This healthy lemon quinoa salad is packed with fresh vegetables and herbs in a simple lemon vinaigrette! Easy to make, and ready in 10 minutes. This lemony quinoa salad is perfect for a summer pot puck, BBQ side dish, or an easy vegan meal prep recipe.
This Lemon Quinoa Salad Recipe Is:
- Fresh
- Bright
- Citrusy
- Earthy
- Packed with fresh produce
- Versatile
- Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free
- A great recipe for vegan meal prep
The Perfect Vegetarian Summer Side Dish Recipe
This lemon quinoa salad couldn’t be easier to make! Just add cooked quinoa, veggies of your choice, some fresh herbs, and whip up a 5 minute lemon dressing. And lunch or dinner is served! This is a great salad to bring to a end-of-season potluck, it’s a total crowd pleaser. One of my favorite vegan or vegetarian side dishes, and something everyone at the table will love. And you can make it ahead of time. Prepare the salad the day before the party, cover and refrigerate for a day. Before serving, toss with a little extra lemon juice and olive oil, and you’re all set.
What’s In This Lemon Quinoa Salad?
- Quinoa: I used this fantastic white quinoa, but you can use red or multicolored. You can cook quinoa on the stove top, in the Instant Pot (my preferred method), in the rice cooker. This quinoa is a fantastic addition to salads, soups, or wraps… a healthy plant-based protein you can feel good about eating.
- Cucumber: for freshness and brightness, I used a cucumber picked right from the garden.
- Tomatoes: I used cherry tomatoes, but you can add in any variety of your choice.
- Parsley: my favorite herb, I added about 1 cup of fresh parsley for a big bright flavor in this salad, and for a nice pop of green color.
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemons if you have it, or this really great powdered lemon that you can keep in your pantry if you don’t have fresh lemons. This lemon is great for dressings, dips, and even cocktails.
- Olive Oil: I like to use this delicious Zoe olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online here, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value, I would highly recommend!
- Whole Grain Mustard – for a really nice flavor and texture, you can use either whole grain mustard, stone ground, or dijon… I’d stay clear from yellow prepared mustard for this recipe.
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic when I have it, and this great jarred organic garlic when I don’t have fresh. It’s actually super convenient to have pre-chopped garlic on hand for quick and easy meal prep.
- Tellicherry Black Pepper: Like the salt, it’s amazing the flavor difference you can get with really good tellicherry black pepper. This pepper is the same price is buying pre-ground, and has a million times more flavor! I use these really great tellicherry peppercorns, which I would definitely recommend.
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: I like to use a pink Himalayan Sea Salt in my kitchen, which has more natural minerals than plain processed table salt. It’s fairly inexpensive, so I’d recommend this salt if you’re looking for an easy way to level up your spice pantry.
How Do I Make This Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette?
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and parsley. Toss well to combine.
- In a mason jar, add all the dressing ingredients: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, mustard, garlic salt, and garlic. Seal with an air right lid and shake well to combine.
- Pour dressing over the salad, and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt and pepper if desired.
Make Ahead Quinoa Salad for Entertaining
This lemony quinoa salad is a fantastic and simple recipe to make ahead. Great for a busy weeknight, for entertaining, or just for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking. I like to prep this salad of these ahead of time, and save it in the fridge for later. Having ready cooked meals in the fridge is a great way to enjoy home cooked meals when you don’t have time in the kitchen. Check out all my make ahead meals on The Herbeevore for some inso to help you prep, keep, and eat!
Other Simple High Protein Salads You’ll Love:
Creamy Avocado Veggie Pasta Salad (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Black Eyed Pea Salad (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Vegan Apple Walnut Salad with Sweet Dijon Vinaigrette (Gluten Free)
French Lentil Salad with Cider Vinaigrette (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Vegan Avocado Chickpea Salad (Gluten Free, Pantry Staple)
Get the Same Ingredients I Use For My Vegetarian Summer Quinoa Salad Recipe for Potlucks:
I got the fresh produce for this recipe from my Misfits Market box – they sell all organic produce at a very discounted price, and purchase right from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love the seasonal variety. You can get $10 off your first box by clicking here!
As always if you make this lemon quinoa salad recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Simple Lemon Quinoa Salad (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups cooked quinoa *see video below for how to cook quinoa in a rice cooker.
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh parsley
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 lemons juiced (about 1/3 cup lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and parsley. Toss well to combine.
- In a mason jar, add all the dressing ingredients: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, mustard, garlic salt, and garlic. Seal with an air right lid and shake well to combine.
- Pour dressing over the salad, and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
Save Money on Fresh Produce!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every week or so and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!shed avocado worked wonders!Nutrition
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Delicious and hardy fare