Il Cucinologo
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Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

17/11/2023

The vegetarian quinoa salad is a nutritious and versatile dish, perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish. Here is the recipe to prepare a delicious vegetarian quinoa salad:

Ingredients

  • 200 g quinoa
  • 400 ml water or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 100 g feta or similar cheese (exclude if vegan)
  • 50 g black olives, pitted and halved
  • A bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Black pepper to taste.

Preparation

  1. Rinse the quinoa under fresh running water to remove the saponin, which can give a bitter taste. Use a fine sieve for this step.

  2. Pour the quinoa into a pot and add the water or vegetable broth and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it cook covered for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and has absorbed all the liquid.

  3. Remove the quinoa from the heat and let it cool. You can speed up this step by spreading it on a tray.

  4. While the quinoa cools, prepare the vegetables: cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the parsley.

  5. If you are not following a vegan diet, cut the feta cheese into cubes.

  6. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, feta (if used), olives, and parsley.

  7. Dress the salad with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper to your liking. Mix all the ingredients well.

  8. Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour before serving, so that the flavors blend well.

Fun Fact

Quinoa is not truly a cereal, but a “pseudo-cereal”. It is an edible seed that is used and cooked like a cereal, but belongs to a completely different plant family, that of spinach and chard. It is appreciated for its high protein content and for being a source of all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a valuable addition to the vegetarian and vegan diet.