Best Easy Quinoa Salad Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Best Easy Quinoa Salad 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!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Chilling quinoa6

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Author: Laura

Cost: $6

Equipment

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:

¼ cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon minced garlic

US Customary - Metric

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