Quinoa Salad with chickpeas and feta is a feel-good (and taste-good) meal! Quinoa with the very best recent dressing, tossed with nutritious and flavorful elements, like arugula, recent herbs, roasted crimson peppers, and toasted nuts, it’s my go-to facet for potlucks. You possibly can take pleasure in it with hen on or its personal mild and filling vegetarian meal.
This quinoa salad has it going ON!
You possibly can take pleasure in it so many alternative methods.
- Quinoa salad pairs effectively with grilled mains, making it probably the greatest potluck sides.
- You possibly can divvy up parts with Baked Rooster Breast or Air Fryer Tofu for meal prep lunches.
- Tuck it inside a pita, or scoop it up with Do-it-yourself Naan.
- Snarf all of it by itself. Quinoa is protein-packed, making it filling.
Grain bowls sound fashionable and costly, however they’re fast and inexpensive to combine up at residence. Plus, you’ll be able to customise them anyway you want!
Seize a bowl and let’s get able to toss.
About Quinoa
As soon as you know the way to correctly cook dinner and taste quinoa, you’ll be on the quinoa bandwagon for all times. Simply take a look at all these quinoa recipes!
Quinoa is described as a “superfood” for a cause, as it’s:
- Full of fiber and protein (one cup cooked quinoa offers about 5 grams of fiber and eight grams of protein)
- Thought of a “full” protein, which means it has all 9 of the important amino acids that our our bodies can’t make on their very own
- Loaded with nutritional vitamins, like magnesium, potassium, iron, and folate
- Gluten-free tremendous grain.
- Scrumptious!
Right here is my methodology for perfectly-cooked quinoa:
- Rinse first. This removes the powdery coating that would make it style bitter.
- Carry to a boil together with the water. Place water AND quinoa in a saucepan after which simmer.
- Simmer uncovered. Cook dinner the quinoa with the lid off the pan.
- Let sit coated. After it’s finished cooking, take away from the warmth and let sit coated for five minutes.
- Fluff and serve!
For extra particulars on the way to cook dinner quinoa, try How you can Cook dinner Quinoa.
How you can Make Quinoa Salad
Quinoa salad will be served chilly or room temperature, so it’s a terrific dish to take to-go.
After the quinoa is cooked, it’s tossed in the very best dressing: a flavorful mixture of zippy, recent lemon juice, smoky paprika, and olive oil.
This wholesome meal comes collectively in half-hour.
The Substances
- Quinoa. Although technically a seed, quinoa is classed as an entire grain; it’s wholesome and filling.
- Arugula. Non-obligatory, however a good way so as to add further vitamins to this dish and make it extra salad-like.
- Chickpeas. Chickpeas are an ideal companion to any recent salad, like this Moroccan Chickpea Salad and Mediterranean Chickpea Salad.
- Roasted Crimson Peppers.My secret ingredient to make this quinoa salad something however flavorless. You can also make Roasted Crimson Peppers from scratch, or use the sort within the jar.
- Nuts. The nuts add a pleasant crunch and make the salad extra satisfying. Almonds, pecans, or pistachios would all be tasty.
- Cheese. Goat cheese or feta cheese add creaminess and pops of tang. You possibly can omit them to make the quinoa salad vegan.
- Lemon Juice. For the salad dressing.
TIP!
Pouring the dressing over the quinoa whereas it’s nonetheless heat helps the grains drink up its flavors.
- Smoked Paprika. A powerhouse ingredient for delivering a bang of taste to the quinoa salad dressing.
- Contemporary Herbs. Use your favourite mixture of parsley, basil, or dill.
The Instructions
- Cook dinner quinoa.
- Whisk collectively the dressing elements.
- In a big bowl, stir three-fourths of the dressing into the nice and cozy quinoa.
- Stir within the arugula, chickpeas, bell pepper, and three-fourths every of the almonds and goat cheese, and add extra dressing as desired.
- Sprinkle the remaining goat cheese and nuts excessive. Let sit for 10 minutes, and ENJOY!
Add Extra Protein to Quinoa Salad
Whereas this vegetarian quinoa salad is loads filling by itself, be at liberty to throw on an extra protein:
Storage Ideas
- To Retailer. Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic storage container for as much as 1 week.
Meal Prep Tip
Quinoa salad tastes nice leftover and is an ideal recipe for meal prep; make an enormous batch after which take pleasure in it for lunch all week!
What to Serve with Quinoa Salad
- Small Whisk. I want this 9″ whisk over an ordinary full-size one 99% of the time; it’s straightforward to maneuver.
- Salad Bowl. Serve in the identical stunning bowl you combined the salad in.
- Chef’s Knife. Dare I say, the most vital software for any kitchen.
Carry the entire meals vibes residence with this straightforward quinoa salad!
Regularly Requested Questions
Quinoa is gluten-free, protein-rich carbohydrate that can also be thought of an entire protein, which means that it accommodates all 9 important amino acids that our our bodies can’t make on their very own. It’s really a seed (cereal grains like wheat and oats come from grasses), however it’s sometimes called a grain, as that is how we cook dinner and eat it. If you wish to get further technical, it’s a pseudo-cereal.
Quinoa has twice the quantity of protein as white rice in addition to extra fiber; nonetheless, lengthy grain brown rice is one other wholesome alternative for a filling salad addition and wholesome entire grain. See How you can Cook dinner Brown Rice and Prompt Pot Brown Rice.
Frivolously nutty in taste by itself, quinoa is a flexible ingredient to season in quite a lot of methods, from candy Crimson, White, and Blue Quinoa Salad to spicy Mexican Road Corn Quinoa Salad. Cooking your quinoa in a top quality inventory moderately than water is a straightforward approach so as to add extra taste to the quinoa.
Crimson quinoa has a stronger, nuttier taste in comparison with the extra frequent white quinoa selection. Be aware that crimson quinoa can take a couple of minutes longer to cook dinner and ends in a heartier, chewier texture.
- 1 cup raw quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 1 medium lemon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup tightly packed child arugula non-compulsory
- 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped recent parsley basil, dill, or different delicate, tender herbs (or a combination!)
- 1 can decreased sodium chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 14-ounce jar roasted crimson peppers, drained, patted dry and diced (about 1 cup)
- 3/4 cup slivered sliced, or roughly chopped toasted almonds, chopped toasted pecans, or roasted pistachios*, divided
- 3/4 cups crumbled goat cheese or feta about 4 ounces, divided
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Rinse and drain the quinoa effectively (this removes the generally bitter style). Place in a medium saucepan with the water and 1 teaspoon salt. Carry to a boil, then cut back the warmth and simmer gently uncovered, adjusting the warmth as wanted to keep up a delicate simmer, till the quinoa has absorbed many of the water, is tender (however not mushy), and also you see the little spiral poking out of every grain, about quarter-hour. Cowl, take away from the warmth, and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, then switch to a big mixing bowl and let cool.
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In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup with a spout, stir collectively the oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon about two-thirds over the quinoa whereas the quinoa remains to be slightly heat. Stir to mix.
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Add the arugula, chickpeas, bell pepper, and three-fourths every of the almonds and goat cheese. Style and stir in a couple of extra spoonfuls of dressing as desired.
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Sprinkle the remaining goat cheese excessive. If time permits, let sit 10 minutes for the flavors to soak up, or refrigerate for 4 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic storage container for as much as 1 week.
Serving: 1of 6Energy: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 12gFats: 22gSaturated Fats: 6gPolyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 11gTrans Fats: 0.002gLdl cholesterol: 13mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 784IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 3mg
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