I brought my Toasted Quinoa Salad to a graduation celebration, and it was a hit! Something as simple as a salad, using a few fresh ingredients, had friends asking me for this recipe. I knew I needed to post this recipe ASAP!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes (add 5 minutes of cooking time if you’re toasting the quinoa)
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 2 (3-quart) saucepots, 1 with a tight-fitting glass lid, 1 large mixing bowl, mesh sieve, whisk, serving bowl

Ingredients for Cooking the Quinoa:
1 1/2 cups of uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained (this yields 4 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa)
3 cups of HOT water(substitute HOT vegetable or chicken broth, unsalted)
1 heaping tablespoon of Kosher salt

Ingredients for the Toasted Quinoa Salad:
4 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa
1/2 red onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced (substitute yellow bell pepper)
2 cups of feta cheese, 1-inch dice
1 1/2 pints of grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups of a hothouse (English) cucumber, diced
1/4 cup of fresh basil, Chiffonade-style
2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (dried 1 tablespoon)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
*E.V.O.O.

Instructions for Toasting, Cooking, and Making the Quinoa Salad:
Start by rinsing the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. If you’ve never made quinoa, it’s really easy. First, you want to do a quick rinse of the quinoa to remove any *saponin. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water for a few seconds.

In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-low heat, add (or leave) a little water in the quinoa so it remains moist. Add the quinoa to the heated pot. Make sure not to overcrowd. Using a whisk, quickly stir the quinoa, allowing any excess water to be absorbed.

Once the water is completely absorbed and the quinoa begins to pop, you’ll know it’s drying out. Continue stirring until the quinoa until it begins to toast. The aroma will start to smell nutty in around 5 minutes.

In another saucepot, bring the 3 cups of salted water to a boil. Pour the hot water into the pot containing the quinoa. Give the quinoa a good stir, and cover (with the glass lid). With the heat still on medium-low, simmer until all the water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes, uncover, and fluff with a fork. Allow the quinoa to cool completely.

While the quinoa is cooking (during the 15-20 minutes), dice the vegetables and the feta. Zest and juice a lemon. Transfer all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled, cooked, toasted quinoa, and season with salt and pepper. Finish by adding in the chopped basil and parsley and tossing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Before serving, add a drizzle of really good *E.V.O.O. over the top.

There you have it, my Toasted Quinoa Salad.

Notes:
1) *E.V.O.O. is an acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

2) *Saponin is the outer coating of the quinoa, and it can have a bitter taste. It’s a good idea to rinse the quinoa before cooking.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/