Il Cucinologo
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Quinoa Salad with Vegetables

17/11/2023

The quinoa salad with vegetables is a nutritious and versatile dish that can be adapted based on the seasonal vegetables available to you or your personal tastes. Here is a basic version that you can customize as you like:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water (or vegetable broth, for more flavor)
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 carrot
  • 100 g cherry tomatoes
  • 50 g pitted black olives
  • Fresh parsley (to taste)
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Rinse the quinoa well under running water using a fine-mesh strainer to remove the saponin, which can give it a bitter aftertaste.
  2. In a pot, bring the two cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil, add a pinch of salt and then the quinoa. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  3. Meanwhile, dice the zucchini, bell pepper and carrot into small cubes and quarter the cherry tomatoes. You can cook the diced vegetables in a pan with a drizzle of oil and salt to make them more tender, or leave them raw if you prefer a crunchier texture.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa and vegetables. Add the olives sliced into rounds and the chopped parsley.
  5. Dress the salad with lemon juice, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and let the salad rest in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving.

The quinoa salad with vegetables is perfect as a main dish, especially in summer, but can also be an excellent side. If desired, you can add cubed feta cheese or toasted almonds for a crunchy and delicious touch.

Trivia

Quinoa is not a cereal but a seed that belongs to the same family as beets and spinach. It is considered a “superfood” for its high content of complete proteins (it contains all nine essential amino acids), fiber and various essential nutrients. In South America, it has been a staple food for thousands of years and is often called “the grain of the Incas”.