Quinoa Salad with Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette
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This summery quinoa salad incorporates raw carrot, zucchini, and yellow bell pepper for a satisfying crunch, while a homemade Garlic-Dijon vinaigrette gives it a tangy punch. I’ve used grapeseed oil in the vinaigrette as it has a very neutral (virtually undetectable) flavour, but feel free to use another light-tasting oil if need be. I love to add toasted and salted pepita and sunflower seeds for a delicious roasted, nutty flavour, but raw seeds work well, too. This salad was inspired by a prepared salad I picked up from a local grocery store; I knew immediately that I wanted to make my own wallet-friendly version at home. Feel free to change up the vegetables as you see fit.
Yield
6 servings
Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook time
15 Minutes
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) grapeseed oil (or other light-tasting oil)
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) Dijon mustard
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons (7.5 to 15 mL) pure maple syrup, to taste
For the quinoa salad:
- 1 cup (200 g) uncooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups (210 g) diced yellow bell pepper (1 large)
- 1 cup (72 g) julienned peeled carrot (2 medium)*
- 1 1/2 cups (140 g) julienned zucchini (1 medium)*
- 1 cup (35 g) stemmed kale or baby spinach, finely chopped
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup (53 g) pepita seeds
- 1/3 cup (50 g) sunflower seeds
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
- 1 large (200 g) avocado, pitted and sliced/chopped
Directions:
- For the vinaigrette: Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients into a small food processor or blender and process (or blend) until smooth. Adjust to taste, if desired. Set aside.
- For the quinoa salad: In a medium pot, add the quinoa along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Increase heat to high, and bring to a low boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low-medium, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir, and cover with the lid again. Let “steam” for a few more minutes and then remove the lid to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the veggies. Roughly chop the julienned carrot and zucchini into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place into a large bowl along with the bell pepper, kale (or spinach), beans, and seeds.
- Stir a few tablespoons of vinaigrette and a pinch of salt into the cooked quinoa until evenly distributed. Add the quinoa into the large bowl with the other ingredients. Toss to combine. Taste, and season with more salt, as well as a generous amount of pepper and garlic powder, adding a little bit at a time.
- Spoon the salad into bowls, and top with sliced avocado and more Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. The dressing should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
* You can spiralize the carrot and zucchini instead of using a julienne peeler.
The vinaigrette recipe makes 2/3 cup (160 mL).
Quinoa Salad Nutritional info (per serving, based on 6 servings, without dressing): 480 cals, 17.7 g fat, 20.8 g protein, 14.7 g fibre, 4.8 g sugar, 62 g carbs, 188 g sodium. These values may vary based on the nutritional software used and they were calculated using 1/2 teaspoon salt. To reduce the overall calories, you can reduce the amount of seeds or avocado called for.
Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette Nutritional Info (per serving, based on 6 servings): 95 cals, 9.5 g fat, 0.3 g protein, 0.2 g fibre, 1.2 g sugar, 1.9 g carbs, 17 g sodium. These values may vary based on the nutritional software used and they were calculated using 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup.