Super Easy Crisp Spring Quinoa Veggie Salad

This post is about the super easy delicious spring quinoa veggie salad that you’ll be making all summer long.

This will be your new favourite summer salad. It’s super easy, quick, and will last for up to a week in the fridge, (if it makes it that long without being eaten).

The mixture of soft quinoa with the crunch of fresh veggies is a combination that fits together so perfectly.

Whether this is your main meal for lunch or a side accompanying another dish. It’s a fantastic and quick salad to throw together for not only summer but any time of the year.

This post is all about how to make this super simple fresh quinoa veggie salad.

Why You’ll Love This Salad

Loaded with Veggies: This salad is full of crunchy fresh veggies. With every bite, you’ll enjoy the flavour combination of cucumber, bell pepper, kale, and tomatoes. Not only will you love the taste but you’ll be thanking yourself for all the nutrients you’ll be getting as well.  

Healthy Grains & Legumes: Not only is this salad full of veggie goodness but it’s also got powerhouses like quinoa and chickpeas. These foods will help keep you full because of the healthy protein and provide you the energy to take on your day.  

Super Easy: It’s super quick and easy to make! The longest part is boiling the quinoa. Other than that, all you have to do is cut up the vegetables and throw them together with the dressing. And voila! You’ve got yourself a delicious salad to last you for days.

Tools You’ll Need

• Cutting Board
• Knife (I use a chef’s knife)
• Mixing bowl
• Serving Bowl
• Liquid measuring cup
• Mixing Spoon
• Whisk or Fork

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 1/4 Cups Quinoa
• 1 Can Chickpeas (or equivalent in dried chickpeas)
• 10-15 Medium to Large Kale Leaves
• 1 Medium Cucumber
• 1 Beefsteak Tomato (or 2 Roma tomatoes)
• 1 Yellow Bell Peper
• 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese

Dressing:

• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil (extra virgin)
• 1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (fresh or concentrated)
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oregano Leaves
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

How to Make the Quinoa Veggie Salad

1. Start by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil.
2. Add 1 ¼ cup quinoa to the boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. When the quinoa is fully cooked and all the water has evaporated, pour the quinoa into a glass bowl and allow it to cool.
4. Next, strain and rinse the chickpeas if you’re using canned chickpeas. If you’re using dried ones, make sure they have been soaking for at least 6 hours prior. Set the chickpeas aside.
5. Now wash or rinse the cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, and kale to remove any dirt and debris.
6. With the kale tear the leaves away from the stems.
7. Chop the kale leaves into smaller bite-sized pieces and add to a mixing bowl.
8. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt to the kale leaves and massage for 2-3 minutes, to help soften the leaves.
9. Next cut the cucumber, tomato, and pepper into bite-sized pieces, and add to the bowl of kale.
10. Add the strained and rinsed chickpeas into the mixing bowl with your kale and vegetables.
11. Once the quinoa is fully cooled add it in the mixing bowl as well.
12. Measure out ¼ cup pumpkin & ¼ cup sunflower seeds and add to the bowl.
13. Mix everything until combined.
14. To make the dressing, take your glass measuring cup and add ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
15. Add to the dressing, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp oregano leaves.
16. Mix with a whisk or fork until everything is well blended.
17. Pour dressing over salad and combine.
18. At this point, you can transfer the salad to a serving dish, or simply leave it in the mixing bowl.
19. Finally, sprinkle the top with ½ cup goat cheese. You can mix the cheese in or leave it garnish-style on the top.
20. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Quinoa Veggie Salad

• To make this recipe even quicker you can make your quinoa ahead of time. Either earlier that day or even the day before, that way when you’re ready to make the salad the quinoa is fully cooled.
• To cool the quinoa faster, place it in the freezer or fridge for a few minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t accidentally freeze.
• When using canned chickpeas make sure to rinse them fully because the liquid they are stored in has a lot of added sodium we don’t need in the salad.
• If you have vegetable/fruit wash you can wash the veggies with that, drying them fully before use. If you don’t have a wash, rinsing is perfectly fine as well.
• You don’t have to massage your kale. I find that it does help with softening the texture, but whatever works for you is great. Either way, it’ll taste wonderful.
• Please remember you can adjust any measurements to your preferred taste. If you want more or less of something, it’s completely customizable. That’s the great thing about recipes you can always adjust!

Recipe Notes for Salad

• I usually use canned chickpeas for this salad since it’s quick, but if you prefer you can use dried chickpeas. Make sure you allow the dried chickpeas to soak in a couple of inches of water for 6-12 hours before using them. This allows them to soften for eating.
• The colour of the bell pepper doesn’t matter. Whatever you have on hand works great. I’m all about using what you have available!
• If you have fresh lemons, they always add a wonderful flavour to the salad. The bottled concentrate does work just as well.
• I always add the goat cheese on at the end so I don’t over-mix and squish it. However, you can add it anytime you wish.

How to Store

To keep this quinoa veggie salad fresh, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It should last about a week if you don’t eat it all by then!

This is such a quick and super easy quinoa veggie salad to make, you’ll love it. It’ll become your go-to summer salad.

It’s great to make for lunches or perfect for a healthy side with another dish.

You can always make a large batch of it and give some to your family and friends. I’m sure they would appreciate a yummy spring salad to enjoy!

This post was all about how to make this super easy light & crisp quinoa veggie salad.