This Make-Ahead Quinoa Party Salad is my bring-everywhere, better-as-leftovers, easy-to-make potluck salad. It’s packed with cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, all in a simple lemony dressing. Meal prep for lunch or dinner!
Units:
Scale:
Ingredients
1cup dry white quinoa, rinsed
2cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4cupolive oil
2 tablespoonslemon juice (~half of a lemon’s worth)
1 tablespoonapple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoonfresh ground black pepper
2cucumbers, roughly chopped
1red bell pepper, diced
1/2red onion, finely diced
optional: crumbled feta & chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
Cook the quinoa:ย To cook quinoa on the stovetop, add rinsed quinoa (1 cup) and brothย (2 cups) to a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pan from heat and let it sit with the lid still on for another 5 minutes to steam. Then, remove the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork and set it aside to cool.
Make the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, add the olive oil (1/4 cup),ย lemon juice (2 tablespoons or 1/2 lemon), apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon),ย saltย (1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon). Whisk together in the bottom of the bowl until combined.
Add the veggies: Add the cooled quinoa, cucumbers (2, roughly chopped), red bell pepper (1, diced), and red onion (1/2, finely diced) over the dressing in the mixing bowl. Stir everything together until the dressing is well dispersed throughout the veggies and quinoa.
Chill then serve: This salad is best enjoyed after it has chilled for a few hours, especially if freshly cooked quinoa was used. Cover and store in the fridge until completely cool, then serve with crumbled feta and chopped parsley. Enjoy within 3 days for best quality.