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.
Laurie {Simply Scratch}
So simple and perfect! I love quinoa and all those goodies you added into it!
Sheila
Honestly I love everything about this salad! Thanks for being a part of this lovely surprise for Liz!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain
This salad makes my heart skip a beat! Beautiful, Dara!!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
This has all of my favorite flavors in it! Love.
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite
Oh man this quinoa salad looks good! This is perfect for Liz's shower!
Sandy Coughlin
Great minds think alike. I'm all about the quinoa!
amanda
A great side dish with healthy benefits! Love it!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
This salad is stunning and I have never seen a more beautiful photo of pistachios in my life!! Love the flavor and texture combos in this dish, Dara. You know me too well!! I can't wait to meet you in person one day!! xoxox Thank you!!
Megan {Country Cleaver}
This is beautiful Dara!! I have a bag of quinoa that put to use immediately!
kelley
Love these flavors, Dara. I have some cherry tomatoes I dehydrated earlier this month that I think would be sublime here! This is the kind of salad I love making and then snacking on through the week!!