Mediterranean Arugula Salad with Quinoa Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis Mediterranean arugula salad with quinoa recipe is a bright, elegant, and hearty salad with fresh greens, whole grains, and a 5-minute lemon vinaigrette dressing! A simple and wholesome salad recipe, perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
This hearty high protein vegetarian salad recipe is loaded with good-for-you ingredients! Serve this on a summer day for lunch, for brunch, or as a simple and delicious meal. Make this with red, white, or tri-colored quinoa – any type you prefer.
Want more hearty salad ideas? Try our delicious cranberry orzo salad with feta, creamy kidney bean salad, or our favorite Southwest grain bowl with brown rice!
This red quinoa arugula salad is a bright and refreshing lunch or dinner idea! It’s loaded with whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and topped with a sweet lemon vinaigrette. This is one of my favorite lunch recipes that I make on repeat all year long. Perfect for plant-based meal prep.
I love red quinoa in salads, its one of my favorite grains, so I like to cook it in bulk and have it every day of the week. The first time I ever had red quinoa was in a salad at the restaurant Le Pain Quotidian, and I loved it so much I went back for it a bunch of times. Since there aren’t any Le Pain’s where I live now in New England… I’ve recreated my favorite restaurant quinoa salad at home.
Why This Salad Works
- It’s bright, fresh, and full of flavor.
- The light citrusy dressing pairs perfectly with the arugula and quinoa.
- It’s a hearty salad, full of grains, beans, and fresh vegetables.
- Easy to meal prep, you can cook this recipe once and enjoy it for many days after.
- A great plant-based meal that is satisfying for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Arugula, Lemons, Tomatoes, Garlic
- Red quinoa: I love red quinoa, so I always have plenty stocked in the pantry! You can cook quinoa on the stove top, in the Instant Pot (my preferred method), or quinoa in the rice cooker. This red quinoa is a fantastic addition to salads, soups, or wraps.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Marinated artichoke hearts – for a delicious Mediterranean twist.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – to make this dish a little extra fancy!
- No Salt Added Chickpeas: one of my favorite pantry staple ingredients! You can use canned chickpeas (I’d highly recommend a low sodium or no salt version), or you can make your own chickpeas from scratch in the Instant Pot.
- Dijon Mustard – for a really nice flavor and texture, this Dijon is a favorite in our pantry… I’d stay clear from yellow prepared mustard for this recipe.
- Sea salt and black pepper
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
Additions and Substitutions
- You can use any variety of quinoa you prefer. I love the rich nutty flavor of red quinoa. White quinoa or tri-color quinoa would also be a delicious substitute.
- Use any variety of tomatoes you have on hand – I used cherry tomatoes, but a juicy vine-ripe summer tomato would also be delicious.
- If you can’t find marinated artichoke hearts, you can use canned or frozen ones instead.
- Add chopped olives for extra flavor!
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a medium pot, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Quinoa should be tender. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
Step 2: While quinoa is cooling, add the arugula and chickpeas to a large bowl.
Step 3: Add the cooled quinoa to the bowl.
Step 4: Add in the fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts.
Step 5: Mix the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl: the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Step 6: Pour the dressing over the salad and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
This recipe has wonderful Mediterranean vegetables like artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, lemons, and fresh greens. It has a delicious fresh lemon vinaigrette with olive oil, whole grain mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper.
Store any leftover arugula salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day. The salad is best fresh, so the arugula may wilt after being tossed with the dressing. If possible, keep the arugula separate and toss with the rest of the salad ingredients before serving.
You can prep many part of this recipe ahead – make and refrigerate the quinoa, and make the dressing ahead of time. Once you are ready to serve, you can toss the rest of the ingredients together.
More Easy Quinoa Recipes You’ll Love!
- Parsley Tabbouleh with Quinoa Recipe
- Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce Recipe
- Rice Cooker Quinoa Recipe
- Simple Lemon Quinoa Salad
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Arugula Salad with Quinoa
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
For the Red Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup quinoa I used red, but you can use white quinoa or tri-colored
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups arugula
- 2 cup chickpeas if canned, rinse first
- 2 fresh tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts
For the Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes. Quinoa should be tender. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
- Add the arugula and chickpeas to a large bowl, along with the cooled quinoa.
- Add in the fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts.
- Mix the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl: the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and enjoy!
Nutrition
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A great combination of flavors
Thank you Susan 🙂
A salad worth making over and over