Whip up this vibrant lemon quinoa salad in minutes. Pistachios and sun-dried tomatoes add crunch and color, and the salad is gluten-free and vegan.
This is a day to celebrate! Liz of The Lemon Bowl is having a baby boy, and a whole group of bloggers are honoring her and her little one with a virtual baby shower, hosted by Kristen of Dine & Dish, Rachel of Rachel Cooks and Sheila of Eat2Gather. To make the shower truly about Liz, we all made recipes with lemon, true to the name of Liz's blog.
If you are already a fan of Liz's blog, you'll know that she went through an amazing weight loss transformation and focuses on healthy, creative recipes that use seasonal ingredients. Right up my alley!
Liz and I have yet to meet in person, but through our online interactions (as bloggers tend to enjoy), I feel as though I know her. She is warm, funny and clearly primed to become the mother to two little boys (her little guy, Asher, is going to be a great big brother).
Congratulations, Liz! Enjoy your virtual shower. I just wish we could do it in person.
This easy salad features one of my favorite grains, quinoa. It is tossed with a handful of shelled pistachios, sun-dried tomatoes and an easy lemon vinaigrette. Healthy and full of flavor, it's perfect for a baby shower or an easy side dish for your next meal.
How to make lemon quinoa salad:
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature.
To the quinoa, add the sun-dried tomatoes, pistachios and parsley. Stir to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine. Serve or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
What to serve with lemon quinoa salad:
This easy quinoa salad is very versatile and can be served with chicken, seafood, pork, beans or tofu. Here are a few favorites...
- Easy Turkey Cutlets in White Wine Sauce
- Fisherman's Soup with Tilapia & Shrimp
- Baked Halibut Marsala with Mushrooms
- Slow Cooker Italian Chickpeas (Vegan)
Printable Recipe
Lemon Quinoa Salad with Pistachios & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ ounces sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil, sliced (about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup shelled & chopped pistachios
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon agave nectar or honey
- â…› teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature.
- To the quinoa, add the sun-dried tomatoes, pistachios and parsley. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine. Serve or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Taylor @ FoodFaithFitness
The flavour combos of this sound so yummy! Plus, these pictures are GORGEOUS! I like eating pretty food, and this salad is definitely that.
Amanda
I have never such such gorgeous Quinoa. Wow. You are amazing.
Ashley@BakerbyNature
Quinoa salads are one of my all-time-favroite meals! This lemon version looks amazing, Dara!
Amy @ The Nifty Foodie
This looks so good! I love the combination of flavors in this. 🙂
Rachel Cooks
This looks awesome, Dara! Love the combination of the pistachios and sun-dried tomatoes with that wonderfully light dressing. I bet the flavors really shine through. Thanks for participating in Liz's shower!
Tieghan
This is gorgeous! I am loving everything about this and I know Liz will too! YUM!
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective
This is a fantastic-looking salad, Dara! I could eat quinoa every day, in pretty much everything!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Such a fabulous salad Dara! I love everything in here 🙂
Caroline @ chocolate & carrots
The colors of this salad are stunning! It was a pleasure bringing goodies to Liz's shower with you Dara!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen
I need to make this for lunch today, it looks amazing and I love the crunch from the pistachios!