Quinoa is such a versatile and delicious whole protein; try it in this spring quinoa salad and these quinoa cauliflower burgers! For more ideas about what to make with quinoa, check out this list of quinoa recipes from our friend Ayshegul of Foolproof Living. She’s got some great ideas! Also, when the weather turns cooler and you’re looking for another seasonal take on a quinoa salad, try this autumn quinoa salad. For the salad:
Uncooked quinoa: You’ll need 1 cup of uncooked quinoa. You’ll cook and cool the quinoa before using it. Cherries: Add 1 cup of pitted and quartered cherries. There’s a reason why this is a summer quinoa salad, and part of that’s the inclusion of summer’s best produce, like cherries! Crumbled feta: A good ¼ cup of feta cheese will add a salty, tang to the salad. You can use another cheese if preferred, like goat cheese or halloumi for similar texture and salt-kick. Dry roasted almonds: ½ cup of chopped, roasted almonds will give you a crunch and a nice change up in texture. You can use another type of nut in a pinch, but it’s best to use a roasted variety. Herbs: Be generous with the chopped basil, mint, and dill. Go for ¼ cup of each for a big herbaceous pop.
For the lemon vinaigrette:
Juice from 2 large lemons: Mmm! So lemony! So citrusy and tart! White vinegar: Because the lemon juice will add a lot of acid, you can use just a tablespoon of white vinegar. Olive oil: To balance your lemon juice and white vinegar, add ¼ cup of olive oil to the vinaigrette. Dijon mustard: Zipa-a-dee-doo-dah! Dijon mustard will give some warmth and sharpness to the dressing. Garlic: You’ll need one clove of garlic. The key is to make sure it’s very finely minced, otherwise it’ll be too much if you get a bite of raw garlic. Sea salt: Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt to the dressing. That may seem like a lot, however, it’s the only salt in the entire dish. This amount of salt will nicely coat everything in your salad. Cayenne: Just a pinch will do!
Don’t be afraid to substitute or add as you please; this summer quinoa salad is so tasty as it is, but is also versatile and there’s always room for your favorite veg or protein.
Serving this salad as a side dish? Here are some ideas for dishes that will complement this quinoa summer salad recipe:
Meat protein: Serve this quinoa summer salad with feta alongside some grilled chimichurri chicken or some coconut crusted salmon.
Starch: The quinoa has a starchy feel to it, so perhaps you don’t need to serve another one alongside it. That said, if you’re craving some carbs, try this no yeast bread with herbs and cheese or some sweet potato fritters.
More veg: Serve with some grilled parmesan zucchini or maybe a tomato tart — both of these options also celebrate the best of summer’s garden bounty.
Did you make this?
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