Easy Summer Quinoa Salad w/ Vinaigrette

Welcome to the weekend! I was actually going to post this recipe for Cinco De Mayo, but my laptop screen ended up getting cracked sadly, so I wasn’t able to finish the post until now. Fortunately, my sister and brother-in-law let me borrow their MacBook Air for the week, so I was able to edit the photos and get this post going. Yay!

Anyways, this is a staple in my household. I have been making this cold quinoa salad for years, and the ingredients have evolved over time. This quinoa salad has crispy bell pepper, crunchy corn, soft black beans, salty feta, all topped with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. I love this recipe for many reasons. But here are my top 5:

1. Healthy and flavorful
2. Tons of protein because quinoa is a complete protein (meaning that it contains all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own), and the black beans also provide protein.
3. It is gluten-free!
4. Its quick, barely takes any time, and you can make a lot of it and keep it in the fridge for days and days
5. The dressing is dairy-free!

This cold quinoa salad can be made all at once, thrown together in a huge bowl, covered and eaten for lunch all week. You can bring it on a picnic, pack the vinaigrette on the side and dress the salad right before you eat it.

It is SUPER customizable and can be whatever flavors you want. If you hate red onion, throw in some green onions or chives. If you dont like feta and would rather have goat cheese, go for it! If corn isn’t your favorite, omit it. This is a great, simple lunch that everyone in the family will love. It is packed with protein, and I think that might be the best part.

Enjoy friends!

Easy Summer Quinoa Salad w/ Vinaigrette

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Allison Olivia
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 4–5 servings 1x

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Description

A savory, protein-filled, summer cold quinoa salad with crispy bell pepper, crunchy corn, black beans, topped with a zesty vinaigrette.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Quinoa Salad:

• 4 cups quinoa, cooked
• 1/2 cup corn, cooked
• 3/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup bell pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
• feta cheese (for the top of each serving)
• avocado to taste (for the top)
• salt and pepper

Zesty Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon (roughly 1/2 cup of juice)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

 

Prep: If you would like the quinoa to be cold, make quinoa about an hour before you’re assembling the salad and keep it in the fridge.

Quinoa Salad:

1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.
2. Top with feta, avocado, salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle the zesty vinaigrette over the top of each serving individually.
4. Keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Zesty Vinaigrette:

1. Combine all ingredients into a liquid measuring cup and whisk. 

 

Notes

All these ingredients are extremely customizable. You can modify the amounts depending on what you like. If you want more corn, then add it! If you hate feta, throw in some goat cheese!

This keeps well in the fridge (without the dressing) for 4-5 days.

I usually drizzle the dressing over each serving, rather than the entire bowl, so it doesn’t get soggy, and each person can control how much dressing they want. 

To make quinoa, place 1 cup uncooked quinoa with 2 cups of chicken broth or water in a pan. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and cover with lid and cook for 10-15 min until liquid is gone. Remove from stove, let it cool and place in the fridge until you are ready to make the salad.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Mixing
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: cold quinoa salad, summer salad, summer lunches, lunch, lunch ideas, quinoa salad, quinoa salad with dressing