Zesty Quinoa Salad — Fast, easy, and fresh! Bright flavors and loads of texture! This clean-eating salad keeps you full and satisfied! Healthy never tasted so good!! (No mayo and great for outdoor events or lunch boxes!)
Table of contents
Zesty Quinoa Salad Recipe
I can’t believe something so healthy tastes so good. I’m normally indifferent to quinoa. I mean, it’s quinoa and usually not too earth-shattering. But I couldn’t stop eating this.
It’s a fast, easy dish that’s ready in 20 minutes and packed with big flavors and so much texture.
It happens to be accidentally vegan, gluten-free, with no added sugar, and very little oil or salt.
There’s sweet yellow onion to boost the flavor, chewy and slightly sweet sun-dried tomatoes, Fisher Natural Sliced Almonds for a satisfying crunch, and parsley to add color and a mild herb flavor.
Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and lemon zest really brighten up the dish up and beautifully complement the sun-dried tomatoes. I use dry rather than oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to keep things healthier.
What’s in Zesty Quinoa Salad?
To make this accidentally vegan quinoa salad, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Quinoa
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice and zest
- Salt and pepper
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Fresh parsley (mint or basil are also great)
- Fisher Natural Sliced Almonds
How to Make Easy Quinoa Salad
This is such an easy salad to make! It tastes more impressive than it really is to make!
Follow these simple straightforward directions:
- Cook the onion in an oiled skillet until it softens.
- Add the dry quinoa to the skillet and toast for about 30 seconds before adding in the water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Let the quinoa cook until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Transfer the quinoa mixture to a large bowl.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, almonds, and lemon zest. Serve and enjoy!
Can I Prep Zesty Quinoa Salad in Advance?
Yes and I actually prefer it! This quinoa and sun dried tomato salad can be served warm and immediately or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The flavors develop over time and tastes better a day or two after making it, and can either be served warm or cold.
Can I Add Other Veggies?
Yes you can but keep in mind that the more veggies you add to this cold quinoa salad, the more dressing you’ll need.
Finely chopped cauliflower or riced cauliflower, or very finely diced or shaved Brussels sprouts are two ideas and vegetables that come to mind.
Tips for the Best Quinoa Salad
I use tri-colored quinoa and while I don’t think it tastes much different than white quinoa, I like the added color but use your favorite.
The salad is great right away but it’s a perfect make-ahead recipe because the flavors develop over time and I think it tastes better a day or two after making it.
You can either serve this vegan quinoa salad warm or cold.
And since there’s no mayo it’s a great salad for lunch boxes, picnics, potlucks, and casual get-togethers.
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Lemon, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Almond Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- extra-large yellow onion, peeled and diced small
- 1 cup quinoa, I use tri-colored
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, zest the lemon before juicing it
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, about 3 ounces, sliced thinly (I use dry rather than oil-packed but oil-packed may be drained and substituted)
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup Fisher Natural Sliced Almonds
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, or to taste
Instructions
- To a large skillet or saucepan, add the olive oil, onions, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened and just begun to barely brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add the quinoa and stir it into the onions and let it toast for about 30 seconds.
- Add the water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice (zest the lemon before juicing it), salt, pepper, reduce the heat to low, cover pan, and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed. While it’s cooking, chop the remaining ingredients.
- Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and add the sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, almonds, lemon zest, and stir to combine.
- Taste, check for seasoning balance, and if necessary add more salt, pepper, or possibly a pinch of sugar if you prefer it sweeter to balance the acids, or a pinch of cayenne adds heat.
Notes
- Dish can be served warm and immediately or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors develop over time and tastes better a day or two after making it, and can either be served warm or cold.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Quinoa Salad Recipes:
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Quinoa Salad (GF) — Trying to keep meals healthier and lighter? Make this easy, refreshing and satisfying salad!
Tabbouleh — Never had it? Think couscous or quinoa mixed with vegetables, herbs, lemon and olive oil! Easy, no cooking required, healthy, and packed with so much flavor! (Great for outdoor events because there’s no mayo!)
Spinach And Artichoke Quinoa Salad – All the flavors of classic spinach and artichoke dip are in this HEALTHY salad!! The only thing that’s missing is tons of fat and calories! FAST, EASY, naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and tastes DELISH!
Quinoa, Cherry, and Goat Cheese Salad – Healthy, EASY, and loaded with juicy cherries, tangy goat cheese, snap peas, mint, and more!! The PERFECT light yet satisfying salad with so many great flavors!!
Garden Fresh Quinoa Salad – Loaded with everything fresh, light, healthy, and summery! Great for parties, potlucks, and lunch boxes because there’s no mayo! Make this easy and flavorful dish before summer disappears!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad — This EASY quinoa salad is ready in 20 minutes with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients including chickpeas, Kalamata olives, artichokes, and goat cheese to give layers of flavor and texture in every bite! Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad — A HEARTY salad that celebrates the flavors of fall including roasted Brussels sprouts and dried cranberries along with quinoa, chickpeas, spinach, and goat cheese!! Perfect for lunch, a meatless main, or a HEALTHY side dish on your holiday table!!
Twelve Superfood Salad — This superfood salad is packed with 12 superfoods! This is a great clean out the fridge meal and is easily customized to suit whatever you need to use up.
Skinny Mayo-Less Cabbage Salad (vegan, GF) – This healthy coleslaw isn’t coated with gobs of mayo and you won’t miss it!
Edamame Feta Salad – Fast, easy, healthy, and packed with bigtime texture and bold flavors! Easily adaptable based on what’s in your fridge!! Healthy never tasted so good!
Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette — Everything tastes better with avocado!! Easy, healthy and tons of flavor!
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Post is brought to you by Fisher. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #ThinkFisher
Great! Each And Every Recipe Is Great! And Well Written Step by Step. I Spend Most Of the time ready your recipes here. Thanks For Sharing :)
Great! Each And Every Recipe Is Great! And Well Written Step by Step. I Spend Most Of the time ready your recipes here. Thanks For Sharing :)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you are appreciating my recipes!
Mine is ended up being too sour for some reason. I usually love all your recipes and this is the only one that hasn’t quite worked out for me. Maybe it’s be cause I used balsamic vinegar instead of apple cider?
Well you didn’t follow my recipe if you used balsamic rather than apple cider and yes, that’s why it was too sour. Stick to the recipe and you will love this!
I added some sugar to it and it actually tastes great today, the flavours have settled. But I’ll definitely use the apple cider vinegar next time.
Thanks! My family really enjoyed it too
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad your whole family enjoyed this salad.
Thanks! My family really enjoyed it too
I used cashew nut instead of almond and it tasted equally delicious!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was delicious!
I used cashew nut instead of almond and it tasted equally delicious!
This was delicious!! I loved the flavors and the texture from the almonds. My husband really enjoyed it too. It was pretty amazing just after putting it together….can’t wait for tomorrow if you say it’s even better! I’ll definitely be making this one again!
Glad you loved it and will definitely make it again!
Great way to cook quinoa to add extra flavour to it, the downside being that the end result is not as free-flowing as boiling and then draining. I had to cook it for over 20 minutes to get the quinoa to cook and also to soak up the liquid.
Great way to cook quinoa to add extra flavour to it, the downside being that the end result is not as free-flowing as boiling and then draining. I had to cook it for over 20 minutes to get the quinoa to cook and also to soak up the liquid.
This is so delicious and refreshing! I added an orange pepper for extra crunch. I will definitely make this again!
I love this salad too (a personal favorite) and glad you will definitely make it again!
I made this salad for dinner yesterday and had some leftovers for lunch today. It was really good. I love the flavors and textures. My husband even had a second helping of this salad and he usually never has seconds.
I love this salad, it’s a personal fave, and glad you both really enjoyed it as well!
OH. MY. GOD. This was absolutely delicious! I can’t get enough of it! It was super easy and the flavors are awesome. I did add a little extra olive oil (probably 1 T.) at the end when I tossed everything together.
For lunch, I crumbled some plain goat cheese over my helping , and couldn’t have had a yummier meal!!! :) You’ve gotta try this…it will not disappoint!!!!
I absolutely love this salad and have turned a few local friends onto it. I make it often for warm-ish weather gatherings because it keeps really well even if it’s hot out. I bet your goat cheese was great in it.
Along those same lines, try this one if you liked this salad + goat cheese https://www.averiecooks.com/2017/08/quinoa-cherry-goat-cheese-salad.html Use any fruit that sounds good to you since I know cherries are out of season right now. I bet persimmon would be awesome, or even apples.
I stumbled across this recipe while browsing pinterest for sundried tomato recipes and decided to give it a try since I actually had ALL of the ingredients in my pantry. I made it the other day and of course had to taste it right away. It was good but you are so right when you say it tastes even better a day or two after the flavors have had a chance to develop. After two days I ate it cold for dinner and it was delicious! Definitely making it again and I have passed it along to a friend. I highly recommend this one for sure!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad it ‘developed’ and improved a couple days later and glad you’re passing it along to a friend!
Ok, I made this the other day and I’m so upset that I didn’t really like it. All of the ingredients shouldn’t have made it a huge hit! It tasted really salty. Is that strange?? (and no, I didn’t add salt)
If it tasted really salty and you didn’t add salt, then I really don’t know why. Only you know what brands of ingredients you used and maybe the nuts or the sundried tomatoes you used were salted. Thanks for trying the recipe.
No, none of the ingredients were salted. I’m guessing it’s just the combination of ingredients that came across that way to me. Strange.
I found this recipe looking for a dish with lemons in it to share for a women’s night at our church. I eat a plant-based, whole-foods diet, so this recipe is great!!! And my family liked it too! I am wondering if I can print out several copies of your “print recipe” to hand out at the women’s night. Thanks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
I’d prefer that you tell them about averiecooks.com and send them over to my site and they can poke around and print on their own :) Thanks!