Description
A vibrant and healthy quinoa salad featuring roasted red bell pepper, fresh vegetables, and a zesty homemade dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or side dish, this recipe combines nutritious ingredients with bright, refreshing flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 3 1/2 cups leftover cooked quinoa (chilled)
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 cups diced English cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium carrot, shredded (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion, rinsed under cold water in a sieve and drained
- 1 (14.5 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (chop somewhat fine)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (chop somewhat fine)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Roast the Red Pepper: Roast the red bell pepper directly over the flame of a gas stove or under the broiler, turning occasionally using metal tongs, until charred all over. Transfer the pepper to a container and cover it. Let it rest for 10 minutes to loosen the skin. Then peel, core, seed, and chop the pepper. It doesn’t need to be perfectly peeled; just remove most of the charred skin.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a mixing bowl, stir together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and salt to taste. Chill the dressing while you prepare the salad ingredients or up to 1 day ahead to let flavors meld.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, toss together the chilled cooked quinoa, roasted red pepper, diced cucumber, halved grape tomatoes, shredded carrot, rinsed and drained chopped red onion, and drained chickpeas. Pour the chilled dressing over and toss until everything is well coated.
- Serve and Store: Serve the salad within about 4 hours for the best flavor and texture. Keep it chilled until ready to serve.
Notes
- To make 3 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, start with 1 1/4 cups dry quinoa, rinse and drain well, then cook according to package directions.
- Roasted red pepper skin does not need to be perfectly peeled; removing most of the charred skin is sufficient for good texture and flavor.
- This salad can be prepared ahead and kept chilled for up to 4 hours before serving.
- For a gluten-free option, ensure the quinoa and all ingredients are certified gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
