Description
This easy healthy quinoa salad recipe is full of flavor, packed with plenty of protein and fiber, and only needs a few minutes of prep work!
Ingredients
Units
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (or 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa)
- 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 large English cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium carrot, grated or diced
- 1/3 cup minced red onion
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley or spinach
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or more lemon juice)
- 1 clove garlic, smashed open
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use Redmond's Real Salt)
Instructions
- Make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Let the smashed garlic sit in the dressing while you prepare the ingredients to infuse the dressing, and discard it before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions (or see note below for instructions) and prepare (chop, slice, grate) the rest of the ingredients. Allow the quinoa to cool for at least 15 minutes before adding it to the bowl.
- Toss it all together and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the quinoa to absorb all the flavors.
Notes
How to cook quinoa:
- Rinse the Quinoa: Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold water for a minute. This step helps to remove the natural coating called saponin, which can give quinoa a bitter taste if not washed off.
- Drain Well: After rinsing, shake the strainer well to remove excess water.
- Cook the Quinoa: In a small saucepan, add the rinsed quinoa along with 1 cup of water. This is because quinoa cooks best with a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water. TIP: Remove about 2 tablespoons of water from the cup of water if you rinse the quinoa because it’s already wet. This will help prevent the quinoa from becoming water-logged.Â
- Bring to a Boil: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce Heat and Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
- Rest and Fluff: Remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to steam and become fluffy. After 5 minutes, fluff the quinoa gently with a fork.
