Courtney Johnson . Apr 19 . 2 years ago Share Post

Healthy Quinoa Salad

@cokocooks

I love making a bright and fresh dish during the spring and summer that is refreshing and includes lots of seasonal produce. A healthy quinoa salad is always a great way to include all those things and makes for a nourishing side dish that can be served in a variety of ways. For this salad, you can change up the produce depending on the season and preference. This particular recipe focuses more on the spring season. The variety of vegetables provided lots of different textures and flavors to keep this recipe interesting. I also kept the dressing super simple to really let the vegetables be the star of this dish.

Ingredients for healthy quinoa salad

Ingredients

The base of the healthy quinoa salad is ofcourse quinoa. It is a light versatile grain that soaks up any flavor. Then I roasted up some fresh peppers and asparagus. I love adding a little bit of roasted flavor to the salad, but you could also just blanch the aspargus if you are short on time. Next, I added in some fresh airloom tomatoes for a burst of tang. Then for a little protein I roasted frozen edamame. You could just defrost the edamame, but I love roasting it in order to bring out a little nuttiness. For a burst of sweetness I added in fresh mango chunks. This may sound like a random ingredient, but it adds so much flavor to the salad and veggies. Last but not least is slivered almonds to give this healthy quinoa salad a little crunch. Then to dress it is some simple lemon juice and olive oil. When serving this salad I add an optional drizzle of hot honey! This makes the salad in my opinion. It adds just a little kick of heat while blending the sweetness into a salad. I would serve this as a side salad, but you could also add chicken to make it a main meal.

Bowl of healthy quinoa salad

Serving healthy quinoa salad before drizzle of hot honey

This healthy quinoa salad is naturally gluten free and vegan. It is so tasty and full of nutritious ingredients. Makes for the perfect side dish to bring to any gathering this spring or summer. I also always make sure to bring home any leftovers because it is even better the second day. It is super easy to throw together and very forgiving with any ingredients you have or want to use. Definitely give this healthy quinoa salad a try if you are craving a healthy and refreshing side dish. And for other side dishes be sure to check out many more recipes on the blog.

Bite of healthy quinoa salad

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Healthy Quinoa Salad

A healthy side dish filled with fresh seasonal produce

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 257kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
1 cup roasted edamame
1 cup roasted corn
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunch parsley
2 large bell peppers (any color)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
juice of 2 lemons
salt, pepper, garlic powder
1 large mango
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
hot honey for serving

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
On a large roasting pan lined with parchment paper add corn, peppers, asparagus, and edamame. Allow to roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes until everything is golden brown.
Chop the parsley, tomatoes, and mango. Then juice the two lemons and add to a large bowl.
Add the roasted veggies, quinoa, S&P, olive oil, and garlic powder. Stir everything together and then add almonds before serving.
Drizzle with optional hot honey and enjoy.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.