Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that’s a great base for a spin on a cold pasta salad. Check out these 3 delicious ways to make quinoa salad.
Even though fall is right around the corner, it’s still feels like we are in the thick of summer! On really hot days, the last thing I want to do is to turn on the oven to make and eat a hot meal. So, I’ve got 3 easy quinoa salads for you today that only require heat to cook the quinoa. And, if you’ve got a rice cooker or pressure cooker, then you can skip the stove too to prep these meals.
Not only are the quinoa salads super refreshing, but they are also full of nutrients that will leave you feeling full! I serve these salads cold or around room temperature if you’re taking them on the go. If life was normal, I’d say that these salads are great for packing to take to work or school for lunch, but that feels so foreign now! But, if you did want to go on a picnic or take a meal on a day hike, these salads keep for a couple hours with an ice pack and taste great without having to reheat anything!
Culinary Skill: Cooking Grains
Cooking grains is so easy, and once you get the basic steps for one grain, you can cook them all! The first step is to rinse your grain. Some grains you want to get any extra starch off like rice. Or, with quinoa, it can be bitter if you don’t rinse it. Just add your grain to a bowl and pour water on top. Drain off the water and repeat 2-4 times. Step two is to add the right ratio of water to grains to your pot. The amount of water depends on how tough and fibrous the grain is. This information is usually on the package or a quick Google search away. Quinoa uses a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa. You can also cook your grains in broth for even more flavor! The last step is to add the water and grain to a pot and bring to a boil. Then cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce to simmer. Simmer until all the water is absorbed and the grain is soft. Learn more about grains here.
Greek Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ English cucumber
- ¼ red onion
- 1 2.25 oz. can sliced olives
- 1 4 oz. jar pimentos
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 3 tbsp chopped mint
- 3 tbsp balsamic glaze
Instructions
- In bowl, rinse the quinoa with cool water and drain off the water. Rinse with fresh water about 3 times to remove bitterness.
- In a pot, add the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until fluffy and the water is absorbed.
- Make the quinoa ahead of time so it is cooled, or put the cooked quinoa in the fridge while prepping the other ingredients so it can cool.
- Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and half again. Cut the quarters into small quarter inch pieces.
- Finely slice the red onion and mince the pieces if desired.
- Drain the olives and pimentos and add all the ingredients to a bowl with the quinoa.
- Add the sliced almonds and chopped mint. Drizzle balsamic glaze on top of the salad. Adjust the amount of dressing to your taste preferences.
Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 16 oz. canned corn
- ¼ cup pickled jalapenos
- ½ bell pepper
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup loosely packed cilantro
Instructions
- In bowl, rinse the quinoa with cool water and drain off the water. Rinse with fresh water about 3 times to remove bitterness.
- In a pot, add the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until fluffy and the water is absorbed.
- Make the quinoa ahead of time so it is cooled, or put the cooked quinoa in the fridge while prepping the other ingredients so it can cool.
- Add the cumin, paprika, onion and garlic powder to the quinoa and mix. Also season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the quinoa.
- Drain the can of corn and add to the salad. You can also use fresh corn or fry up the corn first for extra flavor.
- Add the pickled jalapeños to the salad. You can dice them up or add more depending on how much heat you want.
- Dice the bell pepper and mix in. Also mix in the pumpkin seeds. Top with fresh cilantro as well as optional avocado slices or salsa.
Notes
Spring Roll Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 green onions white and green parts
- ½ cup edamame shelled
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In bowl, rinse the quinoa with cool water and drain off the water. Rinse with fresh water about 3 times to remove bitterness.
- In a pot, add the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water and salt. Bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until fluffy and the water is absorbed.
- Make the quinoa ahead of time so it is cooled, or put the cooked quinoa in the fridge while prepping the other ingredients so it can cool.
- To make the dressing, in a separate bowl mix the cashew butter, water, onion powder, garlic, powder, ginger, and soy sauce. Add more water if you need a thinner sauce.
- Slice the white ends of the green onion set aside. Slice the green parts and save for garnish.
- In a bowl mix the quinoa, green onions, edamame, carrots, and sesame seeds. Top with the dressing, cilantro and green onion tops.
Notes
If you are looking for more easy grain bowls to make, check out this post on Yumm bowls.