Summer Quinoa Salad
Filled with summer tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and lots of fresh herbs, this summer quinoa salad is perfect for a hot day.
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Servings: 8 as a side
Calories: 111kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (uncooked and rinsed thoroughly)
- 1 pound fresh tomatoes (cored and roughly chopped or use halved cherry tomatoes)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes to taste)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 small lemon)
- ½ cup mozzarella pearls (drained)
- ⅓ cup parsley (loosely packed and minced)
- .25 ounces basil (roughly chopped plus more for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Cook the quinoa:
- Combine the quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa absorbs all the liquid. Refrigerate until cool. If you want to eat the salad right away, transfer the warm quinoa to a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water to reduce the temperature.
Marinate the tomatoes:
- Combine the tomatoes with minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Aleppo pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Finish the salad:
- Add the mozzarella pearls, parsley, basil, and balsamic vinegar to the tomatoes. Add the cooled quinoa and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve:
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 7mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 12mg
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