This is the quinoa salad to end all quinoa salads. I can’t even tell you how many times I have made this in the last couple months. First time I made it I half expected my hubby to grimace and say “bird seed?”… but he didn’t. Not even after his third helping. 🙂 The dressing I used on it is my all purpose asian dressing I use for lots of things and it adds alot of flavor to the quinoa. Since quinoa doesn’t really have much flavor of all on its own it is great for soaking up whatever you’re layin’ down.
You could adjust the salad veg to whatever you have or like, but this is most definitely our favorite way. I even keep a container of finely chopped cooked bacon in the freezer for this salad alone. If you are local I highly suggest you make a stop at the most amazing Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store and you can buy quinoa in bulk for a fraction of the cost too. Now go forth and eat quinoa my friends.
ASIAN QUINOA SALAD
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup or more chopped cilantro leaves
Asian Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 T sesame oil
1 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar or half of each)
2 T soy sauce
2 T sugar or honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 T sesame seeds
2 tsp dried ginger (or 1 T grated fresh ginger)
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 tsp dried onion
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Fluff quinoa and let sit 5 minutes, covered, and off the heat. This will make 4 cups cooked quinoa. You will know it’s cooked because the outer hulls are popped off.
Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour about half over quinoa and chill. Add remaining salad ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Serve with additional dressing if desired.
Ingredients
Quinoa salad:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
- 1/4 cup or more chopped cilantro leaves
Asian Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 T sesame oil
- 1 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar or half of each)
- 2 T soy sauce
- 2 T sugar or honey
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 T sesame seeds
- 2 tsp dried ginger (or 1 T grated fresh ginger)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tsp dried onion
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Fluff quinoa and let sit 5 minutes, covered, and off the heat. This will make 4 cups cooked quinoa. You will know it's cooked because the outer hulls are popped off.
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour about half over quinoa and chill. Add remaining salad ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Serve with additional dressing if desired.
