Actually Good Quinoa Salad

This "Actually Good Quinoa Salad" has made your summer picnics and daily lunches simply ten times better and even thrilling. It is nothing like the dull quinoa salads I know you have eaten in the past; it is exploding with seductive and sophisticated tastes and textures.

Made with crispy toasted quinoa, roasted seasonal veggies, marinated chickpeas, and creative mix-ins, this over-the-top quinoa chickpea salad From a longtime quinoa hater, this salad is so delicious everyone in your life will adore it.

Why does this recipe produce results

I am aware. I live vegan. I should find quinoa to be lovely. I not, however. The taste is bland at best, and the texture is almost pebble sand.

Well-balanced with nouraging elements.

• Thanks to the range of complicated carbohydrates, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats, this salad is not only taste-packed but also well-rounded and nouraging.
• While veggies provide a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals (plus extra fiber), quinoa and chickpeas are fantastic sources of protein and fiber. Almonds provide much more in minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats as well as in fiber!
• This great variety of nutrients will keep your belly pleased and full for hours!
• Perfect for every season are versatile components.
• We tried various variants of this salad to ensure it tastes great no matter the time of year and it really does. The Variations part below has all sorts of ideas.

Chunkpees

Simple marinade composed of pantry basics, flavor enhancers, and fresh herbs soaks regular canned chickpeas. Without much further time to cook, the beans acquire strong tastes—think of acidic, garlicky, and lemony—and a creamy texture.

Almonds

The great crunch of roasted nuts accentuates the crispiness of the toasted quinoa in this quinoa salad. They are also a good addition as they load each mouthful with plenty of heart-healthy lipids (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats).

Vegan feta perhaps

Feta and quinoa salad go rather well. Whether you create your own using my Greek-Style Vegan Feta recipe or use your preferred brand of vegan feta, it provides a tangy, salted taste and creamy texture that balances with the crunchy and crispy textures. Should vegan feta not be readily available, slices of ripe avocado provide a wonderful creamy texture instead.

Advice for quinoa toasting

To ensure that the washed quinoa toasts consistently, evenly arrange it across the pan. Let it brown without turning for fifteen minutes. If you are using a well-worn sheet pan, check it ten minutes. The quinoa cooks quickest near the edges, hence when you toss it, thoroughly combine to prevent burning of the edges.

Get inventive with the veggies.

Let your creativity and the seasons to lead you! Try this recipe with fresh veggies, herbs, and mix-ins after you have it developed. Playing with this flexible, adaptable salad is lots of fun.

Read also: Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

• One cup (180g) uncooked quinoa split; four tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• One pound (450g) vegetables; see Note 1; choose two or three.
• Asparagus, snap peas, fennel (early spring), delicious cherry/grape tomatoes, half fall vegetables, fennel, broccoli or cauliflower or Brussels sprouts, winter

Chickpeas Marinated

• 1 (15-ounce/425g), chickpeas, drained and rinsed;
• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped (or ¼ cup / 30g finely chopped red onion);
• 1 medium lemon, zested + 2 tablespoon liquid (extra juice at the finish).
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (or aged balsamic vinegar, note 2).
• 1 large handful (1 cup / 16g) of flat-leaf parsley leaves (or basil or dill, depending on vegetable used), chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed with a press or grated finely; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake (optional for a touch of spice).
• 1/2 cup (70g) chopped roasted almonds and/or pistachios, optional; nut-free noted in Note 3