Introducing my favorite quinoa salad! I’ve published more than a few quinoa salads over the years and I genuinely love all of them, but this recipe is officially my favorite.
This quinoa salad is refreshing, crisp and delicious. It’s made simply with fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, fresh parsley and a garlicky olive oil and lemon dressing. The salad sort of reminds me of tabouleh, an herbed Lebanese salad with tomatoes and bulgur.
The Best Quinoa Salad
Three reasons to love this recipe:
- This quinoa salad recipe is also very easy to toss together, especially if you use leftover quinoa (see recipe note). The recipe uses my preferred quinoa cooking method, which yields fluffy quinoa every time.
- This salad packs great for lunch, picnics, road trips and plane rides.
- Bring this allergy-friendly salad along to your next potluck—it’s vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and nut free, for all to enjoy.
This recipe doesn’t taste “basic,” but it has a lot of merits that make it a staple recipe in my kitchen. I hope it becomes your go-to quinoa salad recipe, too! Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments.
Watch How to Make Quinoa Salad
My summer has been punctuated by fun, casual get-togethers with friends. Spontaneous afternoons at the pool, walks around the park, and potlucks—yes to all of the above. It’s nice to have supplies at the ready. My pool bag is packed with magazines and sunscreen, and my fridge is stocked with quinoa salad and Bota Box Wine (thank you, Bota Box!).
The “Bota Mini” size is super portable and easy to grab for an evening picnic at the park. The small boxes are convenient because you don’t have to remember to bring a bottle opener, and the empty boxes are lightweight and recyclable. Each 500 mL mini contains three glasses of wine, or just over half of a standard wine bottle. I recommend pairing their light, crisp Sauvignon blanc with this refreshing summer salad.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this quinoa salad becomes your favorite, too.
Craving more fresh and delicious salads? Here are a few more:
- Quinoa Broccoli Slaw
- Sun-Dried Tomato, Quinoa and Spinach Salad
- Mexican(ish) Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Herbed Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
Favorite Quinoa Salad
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 side salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon. It’s vegan and gluten free, too! Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 8 side salads.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion)
- 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
- Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Recipe inspired by the outrageous herbaceous chickpea salad in my cookbook (page 71) and my quinoa tabbouli.
*Quinoa note: If you happen to have 3 cups of leftover cooked quinoa, you can use it instead of cooking more.
Change it up: This salad is awesome as written. You can serve it on fresh greens with an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice for dressing. Feel free to top it with crumbled feta cheese or a dollop of cashew sour cream (recipe in my cookbook, page 217).
▸ Nutrition Information
This post was sponsored by Bota Box and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Leora
Kate, this was wonderful! I did modify it a touch, made with couscous as I didn’t have quinoa, and green onion instead of red. Otherwise I followed it exactly and it is my new favorite couscous salad! Thanks for the wonderful recipes, I always know that when I am making one of your recipes for friends or family, that it will turn out amazing. I also have 2 loaves of your banana bread in my oven at the moment!
Kate
I’m happy you are confident in my recipes! That is my goal, and of course that they taste great. Thanks for your review!
Lynn
Quick question: I can’t use oil (for medical reasons). Would you suggest substituting something else or just leaving it out?
Kate
If you have a substitute for oil that works with your health needs, I would use that. You can try to leave it out and increase the lemon and/or add a little vinegar. Hope this helps!
Donna Bartle
Have a fun filled family that loves healthy meals. Made this for a weekend BBQ and everyone loved it! I added a little fresh avocado. It was scrumptious delicious!!!!
Kate
Wonderful, Donna! Thanks for you review.
Vivienne Tobias
Just made this tonight and it was so delicious. I love this salad because the ingredients are pretty basic and the combination is healthy but also so interesting and yummy. Good quality chickpeas (like the jarred ones from Spain) are essential for this salad. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review.
Jackie
Just made this recipe for my week of lunches. It tastes awesome. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome! Yes, a great lunch option Jackie.
Lobke basanti
Me and my mother made this salad for her office BBQ. It was a great success and nothing was left in the bowl! We decorated it with eatable flowers from the garden and it looked awesome.
Kate
That sounds wonderful! How fun. Thanks for sharing, Lobke!
Corinne
I’m SO glad I found this recipe (and your blog!). I expected it to be good, but holy cow! It’s amazing! Probably the best salad I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing with us!
Kate
I’m glad you found it too! Love that it surpassed your expectations, Corinne!
Paula
First time making quinoa anything and it turned out great! I did 5 oz of chickpeas, 5 oz black beans, and 5 oz of white kidney beans in place of all chickpeas. I cooked my quinoa in a rice cooker and it was perfect. The dressing is great. Thanks for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome, Paula!
Marilyn Bauchat
I made this according to the recipe, and we tasted right away. We decided it needed a bit more dressing. I added some stone ground mustard to the dressing, and it was perfect. Great for a veggie potluck.
Kate
Thank you! I’m glad you added some more dressing to fit your tastes.
ellen
I’ve made this recipe every couple of months since you published it a year ago! I do meatless mondays (& fridays too, during lent). I was raised eating meat for both lunch and dinner every day, so I sometimes struggle finding filling recipes (especially ones without fish – as I eat fish for dinner on Mondays) so I love when I find a keeper! I split this salad into 4 containers so I have lunch for almost the whole week!
Kate
Great to hear, Ellen!
Mumtaz Sophia
I am new to Quinoa, love the way your Dad pronounces it though. I’m trying to stay healthy and lose some weight at the same time. Canadian food has given me a few extra pounds unfortunately. I find your Recipes refreshing and also simple to follow. Thank you for the beautiful website. Love your Dog.
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Diane DiPrete
what size is a serving. want to use recipe on weight watchers
Kate
Hi Diane- The nutritional information is below the notes section! One side salad is a serving. I would estimate this to be roughly a cup.
LJ
Question. I’ve seen frozen bags of quinoa in stores. Can I just thaw and use in this recipe? Or do I still need to cook the frozen quinoa, cool it and then use in recipe?
Kate
If it’s cooked, I would just thaw and then add the other ingredients per instructions.
Ri
I made big bowl of this salad as a starter for a dinner party at our house. Despite the large quantity it was the only dish with no leftovers! Everyone simply loved it! I did add some toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds at the time of serving for some extra crunch. Thanks Kate for the delicious recipe :)
Kate
Win! I’m so glad it was a hit. Thanks for sharing and for your review.
Jackie
Sorry – loved the ingredients – but it was just pretty bland. :-/ Maybe more acid should be added? Will continue to try some of your other recipes!! Thank you for sharing!
Kate
I’m sorry you felt that way! Feel free to increase any of the flavors you like best. Thanks for sharing your experience, Jackie!
Clare Pruen
Just made this for a mediation group tomorrow, all veggies… just had a taste and very impressed, first time using quinoa, will definitely be making this again…. ps didn’t have parsley so used coriander, mint and basil combo. Thanks ☺️
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Clare! What did your group think?!
Patti Justus
Dash of honey to the dressing, then added feta cheese just before serving!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Patti!
Angela Giglia
We added a little goat cheese and that worked out great for us too!
rajat
salad is good for health & its look very delicious & its name very good
Kate
Thank you!
Kate
Hi,
Changing subject, I am fascinated with your dog. It looks like a dog that we have here in Australia that we call a “Blue Heeler” or a “Coolee” often referred to as blue dog. Every farmer here has one as they are great cattle dogs, often nipping the heels of cattle, hence the name blue heeler. I understood it was an Australian bred dog. Is it a common dog in USA ?
Kindest regards
Kate
Kate
Cookie is special, that is for sure! Cookie is a mix, so not sure how common. But, I do know a there are a lot of cattle dogs in the US!
akbright
Cookie sure is beautiful! We have a “purple” heeler: her daddy was a blue heeler and her mama was a red.
Anh
Ate this 4 days in a row as a side with tuna, grilled chicken & still not sick of it. Is a hit in our household. Simple & delish. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! Happy to hear this one is a hit.
Kaylene Hakeke
Red wine Vinegar contains gluten as do other vinegars. You might want to change that.
Kate
Hi Kaylene! Actually, red wine vinegar as well as other distilled vinegars are naturally gluten free. There are some that you do need to be mindful of that aren’t distilled or are malted.
I Byler
I just made this last night. The biggest compliment is that my two teenage children devoured it. I did not change a thing in the recipe. And so easy to make. Thank you.
Kate
Hooray! I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks so much for your review!
Prairie Goddess
Are you Lebonese? You have so many great sounding Mid Eastern recipes! Just wondering. Gives you credit, you know.
Kate
I’m not, but I’m glad you like the sound of this recipe.
Stephanie Thomas
Shukran(thank you)! I love this recipe. The flavors of a wonderful lebanese salad! Keep the “deliciousness” coming!
Hollie Swart
Amazing! Tastes so fresh and delicious. Followed the recipe to a T and it turned out perfectly. Brought it to a potluck and it was devoured almost instantly. Definitely will be my go-to quinoa salad from now on.
Kate
Love that, Hollie! Thanks for sharing.
Victoria
What are the nutrition values for this dish?
Kate
The nutrition information is below the notes section. Make sure you allow plug-ins and just click to expand. Hope this helps!
Lala
i am currently pregnant and was looking for high protein, healty meals to store in the fridge and eat whenever that insane hunger starts. I love love love this salad! I feel great after eating it and the sour/lemony taste is awesome! Thank you for this recipe :)
Kate
Congratulations, Lala! Also, so happy you love this salad. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
This recipe was great! I used just a bit more dressing and served it over a bed of arugula. A big winner at our house.
Kate
Great to hear, Karen!
Elaine
This was delicious. I had leftover quinoa that I wanted to turn into a salad and found your recipe. It was completely perfect. The dressing is soooo good. I did add fresh basil and some chopped fresh tomatoes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. We will be enjoying this again often. Reason enough to make extra quinoa every time!
Julianne
Starting off the New Year with some new healthy recipes and I must say I’m blown away by this one! Didnt have parsley at the store so I left out that and the onion (I have this thing with eating raw onions….I cant lol) and this was still one of the BEST side dishes I have ever had! Best part is that my 10, 12 and 14 year old kids love it too!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it! Thanks or sharing, Julianne! A hit with the kids too, that’s great.
Tova
I’ve been making this salad so often for lunch lately, it’s amazing. I forego the red wine vinegar since I find it a little overpowering and add a little extra lemon instead. I’ve also swapped out the chickpeas sometimes for black beans or black eyes peas (some family members aren’t fond of chickpeas) and it worked out great. Love having something so healthy and tasty to grab and go for lunch. Thank you Kate!
Kate
I love it! I’m glad you can enjoy it by adjusting to your tastes. Thanks so much, Tova!
Laura Daley
Hi Kate
I made the recipe for a baby shower it was so good. Everyone enjoyed it. Also I have an intolerance to garlic onion leeks shallots and black pepper. Do you have any suggestion as to what other seasoning I could use.
Laura
Kate
I don’t, sorry! Do you have any go-tos when you need to change it up? Those all provide a lot of flavor to this recipe. You could leave them out, but that would really impact the taste.
Vhairi
I love this recipe so much! Perfect flavour balance and low in calories too. Do you think I could freeze it and defrost a serving at a time? ❤️
Kate
I don’t think this one will freeze well. The vegetables will likely get mushy once they thaw out. Sorry!
Nour
Is removing the seeds from the cucumbers necessary? Does it help it stay fresh longer?
Kate
It can help make it less watery. I hope this helps!
Kate
It helps it not get as watery. I hope this helps!
Linda
I absolutely loved this salad. My tastebuds were singing! So fresh, healthy and satisfying. The dressing is perfect. It will definitely be my go to quinoa salad! I can’t wait to make it again.
Kate
Wonderful, Linda! Thanks for your review.
Deanna Vazquez
This is the second time I’ve ever cooked with quinoa and it is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I’d been wanting to cook more with quinoa for years because of how healthy it is, but the only other time I cooked with it I didn’t like it. But this recipe is an absolute winner. I appreciate the clear and simple instructions on cooking the quinoa grain itself. It seems to have a perfect balance of tastes and texture.
Lemon-garlic, and a bit of a crunch, completely satisfying! My daughter enjoyed it too – and she is ultra-fussy about eating anything that resembles healthy. I’m keeping this recipe; it’s definitely a winner. Thanks!
Kate
Happy this one was a game changer for you! Thanks for your feedback, Deanna.
Andie
We served this as part of a post-tour meal at Full Circle Farm Sanctuary last weekend. It was so delicious and absolutely a hit with our guests! Thank you. =)
Kate
You’re welcome, Andie!
Nisha
What red wine vinegar do you recommend..it would help if you mentioned the brand you use thanks
Liisa
Definitely a family favourite!
Kate
Love to hear that, Liisa!
Aideen
We absolutely love this quinoa salad, so easy for lunches (as it keeps for a few days) and tastes GREAT! Thanks a mil! x
Kate
You’re welcome, Aideen!
Leslie
This was my first time cooking quinoa & I loved how it turned out. I’m not a good cook at all and this recipe makes me feel like I am. What a wonderfully tasty and easy dish. Thank you for sharing this!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for your review, Leslie.
Emily O'Keefe
Hello!! I am so excited to make this, it looks great! I am planning to make it for a training session for a local environmental group next weekend :D There will be about 30 people attending. Do you have a recommendation for sizing-up this recipe?
Kate
This should work well to size up how you need to. But, you might just need to cook the quinoa in batches or large pot.
Christine
This was DELICIOUS and so easy! I only had a 1/2 cup of parsley and I added some garlic powder at the end along with a little extra salt and pepper. I eat low carb but this was totally worth the extra carbs and I am exited to make it for a potluck. It will be a huge hit. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!
Kate
I’m so glad you liked it, Christine! Sounds like a great way to make it work with what you had on hand.
Gwen
DELICIOUS! I made this so I could take it to work for a week, keep it in an air tight container and it will last the whole week! I would recommend mincing the onion, so you don’t have an overwhelming bite. The red wine and lemon combo in amazing!
Kate
A great salad for lunch and great tip, Gwen!
Deb
If you soak a sliced red onion in cold water for about ten minutes, it loses its bite.
Rosalyn
WOW! I never was a fan of quinoa yet wanted to try this out! It’s just out of this world! It was a great hit with both myself and my husband :)
Kate
Great to hear, Rosalyn!
Saúl
This is one of my favorite recipes and is my go-to for potlucks! I add a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses. It makes all the flavors really pop!
Kate
Great to hear, Saul! Thanks for your review.
Kaidee in Australia
I made this for a BBQ gathering yesterday and it was yum!
I substituted coriander and baby spinach for the parsley, and I added some crushed almonds in as well.
2 ladies asked me for the recipe. :)
Thanks Kate. I’m glad I discovered your site.
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy you came across the blog, too.
Beth
Very good! I ommitted the chick peas, but very tastey! And we love tabouli and this tastes similar.
Kate
I’m glad you liked it, Beth!
Rebecca
I am literally eating this as I type, SO AMAZINGLY GOOD. I thought it would be too lemony (I used 2 lemons) but it is perfect.
I Did make some veggie changes but the dressing is the same. I added chopped kale in with the parsley, one whole tomato, grated zucchini, 3 cloves of garlic, and a mix of red/yellow/orange pepper to equal about one pepper. I feel like this is a great recipe as is or you can put just about anything and it would still be delicious.
This is definitely going to be a regular for me. Nice job!
Kate
Thank you, Rebecca! I appreciate the review.
Carol parker
Second time in a week making this delicious salad. Love the simplicity
Kate
Great to hear, Carol!
Karen Chastain
Love this one! Light and refreshing.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Karen!
Kay Clark
I haven’t made the recipe yet, but I will gladly give you some feedback on your website. Please provide a way to print the recipe right away if that’s what someone would like to do. It took me about 10 minutes to work my way thru the clever tunes, videos, etc. to find the recipe to print out. Thanks for asking for feedback. Kay Clark (Looking forward to making the salad, looks delish!)
Kate
Hi Kay, Thank you for your feedback! There is a jump to recipe at the top of each post, that should help you navigate faster.
Sue and Larry
Just made this. So light, refreshing and tasty. Will be adding this our new household menu. Thank you x
Kate
You’re welcome, Sue & Larry!
Jamison Steininger
What do you think the calories would be for this?
Kate
Hi Jamison! Great question. The nutrition information is below the notes section. I hope this helps!
Andrea
This is one of my favorite make ahead lunch recipes. So easy to put together. It makes a healthy, filling lunch. After mixing it, I put it into individual serving containers so it’s all ready to grab and go. I’ve also made this for a summer potluck with my Zumba group and it was a clear hit!
Kate
Glad it was a hit, Andrea!
jesicca renee baker
Hi Kate , this recipe is amazing. tasty and fresh. does this recipe have a serving size? it is hard to keep track of the calorie count not knowing the serving size?? all the nutritional information is great but will be out with out a serving a size amount?
Kate
Hi Jessica, so glad you’re enjoying the salad! I don’t recall exactly how much is a serving, but it yields 8 servings. So, if you visually divide the salad into 8 (or 4, if that’s easier, and then divide those by 2), then there’s one serving. Hope that helps.
Shakerra Joseph
This was actually quite delicious!!
Kate
I’m glad you liked it!
Elisabeth
This recipe looks great, I would love to make it. Unfortunately I may be intolerant to lemon, do you have a suggestion as to what I can use instead?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but you could try white vinegar. Can you do orange? That could be a possible option too.
carol bittner
Just happened across your quinoa salad; have been curious about ‘what is quinoa and how do I use it’? You answered my questions in a fantastic manner. I made this salad today…..AWESOME taste. Also used your method of cooking quinoa and it turned out perfect. I’ve never cooked it before and am very happy to have found your recipe, along with your advice. Thank you so much. p.s. Love your lil cookie!
Angela Giglia
This turned out great and thanks for the instructions to make the quinoa just right not too mushy and not too chewy and the loads of parsley and dressing made all the difference. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Lisa Lessard
Love your favorite quinoa salad recipe! I followed your recipe exactly as written. This recipe is a new go to for me and my husband who normally won’t eat healthy food! Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you love it.
Cate
I made this for a team lunch. It was gobbled up quickly and most people went for seconds :) Thank you !
Kate
You’re welcome, Cate!
Karen Gill
I have never made quinoa before, but have often enjoyed it, so I thought I would try to make a salad for our friends dinner. After much research I settled on your recipe and was so confident with the ingredients that I made a double batch. Our dinner is tonight, but I have been sneaking bites all day. I had celery at home so I added some, but other than that made it just like the recipe. I’m excited to see how everyone else likes it. I think its delicious!
Kate
I love to hear that! Thanks so much, Karen!
D Panicker
Superb recipe, thank you for sharing, Kate.
Kate
You’re welcome!
Karin
I brought this to Easter dinner and everybody loved it. It’s perfect. My daughter has never enjoyed quinoa and asked me to make this for school lunches. Thank you!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Karin! Thanks for your review.
Jenny Smith
Love this recipe. I’ve swapped the chickpeas with chopped savoy cabbage. And top with pomegranate to serve. Super fresh, delicious and healthy. It lasts well for a few days too.
Kate
Sounds delicious, Jenny! Thanks for sharing.
Tina
I tried this recipe out last year and it was a huge hit with everyone. So much so that when I asked my grandchildren who are visiting from overseas this week, if there was anything special they wanted this salad was one of the meals they requested! I can’t think of a single recipe of yours that we haven’t loved. Awesome Kate. Thank you!
Kate
Have fun with your grandchildren! I love that they really liked this recipe. Thanks for your review, Tina!
Skye
Delicious! I’ve made this recipe many times and it’s one of my favourite lunches to take to work. It’s light but filling and always makes me feel like I’m nourishing my body. Highly recommend!! P.S. Cookie is absolutely adorable!
Jessy
I want to make this recipie today! But I don’t have parsley. I do have fresh cilantro, mint and basil. Do you suggest using one of those? Also I just have a yellow onion, not red. Thank you!
Kate
Either or both could work, depending on your taste preference! Sometimes basil browns a little once chopped. But would taste good here, too.
Hayley Morrin
I made this twice in the past week. The first time I didn’t love the raw red onion, so I used sliced green onion the second time. Love this; the dressing is awesome!
Caroline Davis
This dish is in the rotation at our house, especially in warmer months. It’s light, but the garbanzo beans give it some heft. It’s great to pack for lunch, too. I usually serve it on a bed of greens. My stepdaughter loves it!
Kate
I love that, Caroline!
Kim
This was delicious I added part of a zucchini and a few artichoke hearts. I didn’t have fresh parsley so I used a little dry and chopped up some mixed baby greens. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing.
Kate
Thanks for sharing! I’m glad subbing dried worked well, Kim.
Nicole
Wow!! Absolutely love it! Bursting with flavours! I’ve been hoping to find a nice recipe for quinoa, and this is perfect!
Kate
Thanks for your review, Nicole!
Natalie
I didn’t have cucumber or parsley so I substituted zucchini, cilantro and spinach and it was so yummy. I made this for my son’s 10th Birthday Party and it was a sensation even kids were gobbling it up. Parents were asking for the recipe. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe and healthy too!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Natalie!
Andrea
I love this recipe! I’ve made it 3 times already. It’s a keeper. Your tip on making the perfect quinoa IS perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Kate
You’re welcome, Andrea! I love you have made it so much already.
Michelle Xi
Maybe because I’m southeast Asian and am not used to this blend but man, I’m gagging over this recipe. I was eating this for lunch and shivers literally crawled up my back from eating this. I’m sorry, the blend of garlic with lemons and vinegar gives me a seizure.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. This may not be the combination for you. I appreciate your feedback, Michelle.
jacqueline
Hi! I’m excited about trying this… I don’t have red onion (or red peppers) in the house right now… so will substitute the green onions, add some cubed (small) daikon radish… and think about adding some chopped fresh tomatoes (not sure yet about this last…) But I know even without making it yet that this salad will be AWESOME! Thank you, thank you!
Kate
How did it turn out?
Kate
Hi Kate!
This sounds amazing! I am all set to make it… Admittedly I am not a great cooker, lol. But I’ve mastered the Instapot. Any advice on cooking it that way?
Thank you for any help!
Kate
Hi Kate! I don’t have this for an instant pot, but I believe there is a standard recipe for the insta pot when it comes to quinoa. But, I think my stovetop method works really well! The other components need to be chopped/mixed.
kathleen sydnor
This is delicious! I’ve made several times, and everyone has raved – even people who say they don’t like quinoa. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Kathleen!
Donna
This was delicious! I made it for my lunches this week! I can’t wait for tomorrow!
Kate
A great salad for lunches! Thanks for your review, Donna.
M Power
I know this sounds completely lazy, but I’d like to substitute a store-bought dressing. Is there a particular flavor or brand you’d recommend?
Kate
I don’t have one off the top of my head, sorry! I would recommend a light vinaigrette.
LIZ GAUNTLEY
Lovely. Needed to add quite a lot of salt at the table, however and more dressing next time. Great, healthy salad. I toasted the quinoa before cooking.
Kate
Thank you for your feedback, Liz! I appreciate it.
Dolly
I was wondering if there was any substitution for the olive oil, thanks!
Kate
Olive oil is a primary ingredient for the dressing. You could substitute another oil. Possibly avocado oil?
Gayatri Verkhedkar
I’ve made this many times now. And every time it comes out so beautiful and tasty. Thank you for this recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome, Gayatri!
Diane Manos
Loved it. Making it for the second time. Great for lunch or dinner.
Kate
Agreed, Diane!
Caitie
This salad blew me away! Relatively simple and quick, but packed full of flavour. I will make this again and again for sure. Highly recommend :D
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Caitie! Thanks for your review.
Shelana Ferris
I found this recipe the beginning of last summer and couldn’t stop eating it. I took it to several cookouts and it was a great hit. My vegan friend said this was her new favorite salad. I can’t wait to make it again this summer for all of our get togethers.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Shelana!
Janine
Just made a batch of this for supper on my late shift at work. I added some chopped fresh coriander to the parsley and a small drained can of tuna. There was enough for lunch before work too, it is delicious mmm!
Kate
Thanks for sharing your variation, Janine!
Natalie Coates
Oh my! I’m eating this right now and it’s delicious! I will be making plenty this summer! Thank you for the recipe x
Kate
You’re welcome, Natalie!
Candice
I liked it. I Only did half the parsley and replaced the other half with celery leaves. I also added a scallion as I didn’t have enough onion. It turned out well. Good flavour.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Candice!
Monica
Omg!!! On my fitness journey and stumbled upon this salad. It is so fresh, tasty, refreshing but hearty. I added some avocado to the top and don’t even miss the meat. Thank you!!!!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Monica! I appreciate your review.
Robbin
I love this recipe! I increased the dressing by half and added a 1/2 tsp of sugar (or honey) to balance out the acid. I’ve made this several times and it’s healthy and delicious!
Kate
I’m glad you love it! Thanks for your review, Robbin!
Carolin
Amazing salad, thank you Kate! I googled “quinoa salad” and this came up, exactly what I was looking for as a healthy lunch to take to work. I swapped cilantro for the parsley and added a packet of feta cheese – now I can’t wait for my lunch tomorrow. Will be making this A LOT over the summer.
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you were able to find it so easily.
Diane
This was absolutely delicious! I used shallots instead of red onion because some was left over from another recipe.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Diane!
Rebekah
Made it tonight for my mid afternoon snack this week and just a taste was delicious. My husband hates bell peppers yet tasted a little and was impressed so it looks like he will be stealing some for lunch. So far so good. I didn’t have red wine vinegar so I put a little white mixed with balsamic and I think it was fine. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Rebekah!
Mizzi
Any suggestions for substitution of garlic (other than leaving it out), for someone who is intolerant? This recipe sounds yum!
Kate
I would leave it out, and possibly add more onion if you like!
Nicky
This recipe was delicious. Despite being British and having no idea what a cup measurement means I just guessed amounts and it turned out brilliantly. Now making it for a summer party for 70. I also used a mixture or red/white quinoa and bulgar wheat which works well.
Kate
Thank you, Nicky!
Diane Brilz
Most delicious salad ever! I could eat this every day. The dressing was light and fresh complementing the ingredients. I look forward to adding chopped avocado and feta to make it a complete meal.
Kate
Thanks, Diane!
Kim Ange
I’ve made this salad several times now and I just love it to pieces! I do add feta and avocado to the salad just because I love feta and avocado! Love, love, love this salad!!! Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous recipes with us all Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome! :) Feta and avocado sounds amazing with this!
Arlene
Great salad , I added marinated peppers,baby grilled mushrooms,roasted tinned chickpeas and chopped radishes otherwise all the same . Delicious
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Arlene!
Nancy Oliver
I didn’t have any quinoa so I made it with brown rice. I added a variety of fresh herbs that I had in my garden. It was delicious!!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it! Great substitution.