Easy Quinoa Salad
This easy quinoa salad is bursting with flavor — juicy cherries, fresh herbs, and a lemon-honey dressing, all topped with a sesame walnut crunch.
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 tsp salt (for cooking the quinoa)
- ~10 cherries, pitted and quartered
- ~10–15 grapes, quartered
- 1 medium carrot, thinly julienned
- Small handful parsley, finely chopped
- Small handful cilantro, finely chopped
- ½ handful mint leaves, finely chopped
For the dressing
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- Salt, to taste
For the crunchy topping
- 2 heaping tbsp sesame seeds
- Small handful walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Soak the quinoa in plenty of water for 20 minutes.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon of salt and the soaked quinoa. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until the quinoa is just tender but still has a bit of bite. Drain and let it steam out in a colander until completely cool.
- Toast the walnuts and sesame seeds in a small pan over low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the olive oil, honey, and flaky salt. Stir for another minute or two, just until it smells nutty and looks glossy. Remove from the heat and let it cool — it’ll crisp up as it sits.
- While the quinoa cools, quarter the cherries and grapes, julienne the carrot, and finely chop the herbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, honey, grated garlic, and salt to make the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, fruit, carrot, and herbs. Add the dressing and toss gently.
- Sprinkle the crunchy topping over the salad right before serving.
193kcal