This easy red quinoa salad is packed with fresh vegetables and a bright lemon vinaigrette. Great to meal prep, make ahead, or batch cook.
I love red quinoa in salads, its definitely one of my favorite grains, so when I do cook it 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 attempted to recreate it myself. Luckily, all the ingredients are pretty easy to find!
This Red Quinoa Salad Is:
- Bright
- Filling
- Healthy
- Packed with Flavor
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Nutritious
Since I’ve learned how to make Perfect Quinoa in the Rice Cooker, Cooking up a big batch of grains is so easy and very meal-prep friendly. I like to chill the quinoa before serving in the salad, but its also great warm.
This salad got a huge thumbs up from Brett! I had enough ingredients to make a few mason jar salads for our lunches during the week, and they make fresh and filling lunch for the office!
How to Make this Red Quinoa Salad:
- Make sure quinoa is cool before adding to salad – see my recipe for Perfect Quinoa in the Rice Cooker!
- In a large salad bowl layer the arugula, chickpeas, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and fresh tomatoes. Add the red quinoa to the top and dress with a squeeze of lemon.
- In a pint sized mason jar, add all the dressing ingredients together. Secure the lid and shake to combine.
- Pour dressing over salad and serve!
- If making a mason jar salad layer (in this order): Dressing on the bottom, then chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, arugula, and top with red quinoa. Secure lid and shake upside down for a minute before serving!
Red Quinoa & Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
For the Red Quinoa Salad
- 2 cups cooked red quinoa
- 4 cups arugula
- 2 cup cooked chickpeas if canned, rinse first
- 2 fresh tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped Artichoke Hearts
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 1 clove of garlic pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Make sure quinoa is cool before adding to salad - see my recipe for Perfect Quinoa in the Rice Cooker!
- In a large salad bowl layer the arugula, chickpeas, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and fresh tomatoes. Add the red quinoa to the top and dress with a squeeze of lemon.
- In a pint sized mason jar, add all the dressing ingredients together. Secure the lid and shake to combine.
- Pour dressing over salad and serve!
- If making a mason jar salad layer (in this order): Dressing on the bottom, then chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, arugula, and top with red quinoa. Secure lid and shake upside down for a minute before serving!
