Rainbow Quinoa with Lemon Dressing (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa and rainbow veggies tossed in a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing—bright, fresh and easy to pack.
# Ingredient List:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
08 - 1/2 cup carrot, grated
09 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
10 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Lemon Dressing
11 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# How to Make:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water to remove bitterness. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with halved cherry tomatoes, diced red and yellow bell peppers, diced cucumber, shredded purple cabbage, grated carrot, finely chopped red onion, and chopped fresh parsley.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is fully emulsified and smooth.
04 - Pour the lemon dressing over the quinoa salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Refrigerate for 10 minutes if desired, then serve chilled as a light main or refreshing side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon dressing is the kind of bright, tangy sauce that makes you want to eat salad every single day without complaining.
- Everything keeps beautifully in the fridge, so you can make a big batch on Sunday and eat well through Thursday without thinking about it.
02 -
- If you forget to rinse the quinoa, the entire salad will taste like dusty bitterness and no amount of dressing can save it, learned that the hard way.
- Letting the cooked quinoa cool completely before mixing prevents the cucumber and cabbage from going limp and sad.
03 -
- Make the dressing in a jar, shake it, and store whatever is leftover in the fridge for up to a week because it is delicious on literally everything from greens to roasted vegetables.
- Salt your quinoa cooking water like you would pasta water for a deeper seasoned flavor that soaks into every grain instead of just sitting on top.