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    Home » Best Quinoa Salad Recipe

    Best Quinoa Salad Recipe

    Published: May 24, 2020 · Modified: Mar 26, 2022 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy Quinoa Salad Recipe is fresh and delicious! Quinoa, veggies, avocado & dill are tossed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette for a nutritious summer salad! It's a vegan, paleo & gluten-free salad that's perfect for BBQs & potlucks! 

    overhead view of a large bowl of quinoa salad

    This quinoa salad is one of my all-time favorite recipes. It's light, fresh, flavorful and tastes like summer in a bowl. It's, hands-down, the best quinoa salad I've ever had!

    In this recipe, quinoa, veggies, avocado & dill are tossed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette for a fresh and bright flavor! It's a vegan, paleo & gluten-free salad that's perfect for BBQs & potlucks! 

    overhead view of a large bowl of quinoa salad

    Quinoa Salad: Ingredients

    Let's begin by discussing the ingredients in this cold quinoa salad recipe, as well as possible substituions. 

    photo of the ingredients in this quinoa salad
    • Quinoa. I prefer the look of white quinoa, but I have use a tricolor blend also and it tastes just as delicious. 
    • Cucumber. I love the freshness and crunch that cucumber adds to this recipe, as such I don't recommend leaving it out.
    • Fresh Dill.  You can use freeze-dried dill if you don't have access to fresh, but I don't recommend omitting dill.
    • Avocado. Another star of this quinoa salad is avocado. The creaminess of the avocado compliments the lemon dressing so well, but you can always omit it if you don't love avocados. 
    • Corn. Corn adds a touch of sweetness to this recipe and I love it. If you want to make this paleo then you should not use corn.
    • Onion. Any onion variety works well in this recipe, sweet onions, red onion, etc.
    • Bell peppers. If peppers aren't your favorite, substitute your favorite vegetables. Suggestions include: chopped tomatoes, shredded carrots, blanched broccoli, fresh or frozen peas and summer squash.
    • Olive oil. Avocado oil can be used in place of olive oil in the quinoa salad dressing.
    • Honey. Maple syrup or sugar can be used in place of honey. 
    • Dijon Mustard. Any mustard variety works well in this recipe. 
    • Minced Garlic. Powdered garlic or freshly roasted garlic can be used in place of minced if desired. 
    front view of a bowl of quinoa salad garnished with fresh dill

    How to make the Best Quinoa Salad

    This cold quinoa salad recipe is very easy to make, but we'll walk through the steps together to ensure your success! 

    Cook the Quinoa.

    Cooking quinoa is an art, here is how I suggesting cooking it to make it perfect. Quinoa is really easy and quick to make, however it is also very easy to mess up! There is a fine line between perfectly fluffy quinoa and a chewy yet mushy mess that is totally inedible! So here are a few tips on how to cook quinoa perfectly every time!

    In this summer quinoa salad, cook the quinoa first, and then chill it in the refrigerator until it's cold. I usually cook it the day before I want to make the quinoa salad. 

    1. Rinse the quinoa. This removes the saponins on the outside of the quinoa, which are a naturally occurring chemical that give un-rinsed quinoa a bitter taste. Use a fine metal strainer to rinse the quinoa before cooking to prevent any bitterness.
    2. Use a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water. I have seen different packages of quinoa suggest other ratios, but I have found the best results when using 1 part quinoa, 2 parts water.
    3. Boil the water first. Always bring the water to a boil and then add quinoa.
    4. Add quinoa & return to a boil. After adding the quinoa to the boiling water, make sure the water returns to a boil before reducing the heat. This happens very quickly, so be careful to watch it so the water doesn't boil off.
    5. Reduce heat to a simmer. This is where I have gone wrong in the past. Sometimes, in an attempt to speed up the process, I cook the quinoa with the heat turned up too high. When you do this, the water boils off before the quinoa can fully cook, leaving you with a crunchy mushy mess.
    6. Cook for 15 minutes.  15 minutes is the perfect cooking time for quinoa.
    7. Fluff! After 15 minutes all the water should be absorbed and the quinoa should be soft (not crunchy or hard). Take a fork or a wooden spoon and fluff the quinoa.
    8. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. This is another key step in cooking quinoa that is often overlooked. Letting the quinoa cook in the residual heat from the burner (turned off) and in its own steam really finishes the process and results in a perfectly fluffy quinoa every time.

    And that's it! Please let me know in the comments below if you have any other questions about cooking quinoa.

    overhead photo of a bowl of cooked quinoa

    Make the quinoa salad dressing

    I absolutely love this quinoa salad dressing. It is bright, fresh and lemony with just a touch of sweetness. All you need to do to make it is whisk the ingredients together, then set it aside to toss on the quinoa salad later!

    front view of quinoa salad dressing made in a glass bowl with a wire whisk in it

    Mix it all together

    Put the chopped veggies, quinoa & dill into a large bowl and stir until the ingredients are evenly combined. Then add the quinoa salad dressing and stir until it's evenly distributed.

    overhead photo showing how to make quinoa salad - adding the vegetables

    Chill

    I recommend chilling this quinoa salad for at least 60 minutes before serving to let the flavors blend, although I have eaten it straight away after mixing and it still tastes just as good! 

    making quinoa salad in a glass bowl

    Add avocado & serve

    Add the chopped avocado to the quinoa salad. To prevent the avocado from browning, toss it in a little bit of lemon juice before adding it to the salad. 

    To serve, sprinkle the top of the quinoa salad with chopped fresh dill. Serve it as a side dish to your favorite main dishes or eat it as a main dish. I often make this salad on Monday and enjoy it all week long for a quick & healthy lunch. 

    Store

    Store this quinoa salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    up close overhead view of a bowl of quinoa salad garnished with fresh dill

    Recipe FAQs

    What vegetables can you put in Quinoa salad

    I chose to make this with our favorite vegetables, but this quinoa salad recipe is so versatile you can put just about anything in it with delicious results. Here are some of the veggies I have used to make this salad, and highly recommend: 
    Bell Peppers (all colors)
    Cucumber
    Fresh or frozen corn
    chopped onion
    chopped tomatoes
    shredded carrots
    blanched broccoli
    fresh or frozen peas
    summer squash

    Is quinoa better hot or cold?

    Quinoa is so versatile. You can enjoy it hot (like in this quinoa casserole) or cold like in this quinoa salad!

    Do you have to cook quinoa?

    Yes, you need to cook the quinoa to use it in this recipe.

    overhead photo of a bowl of quinoa salad with a spoon in it

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Quinoa Salad

    Best Easy Quinoa Salad Recipe

    Laura
    This easy Quinoa Salad Recipe is fresh and delicious! Quinoa, veggies, avocado & dill are tossed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette for a nutritious summer salad! It's a vegan, paleo & gluten-free salad that's perfect for BBQs & potlucks! 
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Chilling quinoa 6 hrs
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 174 kcal

    Equipment

    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • spatula
    • glass batter bowl

    Ingredients
     
     

    Quinoa

    • 1 cup quinoa uncooked
    • 2 cups water
    • ¼ tsp sea salt

    Salad

    • 1 cucumber peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
    • 1 red bell pepper diced
    • 1 green bell pepper diced
    • ½ tsp fresh dill
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 cup corn optional
    • ½ cup onion finely diced (optional)
    • 1 avocado diced

    Dressing:

    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 TBS lemon juice
    • 1 tsp honey
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • ½ tsp minced garlic
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Cook the Quinoa

    • Bring 2 cups of water and ¼ tsp salt to a boil.
    • Add quinoa and return to a boil.
    • Once water is boiling turn the heat down to a simmer.
    • Simmer on low for 15 minutes.
    • After 15 minutes turn off the heat, stir the quinoa, and return the lid to the pot.
    • Let the quinoa sit covered for 15 more minutes.
    • After 15 minutes, transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl with a lid.
    • Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

    Make the Dressing:

    • Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl.
    • Whisk to combine.
    • Set aside.

    Putting it together

    • In a large bowl, add chopped vegetables and dill to the cooled quinoa. Stir until evenly combined.
    • Add dressing and stir to combine.
    • Chill for 30-60 minutes.
    • Taste and adjust salt to your liking.
    • Add chopped avocado on top
    • Garnish with fresh dill.
    • Serve cold.

    Video

    Notes

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • Quinoa. white and tricolor quinoa work great in this recipe.
    • Fresh Dill.  You can use freeze-dried dill if you don't have access to fresh, but I don't recommend omitting dill.
    • Corn. If you want to make this paleo then you should not use corn.
    • Onion. Any onion variety works well; sweet onions, red onions, yellow, green, etc.
    • Bell peppers. If peppers aren't your favorite, substitute your favorite vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, peas, blanched broccoli, zucchini, etc.)
    • Olive oil. Avocado oil can be used in place of olive oil in the quinoa salad dressing.
    • Honey. Maple syrup or sugar can be used in place of honey. 
    • Dijon Mustard. Any mustard variety works well in this recipe. 
    • Minced Garlic. Powdered garlic or freshly roasted garlic can be used in place of minced if desired. 

    Store

    Store this quinoa salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 71mgPotassium: 330mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 508IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More quinoa & salad recipes

    I really love quinoa, here are a few of our favorite quinoa & salad recipes

    • I make this roasted vegetable quinoa salad all the time. 
    • Asian quinoa salad with peanut sauce is so good!
    • Baked quinoa casserole is a healthy but comforting main dish.
    • This caprese quinoa salad screams summer too!
    • Do you love burrata salad? We do!
    • Can't go wrong with this classic pasta salad with homemade dressing. 

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sheila

      July 04, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing quinoa salad !!!

      Reply
    2. Carrie

      May 26, 2020 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! It's not surprising because literally everything Laura makes is good. I'm going to be making this all summer long. It was easy to make and it was my first time using fresh dill. My family was very impressed! Thank you for making me look like I am a fabulous cook!

      Reply
      • Laura

        May 27, 2020 at 7:24 am

        Thank YOU Carrie!!! I'm so glad you and your family liked it - and you ARE a fabulous cook! 😉

        Reply
        • Erin

          March 18, 2023 at 4:59 pm

          Hi there. Do I start the 15 minutes right when I add the quinoa or wait for it to return to a boil first?

        • Laura

          March 19, 2023 at 7:26 am

          Wait for it to return to a boil.

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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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