This vegan quinoa salad recipe is packed full of nutrition and tangy flavor. Quinoa and colorful vegetables provide tons of nourishment, while the sumac dressing takes it to a whole new level of yummy.
I'm always on the look out for make-ahead lunches that will stay fresh in the fridge for most of the week. I just never have the time in the middle of the day to prepare a thoughtful, healthy lunch. That's why this vegan quinoa salad is my ultimate go-to salad recipe. It super easy to assemble and keeps for about 5 days! Plus, it makes a great pack and go lunch.
Lots of salads leaving you feeling less than satisfied, but this salad satiates your appetite thanks to protein and fiber-rich quinoa. And, best of all, you can whip up a batch in about 15 minutes. What's not to love?
How To Make The Best Vegan Quinoa Salad:
There's lots of confusion surrounding how to cook quinoa. So many recipes leave you with a clumpy, mushy mess. Fortunately, it's not that hard once you know the secret! My How To Cook Quinoa post will give you all the inside tips on how to make a big bowl of light, fluffy quinoa. Follow along for my quinoa cooking tips...
- Thoroughly rinse the quinoa. This is important as quinoa has a natural coating called saponin that tastes bitter and soapy.
- Now, measure out one cup of quinoa to two cups of water. The quinoa to water ratio never changes - it's always 1:2. Sidenote: Quinoa expands (like a lot!) when you cook it. One uncooked cup will yield 4 cups of cooked quinoa.
- Put it in a medium size pan over low heat and allow it to simmer uncovered for about ten minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
- Get on with chopping your veg and herbs while the quinoa is cooking.
- Once all the water has been absorbed, take the pan off the heat and cover it with a tea towel. Leave it to rest for about 10 minutes while you prepare your sumac dressing.
- Combine all the ingredients for the sumac dressing in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Now all you need to do is assemble your vegan quinoa salad! Drizzle the dressing over the top and enjoy!
All your questions answered:
You can freeze quinoa itself for about three months, but not the assembled salad.
Yes, you can! Here's a link to a You Tube video on How To Cook Quinoa in an Instant Pot.
This salad is very flexible, so most veg and herbs will taste good here. Try grated carrots, radishes, spring onions, olives, chickpeas, or grilled aubergine (eggplant.)
Sumac has a naturally tart, sour taste, so I'd suggest a bit of lemon zest. It will still taste good, even without the sumac.
If You Like Vegan Quinoa Salad, You Might Also Like:
Quinoa Dressing With Miso Dressing
Vegan Quinoa salad With Sumac Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup (185 grams) uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 cup (120 grams) cucumber seeded and diced
- 2 cups (400 grams) tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup (10 grams) fresh parsley loosely packed
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint chopped
- ½ cup (75 grams) red onion soaked in cold water for 5 minutes and then finely diced
- 1 cup (149 grams) yellow pepper seeded and diced
Sumac Dressing
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
Instructions
- Rinse and drain quinoa. Add quinoa and water to a medium size saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat it and cover it with a tea towel. Set aside while you prepare your vegetables and dressing.
- Chop your vegetables and herbs, and combine the sumac dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Once the quinoa has finished resting, fluff it with a fork and put it in a large serving bowl. Stir in the chopped vegetables and herbs. Drizzle with sumac dressing and enjoy!
Notes
- Store vegan quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge (without the dressing) for 4-5 days.
- Quinoa can be frozen for up to three months, but if freezing, only freeze the quinoa, not the entire salad.
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