Today we’re sharing this beautiful quinoa salad that is fresh, filling, and packed with flavour.
Our neighbour dropped this salad off one day and we couldn’t stop eating it. It was so good we had to ask for the recipe! She kindly wrote down the ingredients for us, but there were no measurements… so we had to do a little experimenting to recreate it.
Along the way we added a few extra ingredients and one simple trick that makes quinoa taste even better. The result is a bright, satisfying salad with quinoa, cannellini beans, creamy avocado, sweet beets, and a fresh lime dressing.
Meals like this are exactly how we lost 160 pounds eating whole plant foods, and recipes like this have become staples in our kitchen.
If you’re trying to eat healthier or lose weight eating whole plant foods, meals like this can make the journey delicious and sustainable.
Let us know in the comments:
Do you prefer quinoa salads cold like this, or warm?
Thanks for watching and being part of our plant-based community.
Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa (any type will do)
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked or pickled diced beets, diced (about 2 small beets)
½ cup sweet onion, finely diced
½ -1 avocado, diced
1 small garlic clove diced or ½ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley (optional but nice)
You could also add diced cucumbers and or bell peppers too!
Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tablespoons)
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or double amount if using canned or fresh beets)
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional. If oil free use aquafaba)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt (or more to taste)
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp maple syrup (or double amount if using canned or fresh beets)
½ to 1 tsp lemon zest – optional (really brightens this salad)
Instructions:
1. Always rinse quinoa first to remove the natural coating, then toast on med high for 4-6 min until you can smell it. That nutty flavour. No oil needed in frying pan, just rinsed quinoa
2. Cook the quinoa
Cook with 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups of water or vegetable broth.
Bring to a boil, cover, simmer for 15 minutes, then let sit for 5 minutes and fluff or place all ingredients in a rice cooker and hit start.
3. Chop veggies
4. Make the dressing
In a small bowl whisk together:
lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil or aquafaba, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
5. Assemble the salad
In a large bowl combine:
cooled cooked quinoa, cannellini beans, diced beets, garlic, sweet onion, and avocado.
Pour dressing over salad and gently mix.
Add more lime juice, salt, or pepper if needed.
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32 Comments
Do you prefer quinoa salads cold like this, or warm? Let us know what else would you add to this salad? 💞💕
I want to like beets but t I don’t. I do like beet hummus though
I'm going to make this as soon as I'm done watching you two. Have you tried Well Your World veggie broth powder? That's all I ever use now. So good! Love your kitty!
OH MY GOSH 🥰 I am in love with your precious Chicken 😻😽 Can’t wait to make this salad! Looks great! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Que receta deliciosa… Yo tomo la quinoa cocinada con leche de coco cocoa y sirope de arce.. Es un postre 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Yum! I am going to try toasting my quinoa again. I forgot about that trick. As much as i would love to try the veggie broth, i also enjoy my quinoa as a breakfast grain.
I use about a cup of quinoa, a scoop of peanut powder, some stevia or maple to sweeten, miso(or a dash of salt), some vanilla. If your quinoa is leftover, you can warm this in the microwave, add a couple chocolate chips and some blueberries. Yop with mylk of choice. Yum.
❤ whinny Kitty
I make a quinoa southwest breakfast bowl. I use red quinoa, grape tomatoes, black beans, avocado and an assortment of SW spices. Will have to try your salad
Love your journey and story and I’ll definitely try this one, it looks delicious! 😋
yum, can't wait to make this.
We love quinoa hot or cold, as a "grain" with a stew or curry instead of rice (way more nutritious) or as the base for (or an addition to) a salad. You can even add it to porridge (you call it oatmeal, we in the UK call it porridge) to mix things up a bit. It's super versatile, delicious, and quick to cook. What's not to love? 😊
I never thought of roasting the quinoa first. Thank you for the tip. I like it hot or cold. Looks great.
Congratulations to the two of you for all of the weight you lost! Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤
I would add apple and cheese! 🤣🤣🤣
🌵🐾🌱 I will be making this soon! I will be adding chopped cucumber & Pumpkin Seeds, then eating by stuffing in lettuce leaves 😋
I have fresh beets, my FAVE! I will be using those but may try to pickle some in the future.
Always love a kitty❤ I used to have trouble cooking grains in my instant pot until I discovered the pot in the pot method. But I haven’t done it with quinoa yet. I’m going to try tomorrow
Looks amazing! I'd eat this either warm or cold…although I'd omit the avocado (not a fan) and maybe add some red pepper, zucchini, finely chopped spinach or arugula.
I love quinoa. I will try it for sure. And I love that precious cute cat 😻
Going to try this. I bet edamame would be a great addition.
Hey this salad look’s delicious, I am wondering if the quinoa can be toasted in a steel pan? Or that’s it have to be done in a non stick pan? ❤
I really don’t know much about quinoa. I bought some one time ithose boiling bags. It was pretty bland and I really didn’t know what to do with it. I’ll have to try again after watching this video. Love the kitty.
I also love Quinoa so I thank you for the “trick”. Can’t wait to make this salad without the beets since I have never liked them. I immediately thought of dried cranberries and maybe adding some chopped lettuce and the cucumbers was a good idea too. But whatever happens, I’m making this salad and using the trick for sure.
Either way love it! Ty.
I am not a quinoa fan as well but I will try this. Looks delicious!
Hey you two! This looks so easy and delicious. The dressing looks very tasty and love , love the electric whisk! I need that in my kitchen!
I just wanted to pop in and tell you both how much I enjoy your videos. I love how simple you keep your meals, no big crazy ingredients. I’ve been working on becoming whole food plant based after I watched FOK.
I will eat cold or warm temperature quinoa.
Yum! I love quinoa
I saw your video on sorghum. It was a nice surprise. I make sorghum tabbouleh this for lunch. It was wonderful. I got the recipe from chatgbt.
I really enjoy your videos.
Thank you for sharing. I am traveling next week from Texas to Oklahoma to see family. The temperatures are going to be in the 90s and this salad will be perfect to take with me. I will eat Quinoa warm but I prefer it cold. I usually have Quinoa everyday in my green leafy salad.
Beets are like the one vegetable I just cannot eat. What would you suggest as a nutritious replacement? Thank you. Great video
awesome