Recipe Notes
To make 3 ½ cups quinoa start with 1 ¼ cups dry quinoa, rinse and drain well, then cook according to directions on package. I omit the red pepper and add artichokes and avocados instead.