The Best Quinoa Salad

I’ll be honest: I spent most of my life thinking plain quinoa was bland and cardboard-y, and no amount of nutritional virtue was going to make me crave a big bowl of it.

Then I tried oven-toasting cooked quinoa in a bit of olive oil, and everything changed. The combination of heat + fat brings out a natural nuttiness that made me a genuine quinoa fan.

Paired with seasonal roasted vegetables, marinated chickpeas, and crunchy nuts, this quinoa salad is irresistibly flavorful and endlessly customizable. And still just as chock-full of nutritional virtue as the boring versions.

🎥 Watch the video

I devoted a whole YouTube video to how I fell in love with quinoa!

How I made QUINOA taste 10x BETTER

It’s racked up over 1.7 million views, so it seems like I’m far from the only one who thought quinoa needed a serious upgrade. Check it out if you want to see the method in action!

Key ingredients

For the full ingredient list, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Quinoa

Quinoa is the seriously nutritious seed (8g protein & 5g fiber per cup!) at the heart of this recipe. It’s naturally gluten-free and comes in three colors (white, red, and black…sometimes even tri-color). I typically use white quinoa for presentation purposes, but any variety will do!

Seasonal Veggies

The beauty of this recipe is its seasonal adaptability—pick produce that’s in season (I love asparagus and snap peas in spring; cauliflower or winter squash when it’s chilly), or use up whatever’s lying around in your fridge!

Chickpeas

Regular canned chickpeas are soaked in a simple marinade made from pantry staples, flavor boosters, and fresh herbs. The beans take on big flavors (think tart, garlicky, and lemony) and a creamy texture without taking much extra time to prepare. Feel free to swap in white beans if that’s all you have in the pantry!

Pomegranate Molasses

The star of the marinade is pomegranate molasses. It’s a thick syrup made entirely from boiled pomegranate juice, and it adds a singular, tart-sweet flavor that complements the earthy quinoa.

Tips for buying: Whether you take a trip to a Middle Eastern market to find this ingredient or buy it online, look for brands with only one ingredient: pomegranate juice (no added sugar). We’ve tested many brands in the RPL kitchen and love Al Wadi, Burlap & Barrel, Levamare and Pomegranaze.

Substitute: While nothing will quite replicate the flavor of pomegranate molasses, you can use an aged balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar—start with 1 tablespoon and add more as needed. If using balsamic vinegar, here’s my grocery store pick that has a great price to quality ratio. 

Nuts (or other crunchy things)

I love adding almonds or pistachios to my quinoa salad for an irresistible nutty crunch (and added healthy fats). 

If you’re allergic to nuts, try sprinkling this quinoa salad with Roasted Pepitas!

Something creamy

Feta cheese is a classic ingredient in quinoa salads for a reason: it adds salty tang and a lovely creamy texture.

If I have homemade Greek-Style Vegan Feta in my fridge, I’ll add that in to this salad (since it’s made with tofu, it’s an added protein bonus), but the Violife vegan feta and Follow Your Heart feta-style crumbles also work great. 

And if you can’t find vegan feta, chunks of ripe avocado will add a similarly lovely creaminess! Just season them with salt and lemon juice before adding them to the salad. 

Step-by-step instructions

Simmer the quinoa in a pot of water until all of the liquid has evaporated and the grains are tender. 

Fluff the quinoa with a fork once it’s done, then transfer it to a sheet pan. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer and let it cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the vegetables. Lay them in an even layer on a sheet pan and toss them with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper.

Toss the cooked quinoa on the sheet pan with a bit of olive oil and salt.

Roast the quinoa and vegetables in the oven until the quinoa is crispy and golden brown in spots and the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. 

While you wait, marinate the chickpeas in a large bowl with the shallot, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses, herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss them a few times as they marinate for about 10 minutes.

Combine. Add the roasted vegetables, toasted quinoa, and nuts to the bowl with the marinated chickpeas. Add in any mix-ins like vegan feta or pickled onions. Gently toss to combine. Finish with a spritz of lemon juice, then enjoy!

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Tips for making the best quinoa salad

Cook your quinoa like a pro

One of the mistakes I often see in quinoa preparation is using too much water. In our many recipe tests, the commonly recommended ratio of 2 cups water : 1 cup quinoa ratio left the quinoa water-logged, which made it difficult to fluff up.

Instead, I recommend just 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) water for 1 cup quinoa for the fluffiest result.

If you choose to follow this method, keep these two things in mind:

1. Keep the heat level on low (actually low, not medium-low). If you go above low heat, the water will absorb too quickly before the quinoa finishes cooking.
2. Cook the quinoa in a small or medium saucepan with the lid on. If you use a large saucepan, the water won’t be sufficiently high in the pan to cook the quinoa.

…and then toast that quinoa like a pro

To make sure your cooked quinoa browns evenly, spread it in an even layer across the sheet pan. Let it roast without tossing for 15 minutes. Or, if you’re using a well-worn sheet pan, check it after 10 minutes. 

The quinoa tends to get browned fastest around the edges, so when you toss the quinoa after 15 minutes, mix it well so the edges don’t burn.

Seek out the pomegranate molasses!

This magical ingredient does some serious heavy lifting in this recipe. It adds a hint of richness and a complex depth of flavor, making the resulting flavor profile much more nuanced than if you were to use simply lemon juice or vinegar.

It comes with plenty of other uses, too. Pomegranate molasses is a wonderful addition to salad dressings and vinaigrettes, tahini sauces, yogurt sauces, hummus, and drizzled over roasted vegetables (especially winter squash, eggplant, zucchini, and cauliflower). It’s also the star ingredient in many dips, including my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Muhammara.

Variations

You can make this quinoa salad with any combination of in-season vegetables and mix-ins that you like! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Roasted veggie options

• Asparagus, bottoms trimmed and then cut into one-inch pieces. Great in spring and early summer.
• Snap peas, kept whole. Best in spring and summer.
• Fennel, with the bulb cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ⅓ inch (scant 1 cm) slices. Keep the fronds for garnish. Great in fall, winter, or spring.
• Cherry tomatoes, halved. Perfect in summer!
• Broccoli or cauliflower, cut into small-to-medium florets. Usually good year round.
• Carrots, sliced diagonally (no fatter than ½” (1 cm thick). Use these during fall, winter, and spring.
• Winter squash, thinly sliced or cubed. Best in fall and winter.
• Brussels sprouts, halved (or quartered if large). Best in fall and winter.

Raw veggie options

• Fold in finely-diced cucumbers. English cucumbers are great but Persian cucumbers are extra crunchy and slightly sweet.
• Pick up some golden cherry tomatoes during the summer. They’re extra sweet and perfect raw. 
• Finely-diced red onions (instead of shallots in the marinated chickpeas) add more crunch and a tart flavor. To tone down the sharpness of onions, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes beforehand.

Other optional mix-ins

• Toss in some vegan feta for a creamy texture and salty, tangy flavor.
• Replace the almonds with roasted pepitas!
• Add pickled items, like sauerkraut or pickled red onions, to give the salad some tang and a subtly crisp texture.
• Sprinkle in some hemp seeds for extra protein 💪🏽
• Instead of the dressing used in the marinated chickpeas, use my Red Wine Vinaigrette! It pairs excellently with both quinoa and chickpeas.

Serving suggestions

This is a complete meal on its own that’s perfect for dinner or a make-ahead weekday lunch, but you can also serve it alongside a larger spread for potlucks, dinner parties, and the like.

During spring and summer, pair it with Vegan Potato Salad, Grilled Tofu Skewers, and/or Watermelon Cucumber Salad. If you’re having a picnic, this would be an excellent addition alongside my Vegan Egg Salad sandwiches.

During colder months, pair it with Wild Rice Stuffed Squash, Vegan Cauliflower Soup, or Vegan Broccoli Soup. 

Storage instructions

While the salad is best eaten on day 1 (because of the quinoa’s crispy texture), it will stay good for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

If you want to best preserve the textures, you can store leftover components (e.g., toasted quinoa, roasted vegetables, marinated chickpeas) separately in the fridge.  

Did this quinoa salad change hearts and minds in your household the way it did in mine?! If so, I’d love it if you’d leave a rating and review 💕 It makes my day to hear from you!

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The Best Quinoa Salad

By Nisha Vora

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 to 6

5 from 157 votes

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This is no ordinary quinoa salad. Featuring crispy toasted quinoa tossed with marinated chickpeas and seasonal vegetables, it’s a textural triumph with layers of complex, mouth-watering flavors! It’s gourmet but easy to make, and works great for weeknight dinners, make-ahead lunches, picnics, and potlucks.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup (180g) uncooked quinoa
• ▢ 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound (450g) Vegetables (pick 2 or 3; see Note 1)

• ▢ Spring: asparagus, snap peas, fennel (early spring)
• ▢ Summer: sweet cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
• ▢ Fall: any winter squash
• ▢ Winter: fennel, broccoli or cauliflower or Brussels sprouts

Marinated Chickpeas

• ▢ 1 (15-ounce/425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 medium shallot, finely diced (or ¼ cup / 30g finely diced red onion)
• ▢ 1 medium lemon, zested + 2 tablespoons juice (more juice for the end)
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or aged balsamic vinegar, see Note 2)
• ▢ 1 big handful (1 cup / 16g) flat-leaf parsley leaves (or basil or dill, depending on vegetable used), chopped
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, crushed with a press or grated finely
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ Freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for a touch of heat)
• ▢ 1/2 cup (70g) roasted almonds and/or pistachios, chopped (optional; see Note 3 for nut-free)

Optional mix-ins

• ▢ ½ cup (60g) vegan feta, crumbled
• ▢ Something pickled, like pickled onions
• ▢ 1 big handful sweet cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

Instructions 

• Bring 1 ¼ cups of water (300 mL) to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water.
• Once the water is boiling, add the rinsed quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid has evaporated and quinoa is tender, about 12 minutes. Open the pot and fluff with a fork. Transfer quinoa to a sheet pan and spread out in an even layer. Allow to cool somewhat.
• Preheat the oven to 425ºF/218ºC. Arrange a rack in the bottommost and in the top third of the oven.
• Meanwhile, slice your vegetables (see Note 1).
• Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan in a single layer as much as possible. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  a. If the quinoa is not done yet, start on the chickpeas (step 8).
• To the cooked quinoa on the other sheet pan, toss with 1 ½ tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix with your hands to coat. Spread out with as little overlap as possible.
• Roast the quinoa and veggies: Transfer the vegetables to the bottom rack and quinoa to the upper rack. After 15 minutes, toss the quinoa (no need to toss veggies). Continue baking, checking the quinoa every 5 minutes until the quinoa is crispy and golden brown in spots and the vegetables are tender and browned in spots (they both should take about 25 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, shallot, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice, pomegranate molasses, herbs, garlic, salt, pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if using. Toss well and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes or longer. Toss a few times.
• Add the roasted vegetables, toasted quinoa, and toasted nuts to the marinated chickpeas. Gently toss. Crumble in the feta if using and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, squeeze a little lemon juice on top if you have leftover lemon from the marinated chickpeas.

Video

Notes

General note: The prep time says 0 minutes because you’ll prep while other things are cooking (e.g., you’ll slice the vegetables while the quinoa cooks, you’ll marinate the chickpeas while the vegetables and quinoa roast).

1. How to slice your vegetables:
   • Asparagus: trim ends and cut into one-inch pieces.
   • Snap peas: keep whole.
   • Fennel: cut the bulb in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ⅓ inch slices (keep fronds for garnish).
   • Cherry tomatoes: halved.
   • Winter squash: Cube into bite-size pieces or thinly slice.
   • Broccoli or cauliflower: small-medium sized florets.
   • Brussels sprouts: small ones, halved; larger ones, quartered.
2. My favorite pomegranate molasses brand is Al Wadi 100% natural. You can find it online here. Or, if you have a Middle Eastern market near you, you’ll find options there too. You can substitute it with a good-quality aged balsamic vinegar instead. Start with just 1 tablespoon, give it a taste, then add more as needed. 
3. Sub with roasted pepitas or pre-roasted sunflower seeds; no need to chop.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 907mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1375IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe: Nisha Vora / Rainbow Plant Life | Photography: Megan Morello