Rainbow Quinoa Salad
A colorful rainbow quinoa salad with red cabbage, blueberries, tomato, cucumber, and pepper in a lemon-Dijon dressing. A protein-rich, vegan, gluten-free salad.
Equipment
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ red cabbage small, thinly shredded
- 1 cup blueberries fresh
- 1 cup tomatoes diced
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- ¼ cup parsley fresh, finely chopped
For the dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup, or honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 can chickpeas drained, optional, to make it a main
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water for about 30 seconds to remove any bitterness.
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then transfer to a serving bowl and let cool slightly.
- Add the shredded cabbage, blueberries, tomatoes, cucumber, and yellow pepper over the quinoa.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
- To turn it into a protein-packed main or meal-prep bowl, fold in a drained can of chickpeas or a cup of cooked edamame.
Notes
Use maple syrup to keep it vegan. Let the quinoa cool before adding the vegetables. Add chickpeas or beans for extra protein. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.