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Actually Good Quinoa Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 76 reviews

A vibrant and versatile quinoa salad featuring roasted seasonal vegetables, tangy pomegranate molasses dressing, and crunchy toasted nuts, perfect for any time of year. This salad combines fluffy quinoa with marinated chickpeas, fresh herbs, and vegan feta for a hearty yet refreshing dish suitable for gatherings or a nutritious meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Quinoa

  • 1 cup (180g) uncooked quinoa
  • 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Roasted Vegetables (choose based on season)

  • Spring: asparagus, snap peas, fennel (early spring)
  • Summer: sweet cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
  • Fall: any winter squash, chopped
  • Winter: fennel, broccoli or cauliflower or Brussels sprouts
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Chickpea Mixture

  • 1 (15-ounce/425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium shallot, finely diced (or ¼ cup / 30g finely diced red onion)
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (plus more for serving if desired)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or aged balsamic vinegar)
  • 1 cup (16g) flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (or basil or dill depending on vegetables used)
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Add-ins

  • ½ cup (70g) roasted almonds and/or pistachios, chopped (optional; see note for nut-free options)
  • ½ cup (60g) vegan feta, crumbled
  • Something pickled, like pickled onions
  • A big handful of sweet cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

Instructions

  1. Prepare Quinoa: Bring 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) of water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water to remove bitterness. Once boiling, add the rinsed quinoa and a pinch of salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread on a sheet pan to cool.
  2. Preheat Oven and Prepare Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and arrange racks in the bottommost and top third positions. Slice your chosen seasonal vegetables accordingly.
  3. Season and Oil Vegetables: Spread vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Toss Quinoa with Oil and Salt: On a separate sheet pan, toss the cooked quinoa with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, mixing by hand to coat evenly. Spread it out in an even layer with minimal overlap.
  5. Roast Quinoa and Vegetables: Place vegetables on the bottom oven rack and quinoa on the top rack. Roast for 15 minutes, then toss the quinoa gently. Continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes, until quinoa is crispy and golden brown in spots and vegetables are tender with browned edges.
  6. Prepare Chickpea Salad: In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, finely diced shallot, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses, chopped herbs, crushed garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Toss to combine and let marinate for at least 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  7. Combine Salad Components: Add the roasted vegetables, toasted quinoa, and chopped nuts to the marinated chickpea mixture. Gently toss everything together.
  8. Add Final Touches: Crumble vegan feta over the salad and sprinkle with a pinch more salt and black pepper to taste. Add pickled onions and fresh cherry tomatoes for brightness.
  9. Serve: Before serving, squeeze additional fresh lemon juice over the salad if desired for extra zing. Serve warm or at room temperature for best flavor.

Notes

  • Note 1: Choose vegetables seasonally for best flavor and texture. Asparagus and snap peas are great in early spring, sweet tomatoes in summer, winter squash in fall, and hearty vegetables like fennel and broccoli in winter.
  • Note 2: Pomegranate molasses adds a unique sweet-tart flavor; if unavailable, aged balsamic vinegar is a good substitute that will still provide tanginess.
  • Note 3: For a nut-free option, omit the roasted almonds and pistachios or substitute with toasted seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Keywords: quinoa salad, roasted vegetables, vegan salad, healthy salad, Mediterranean salad, chickpea salad, pomegranate molasses, seasonal vegetables

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/actually-good-quinoa-salad-recipe/