Quinoa Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Seeds

This quinoa salad is fluffy quinoa tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, baby spinach, red onion, parsley and toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, in a lemon and olive oil dressing. It takes about 30 minutes, serves 4 as a light main or 6 as a side, and keeps well in the fridge for packed lunches. Each main-sized serving has about 10 g of protein and 5 g of fiber.

• Serves: 4 as a main, 6 as a side
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes, plus cooling
• Total time: about 40 minutes

Ingredients

Salad

• 150 g (¾ cup) quinoa
• 300 ml (1¼ cups) water
• 250 g (9 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber (about 150 g), diced
• 60 g (2 cups) baby spinach or mixed salad leaves
• ¼ small red onion (about 40 g), very finely chopped
• A large handful of parsley (about 15 g), chopped
• 30 g (¼ cup) pumpkin seeds
• 20 g (2 tablespoons) sunflower seeds

Lemon dressing

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons (40 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper

Method

1. Put the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse it under cold running water for about 30 seconds, rubbing the grains with your fingers. Skip this if the pack says it’s prewashed.
2. Put the quinoa and water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the water has gone and the little white tails have curled out of the grains.
3. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread it on a large plate to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, toast the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan, until the pumpkin seeds start to pop. Tip them onto a plate.
5. Put the chopped red onion in the bottom of a large bowl and pour the lemon juice over it. Leave it for 5 minutes, which softens the sharp raw taste.
6. Whisk the olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper into the lemon juice to make the dressing.
7. Add the cooled quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber and parsley to the bowl and toss well.
8. Fold in the spinach just before serving, and scatter the toasted seeds over the top.
9. Taste and add more lemon, salt or pepper if needed.

Tips

• Cool the quinoa first. Warm quinoa wilts the leaves and makes the salad soggy.
• Use a 1 to 2 ratio of quinoa to water. Too much water makes it mushy.
• Add seeds at the end so they stay crunchy.
• Make it ahead: keep the dressed quinoa, tomatoes and cucumber in the fridge, and add the spinach and seeds when you serve it.

Swaps and variations

• More protein: add a can of drained chickpeas, crumbled feta, a boiled egg, or grilled chicken or salmon.
• Mediterranean: add olives, roasted red peppers and feta, with oregano in the dressing.
• Grains: use bulgur wheat, couscous, farro or brown rice instead of quinoa. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free; bulgur, couscous and farro aren’t.
• Herbs: mint, dill or basil work as well as parsley.
• Seeds and nuts: toasted almonds, walnuts or pine nuts instead of seeds.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is a quarter of the salad, as a main. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for uncooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, red onion, parsley, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and salt.

Most of the fat comes from the olive oil and seeds, which are mainly unsaturated. Quinoa provides protein, fiber and minerals such as magnesium and iron, and the vegetables add vitamin C and potassium. To make it a more filling meal, add one of the protein options above. Our guide to building a salad that fills you up explains why protein matters.

Contains: mustard. The salad is vegan and naturally gluten-free.

Storage

Keep the salad covered in the fridge and eat it within 3 to 4 days, as the USDA advises for cooked leftovers. Spinach wilts after a day, so add it fresh if you’re making the salad ahead. Store the seeds separately to keep them crisp.

What to serve with it

• Grilled chicken, fish or halloumi.
• Our quinoa stuffed peppers use the same grain with chickpeas and feta.
• A bowl of soup, such as our tomato basil soup.

Common questions

Why is my quinoa bitter?

Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin that tastes bitter or soapy. Most packaged quinoa is prewashed, but rinsing it again doesn’t hurt.

Is quinoa a complete protein?

Quinoa contains all the essential amino acids, which is less common in plant foods. It still has less protein per serving than beans or lentils, so pairing it with them makes a more filling salad.

Can I eat this salad warm?

Yes. Toss the warm quinoa with the dressing and vegetables, leaving out the spinach or adding it at the very end so it just wilts.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.