This healthy spring quinoa salad is made with fresh, seasonal veggies and tossed in a tasty lemon vinaigrette. It's also naturally gluten-free and vegan!
Now that the weather is getting warmer and the air is starting to thicken with humidity, all my body has been craving is a light, healthy meal. Something that bursts with flavor. Something that tastes like sunshine with every bite.
This is the time of year to celebrate. We need to relish in the months ahead. Spring is a time of rebirth, of life. Our days are going to be filled with lush green grass, flowering trees, and early spring fruits and vegetables.
Do you have a smile on your face yet? I hope so because writing this is making my heart skip a beat. Summer is almost here which also mean…SALAD SEASON!
How To Use Fresh Herbs to Add Flavor
During the winter, I rarely use light, fresh herbs like we are today. I find that I reach for either my jarred spices or hearty herbs like thyme and rosemary for all my roasted veggies. But not in the spring and summer!
This time of year it's all about fresh, bright flavors. Since we're using a blend of raw vegetables, herbs are a great way to add some pop. They lighten everything up and make the salad more fun!
We're using a blend of three herbs in our quinoa salad:
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Basil
And I think the combination of all three really livens up this salad! It also builds as the salad chills which just to helps elevate the flavor even more.
The Perfect Salad With Spring Veggies
Remember when we shared our Spring Produce Guide? We used that as a reference point as we were picking veggies for this salad. Here's what we settled on:
- Spring Snap Peas
- Radishes
- Artichokes
And all those fresh herbs! But the beauty of this salad? It's adaptable!
I recommend heading to the farmer's market and seeing what your local farmers have. From there, toss it with the rest of the ingredients and you'll be good! It's also a great salad to keep on repeat, while still making it different each time by changing out the veggies.
A Spring Quinoa Salad that's Meal Prep Friendly!
Since we're moving into spring and summer, it's important that our salads are also meal prep friendly. We want to be able to make the ahead whether we're taking them to a picnic, the beach or serving them at a party.
Just like the Greek Quinoa Salad we shared last week, this spring quinoa salad gets better with time. The lemon continues to brighten things up, the herbs build flavor and the artichokes add their brininess throughout.
This salad just speaks Spring to me! It's fun, it's zippy, it's light and it's also satisfying since it's packed with fiber, protein and healthy fats. For all the salad lovers, this is going to be a go-to this season!
Other Vegan Quinoa Salad Recipes to try:
- Quinoa Greek Salad with Chickpeas
- Easy Detox Quinoa Salad
- Asian Kale Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa Pad Thai Salad
- Moroccan Quinoa Salad
- Asian Quinoa Power Salad
Herbed Spring Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
for the salad:
- 3 cups cooked quinoa (from 1 cup uncooked)
- 1/2 cup snap peas , chopped
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
- 2 tablespoons cilantro , chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley , chopped
- 2 tablespoons basil , chopped
for the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss the quinoa, chickpeas and veggies together in a large bowl. Add the herbs and toss to combine.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss together. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably for an hour, then serve.
Video
Nutrition
