Quick and healthy quinoa salad made with fresh vegetables and a tangy garlic dressing.
Ingredients
SALAD
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
2 large carrots, diced
3 large celery stalks, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced
3 Tablespoons minced parsley
DRESSING
1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh wire strainer under running water for 1 minute.
- Bring the water or broth and quinoa to a boil in a 2 to 3-quart saucepan. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Refrigerate until cool.
- While quinoa is cooling, combine all the vegetables in a salad bowl.
- In a small bowl or jar with a tight lid, mix or shake together the dressing ingredients. Add to the vegetables.
- Add quinoa and stir gently to combine.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Try adding chopped cilantro or basil instead of parsley.
- No quinoa? Use bulgur instead.
Comments
Due to a number of comments about the amount of vinegar in this recipe, we retested and agreed that the flavor is just as tasty (but not overpowering) with 1/4 cup rice vinegar. We also found the apple cider vinegar also works well for this dish.
The Food Hero Team
This salad is so colorful and tasty! It is easy to make ahead and pack for lunch during the week. I cooked the quinoa in low sodium vegetable broth which added a lot of flavor. I also had fresh cilantro on hand so I used that instead of parsley. I really like the tart flavor of this salad, but if you aren't a fan of vinegar start with half the amount and add more to taste.
This is a wonderful recipe!! My family loves it as do guests...we make it often! And it makes great leftovers.
This is a great recipe IF you cut the amount of vinegar in half! I made it just like the recipe calls for, and it was waaaaay to liquidy & tart. I used half the amount the next time and it was perfect!
This is a great recipe if you are already a quinoa fan. We sampled this at a food bank and it wasn't their favorite. Many of the folks at one of our sites have a lot of dental issues so the really firm fresh carrots, celery, and peppers were a source of complaint. You can partially steam them ahead of time to make them softer. I make a similar salad at home and add fresh mango and black beans to the recipe and it is a family favorite.
This is one of my favorite recipes on this site. It is oh so good and healthy!
I really liked this salad.