Best Quinoa Salad Recipe

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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! 

up close 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 nutritious salad that’s perfect for BBQs & potlucks! 

overhead view of a large bowl of quinoa salad with a spoon

Quinoa Salad: Ingredients

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

photo of the labeled ingredients in this quinoa salad recipe
  • Quinoa. I prefer the look of white quinoa, but I have use a tricolor blend also and it tastes just as delicious. 
  • 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.
  • 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. 
overhead photo of a bowl of quinoa salad with a spoon in it

How to Make 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

Assemble

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

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. 

overhead photo of a bowl of quinoa salad with avocado and fresh dill

Store

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

up close photo of a spoon taking a scoop of Quinoa Salad Recipe out of a bowl

Quinoa Salad 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 view of a large bowl of quinoa salad

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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 8 votes
Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings
Calories 174
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Chilling quinoa6 hours
Total Time35 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Quinoa

  • 1 cup quinoa uncooked
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Salad

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

Dressing:

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.

Assemble the Quinoa Salad

  • 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.
  • 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: 0.5cup | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 508IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 8 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    AMAZING!!!!!!! This is the first time I made a salad with quinoa & it will not be my last. This is absolutely delicious 😋, added whole kernel corn. Will make often😍

  2. Hi! This recipe looks great!! Is there anything I can use in place of the red wine vinegar? I’m pregnant and I know small amounts says it’s okay but I’m being overly cautious for a reason and wondering what I can replace with, if anything ? Thanks in advance!

  3. 5 stars
    My new favorite summer salad. So yummy. I’ve made it a few times, once with lime juice instead of lemon, also delicious. Easy to make and it keeps well a few days in the fridge. Going to add some minced jalapeños next time.

  4. 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!

    1. Thank YOU Carrie!!! I’m so glad you and your family liked it – and you ARE a fabulous cook! 😉

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