Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Lemon (Printable version)
Colorful quinoa and veggies with cherry tomatoes, peppers and a zesty lemon-olive vinaigrette—fresh, light, gluten-free.
# What you need:
→ Salad
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
08 - 1/2 cup carrot, grated
09 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
10 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Lemon Dressing
11 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# How To:
01 - Rinse quinoa under cold running water. Combine with water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red and yellow bell peppers, diced cucumber, shredded purple cabbage, grated carrot, finely chopped red onion, and chopped parsley.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the lemon dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Refrigerate for 10 minutes if desired, then serve as a main dish or a refreshing side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Every color on the plate means a different nutrient, and you can actually taste how alive it makes you feel.
- The lemon dressing clings to each grain and turns something simple into something you will crave on random Tuesday afternoons.
02 -
- Skipping the rinse on quinoa ruins the whole bowl with a bitter coating that no amount of dressing can hide.
- Cooling the quinoa completely before mixing prevents the vegetables from wilting into a sad warm mess.
03 -
- Dress the salad at least ten minutes before eating because the quinoa needs time to absorb the flavor like a sponge.
- Use a jar with a tight lid for the dressing and shake vigorously because a proper emulsion makes all the difference between coating the grains and pooling at the bottom.