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Home » Recipes » 5 Easy Quinoa Salad Recipes {+Meal Prep Tips}

5 Easy Quinoa Salad Recipes {+Meal Prep Tips}

10/8/21

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These Quinoa Salad Recipes are full of protein! Choose from 5 flavours: southwest, curried, Mediterranean, caprese, or green goddess.

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

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Making quinoa

Choose the type of quinoa you want to prepare. Before you can prepare the salad, you first need to prepare the quinoa.

  • White quinoa is the most common to find in the store. It cooks up to a fluffy light texture.
  • Black quinoa has an earthy flavor.
  • Red quinoa is has the most nutritional value in the form of vitamins and minerals. Red quinoa ends up a little chewier. It has a rich nutty taste. This is the common choice for cold salads because it retains its texture so well.
  • There are also purple and orange varieties of quinoa, but they can be difficult to find in stock at most stores.

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

How to make quinoa salad (step-by-step)

Quinoa salad is quick and easy to make in a large batch.

  1. Put the quinoa and water in a pot on the stove. The quinoa to water ratio is 1:2. This means, for every cup of quinoa, you will need 2 cups of cooking liquid.
  2. Cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
  3. Before preparing the salad, allow the quinoa to cool for 30 minutes.

For an added layer of flavor, you can also toast the quinoa before cooking it. Just toss it in a little olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes before adding the water to the pot.

While your quinoa cools, go ahead and prepare all the other ingredients that will go into the salad.

  • Clean and chop the veggies
  • Mix liquid ingredients for dressing
  • Prepare any proteins or meats you want to add
  • If you are substituting ingredients and using softer fruits and veggies or nuts, wait until the day you plan to eat the salad to add them to the top.

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Why are quinoa salad recipes great for meal prep?

Quinoa salad is an easy lunch to prepare in advance. It is normally eaten cold so no worries if your office doesn’t have a microwave. It holds up remarkably well in storage. As a result, you’ll never have to worry about wilted or soggy lettuce with these nutritious salads!

Plus, with a large batch of cooked quinoa, you can create an entire week or even a month's worth of meals, quickly and easily. Plain quinoa freezes beautifully and a fully prepared quinoa salad will last in the fridge for up to five days.

Quinoa salad is a perfect meal for a busy day. It is high in protein and fiber. You’ll feel full for a long time after eating this salad. It also has a low glycemic index so it will not cause a blood sugar spike. It’s been proven to have heart and respiratory benefits as well.

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Quinoa Salad Recipes

The following quinoa salad recipes will give you a place to start with experimenting with combinations. To make these varieties, keep reading!

  • Southwest
  • Mediterranean
  • Curried quinoa salad
  • Caprese
  • Green goddess

Southwest quinoa salad

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Caprese quinoa salad

quinoa salad recipes

Curried quinoa salad

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Green goddess quinoa salad

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Mediterranean quinoa salad

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Do you need to rinse quinoa before cooking?

Most recipes call for rinsing quinoa before cooking. This is an optional step but I do recommend it.

Quinoa has a natural coating that rinsing will wash away. Some people think it tastes bitter or soapy without rinsing while others might say it just has an earthy flavor.

However, most boxed quinoa is pre-rinsed. You can rinse it again to be sure, but only if you want to. Just put it in a fine mesh strainer and run cold water over it for a minute or two.

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Ingredient substitutions

If there are ingredients that you don’t care for, or you have other reasons not to use them, there are plenty of options! Other popular ingredients for quinoa salad include:

  • Chickpeas
  • Spinach, kale, or other dark greens
  • Avocado
  • Cheese (Feta is a popular choice)
  • Citrus zest and/or juice

Can you freeze quinoa salad?

You can freeze the ingredient of quinoa salad, but not the entire assembled quinoa salad.

Quinoa however, is very easy to freeze. After it is cooked, allow it to cool completely. Then, transfer the quinoa into freezer storage bags or meal prep containers. Frozen quinoa will keep well for up to three months.

When you are ready to use it, thaw the quinoa in the fridge for 24 hours.

Main dishes to serve with quinoa salads

Quinoa has fewer calories and carbs than white rice. It’s easy to substitute cooked quinoa for rice in any recipe if you are eating a low carb diet. It’s also a gluten-free grain that can be eaten in place of pasta.

These salads are fantastic for lunch or a veggie-packed side dish for dinner. Pair it with burgers, steak, pork, or poultry to make a complete meal.

Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Other healthy quinoa recipes

  • 21 Delicious Healthy Quinoa Recipes
  • Tahini, Kale, and Quinoa Bowl
  • Quinoa and Turkey Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers

Meal prep tools for this recipe

  • Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this salad into meal prep lunches
  • Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months
Quinoa Salad 5 Ways

Quinoa Salad Recipes 5 Ways

These Quinoa Salad Recipes are full of protein! Choose from 5 flavours: southwest, curried, Mediterranean, caprese, or green goddess.
4.86 from 21 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 259kcal
Author: Taylor Stinson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Southwest quinoa salad

  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 2 tsp chili powder

Mediterranean (Greek) quinoa salad

  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp oregano

Curried quinoa salad

  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Caprese quinoa salad

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 cup bocconcini pearls, sliced in half
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Green goddess quinoa salad

  • 1/2 cup edamame
  • 1/2 cup cucumber
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

  • Add quinoa and water to a large pot on the stove. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease to med-low heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat, stirring quinoa once more. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
  • While quinoa is cooling (you can also do this while it's cooking), prepare the toppings of choice for whichever salad you are going to make (choose from one of the headings). Once quinoa has cooled slightly, mix in toppings and toss to combine well. Serve and enjoy!
  • Quinoa salad is typically eaten cold and will last in the fridge up to 5 days. Cooked quinoa without toppings will last in the freezer up to 3 months. If freezing, defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before tossing with toppings and serving.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1033IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GirlonBloor or tag #girlonbloor!

These Quinoa Salad Recipes are full of protein! Choose from 5 flavours: southwest, curried, Mediterranean, caprese, or green goddess. #quinoasalad #mealprep   These Quinoa Salad Recipes are full of protein! Choose from 5 flavours: southwest, curried, Mediterranean, caprese, or green goddess. #quinoasalad #mealprep

 

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About Taylor Stinson

Hey there, my name's Taylor! I’m the founder of The Girl on Bloor, a food blog where I share healthy meal prep recipes for busy people. I'm a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto on (you guessed it!) Bloor Street. I've got 10 years experience meal prepping, along with a Master's degree in journalism, and you can find my work across the internet featured on publications such as Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Women's Health, Reader's Digest and more. I also run the awesome 5-Day Meal Prep Challenge, which is a free email course and Facebook group where I share my meal planning strategies and easy meal prep tips and recipes. Be sure to check out my free beginner’s guide to meal prep and follow me on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get my latest recipes and meal prep tips!

Comments

  1. Linda says

    April 26, 2022 at 09:06

    4 stars
    I made the Mediterranean salad version & added some feta & red peppers. I was very skeptical about just dressing it with lemon juice but it’s really really good.

    Reply
    • Taylor Stinson says

      April 26, 2022 at 15:13

      I’m so glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  2. GigiCT says

    April 1, 2022 at 17:35

    Thank you for these recipes. A friend gave me a Costco-sized bag of quinoa, so I am looking for different ways to use it up!

    Reply
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Taylor Stinson

Oh hey there, welcome!!

I'm Taylor Stinson, a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto. Looking to switch up your weekly meal prep routine? I've got you covered with healthy recipes and meal planning resources. Join 1.5 million other monthly readers and dive in! MORE ABOUT ME..

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