Spring Vegetable Quinoa Salad (Printable version)
Fluffy quinoa meets crisp spring vegetables in a zesty lemon-herb dressing. Perfect for light lunches or colorful sides.
# Ingredient list:
→ Quinoa Base
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Spring Vegetables
04 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
05 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
07 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - ½ cup shelled fresh or frozen peas
09 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
→ Herbs & Toppings
10 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons chives, finely sliced
13 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
14 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
18 - 1 garlic clove, minced
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Rinse quinoa under cold running water until water runs clear. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl to cool completely.
02 - Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, and peas. Cook for 2 minutes until vegetables are bright green and just tender-crisp. Drain immediately and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain well and pat dry.
03 - Add cooled quinoa, blanched vegetables, radishes, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, mint, and chives to the large bowl. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified and thickened. Alternatively, shake vigorously in a sealed jar.
05 - Pour vinaigrette over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a serving platter, top with crumbled feta if using, and serve immediately. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving if preferred.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way the cold vegetables crunch against fluffy quinoa feels like eating sunshine
- You can throw it together in the morning and it actually tastes better by lunch
02 -
- Hot quinoa will make fresh herbs wilt instantly, so be patient and let it cool completely before mixing
- The salad needs at least 15 minutes to sit after dressing, which lets the quinoa soak up all those flavors
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables similar sizes so every forkful has the same perfect crunch ratio
- Make double the dressing and keep it in the fridge, it's fantastic on simple green salads too