Looking for a simple and refreshing summer picnic dish? Our favorite quinoa salad is just the perfect thing! It’s simple to make, colorful, nutritious and a crowd pleaser! It has been my go-to potluck dish for years and I’m so happy to finally share it with you.
It’s also perfect for an upcoming Fourth of July picnic or as a cool summer salad for dinner. It’s jam-packed with protein, fiber and antioxidants. It’s a surprisingly filling dish and it holds well overnight! So it’s basically the perfect protein and the perfect warm-weather dish. 😉 You can make it the day before serving—which actually allows the flavors to marinate together even more—just hold off on adding the (optional) pine nuts if doing so. And if you have a favorite veggie or want to add more of the veggies listed, it’s pretty versatile so feel free to get as creative as you want with this one. Hope you love it!
Summer Quinoa Salad
A quick, colorful, nutritious and delicious quinoa salad!
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 small red onion, finely cubed
- 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups diced cucumber
- Handful chopped cilantro
- 1 cup frozen corn, cooked and cooled (I use organic sweet corn from Trader Joe’s)
- ¼ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- (optional ½ cup pine nuts)
- salt, to taste
Instructions
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Set cooked quinoa aside to cool. If making quinoa from scratch, this is roughly under 2 cups of dry quinoa.
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Add chopped cherry tomatoes, finely diced red onion, cilantro, diced cucumbers and frozen corn to a large bowl and stir.
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Lightly fluff Quinoa with a fork, add to bowl and gently stir.
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Add in lemon juice and a good quality EVOO.
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Add in pine nuts, if using.
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Salt to taste.
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Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. Enjoy!
I made the Quinoa salad and it is delicious!