Summer is Here – So is Quinoa Salad!

It is time for yet another long Texas summer. As the temperature rises, my palate starts craving for cooling foods: salads, cold soups, veggie juices and smoothies. Perhaps, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my summertime indulgences: home-made margaritas, sangrias, Spiced Mulled Wine and organic white wine. 🙂

In the summer, we are lot more active. The day is busy with yardwork, longer dog walks, yoga sessions, pool time, and gardening. Therefore, the body needs appropriate nutrition for all the calories spent.

It is very simple to make this quinoa salad. If you want to serve this cold, you can cook the quinoa in advance, and refrigerate it. The wonderful feature of this dish is that the rest of the ingredients are raw. Nothing to cook, stir, or sauté! Additionally, eating raw veggies gives you the nutritional “oomph”. What can beat this?

What Variety of Quinoa?

Raw (left) and Cooked (right) Quinoa

Although scores of varieties of quinoa exist in the Andes, three are most widely cultivated and available in the US markets are white, red, and black. The taste and nutrition are similar among the colors.

Quinoa or White Quinoa: This is the most common kind of quinoa available in stores, so you’ll often see it just called quinoa. Sometimes it’s also called ivory quinoa.

Red Quinoa: This quinoa holds its shape after cooking a bit better than white quinoa and makes it more suitable for cold salads or other recipes where a distinct grain is especially desirable.

Black Quinoa: A bit earthier and sweeter than white quinoa, black quinoa keeps its striking black color when cooked. I love this color!

Summer Quinoa Salad

I use multi-colored quinoa just because it tastes much nuttier than using just white quinoa. You can buy pre-mixed tri-colored quinoa from your local grocery store. I find it cheaper to buy organic white, black and red quinoa from the bulk section and mix them myself, in the proportions that I prefer (less of white, more of red and black).

You can cook the quinoa either on the stove top or use a rice cooker (my choice of cooking). While cooking, add a tad bit of coconut oil while cooking the quinoa, so the seeds hold their shape and don’t turn mushy. Usually, 1 cup of uncooked quinoa needs 2 cups of water.

This dish is better eaten cold and is a great item to serve by itself at lunch, or as a prelude to dinner, as a salad.

Love quinoa? Try:

• Jeera Quinoa
• Quinoa Vegetable Pulao
• Soft Kefir-Quinoa-Rawa Idli
• Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

You Will Love These Summer Salads!

• Spicy Tangy Sprouts Carrots Salad
• Cauliflower ‘Rice’
• Tangy-ly Spicy Sweet Jicama Salad
• Zesty Carrot Garbanzo Usli
• Colorfully Crunchy Strawberry Grape Kale Salad
• Kale, Pear, Turnip, Goat Cheese Salad
• Balsamic Caprese
• Delicious Carrot-Cucumber Kosumbari Salad
• Tabbouli-Tabbouleh (Parsley Salad)
• Raw Dosakaya Salad
• Harvest Salad with Spinach-Apple-Pomegranate

Do you love our posts and recipes? We’d LOVE to see your creations so click a photo and tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #healthyindian3 and please give a star (★) rating below. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube & Tumblr for healthy, easy and delicious recipes and lifestyle tips.

*There could be affiliate links in this blog. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Summer Quinoa Salad

This colorful and crunchy dish can be eaten cold and is a great item to serve by itself at lunch, or as a prelude to dinner, as a salad.

Course Salad, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine International

Keyword Balsamic Vinegar, Bell pepper, Cilantro, colorful salad, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, summer salad

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 192kcal

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife
• Rice Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Quinoa - Tri-colored quinoa works best
• 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil - Avocado Oil and Coconut Oil also work well
• 1/2 Cup Red Bell Peppers - Finely chopped
• 1/2 Cup Yellow Bell Peppers - Finely chopped
• 1/2 Cup Orange Bell Peppers - Finely chopped
• 1/4 Cup Onion - Sweet, Finely chopped
• 1 Medium Green Chili Pepper - Finely chopped. Vary to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Cilantro - Finely chopped
• 3 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt - Or to taste

Instructions

• Wash quinoa, drain, add filtered water to cover the seeds and let soak for a couple of hours. If you don't have time, you can cook right away (see the next step).
  
• If soaking, drain the water. Add 2 cups of filtered water, a teaspoon olive/avocado/coconut oil and cook until done. Fluff with fork and store in refrigerator, if you want to serve a chilled salad. Otherwise, leave at room temperature.
  
• Chop bell peppers, onion, cilantro, green chilies and mix everything in a large bowl.
  
• Add the fluffed quinoa, salt, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar to the veggie bowl and mix well.
  
• Serve as a dish by itself or as a salad preceding a meal.
  

Notes

This colorful and crunchy dish can be eaten cold and is a great item to serve by itself at lunch, or as a prelude to dinner, as a salad.

* Use organic ingredients where possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Summer Quinoa Salad

Amount per Serving

Calories

192

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

4

g

6

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

152

mg

7

%

Potassium

 

401

mg

11

%

Carbohydrates

 

33

g

11

%

Fiber

 

5

g

21

%

Sugar

 

3

g

3

%

Protein

 

7

g

14

%

Vitamin A

 

350

IU

7

%

Vitamin C

 

104.8

mg

127

%

Calcium

 

30

mg

3

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.