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Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

17/11/2023

The vegetarian quinoa salad is a nutritious and versatile dish, perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish. Here is the recipe to prepare a delicious vegetarian quinoa salad:

Ingredients

  • 200 g of quinoa
  • 400 ml of water or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 200 g of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 small red onion, finely sliced
  • 100 g of feta or similar cheese (exclude if vegan)
  • 50 g of black olives, pitted and halved
  • A bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Rinse the quinoa under running fresh water to remove the saponin, which can give a bitter taste. Use a fine mesh strainer for this step.

  2. Pour the quinoa into a pan and add the water or vegetable broth and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook covered for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and has absorbed all the liquid.

  3. Remove the quinoa from the heat and let it cool. You can speed up this step by spreading it on a tray.

  4. While the quinoa is cooling, prepare the vegetables: cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper, finely slice the red onion, and chop the parsley.

  5. If you’re not following a vegan diet, dice the feta cheese.

  6. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, red onion, feta (if used), olives, and parsley.

  7. Dress the salad with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper to your liking. Mix all the ingredients well.

  8. Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour before serving, so the flavors can blend well.

Trivia

Quinoa is not really a grain, but a “pseudo-cereal”. It’s an edible seed that is used and cooked like a cereal, but it belongs to a completely different plant family, that of spinach and beets. It is appreciated for its high protein content and for being a source of all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a valuable addition to the vegetarian and vegan diet.