Spring Vegetable Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa meets crisp spring vegetables in a zesty lemon-herb dressing. Ready in 35 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Quinoa Base
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Spring Vegetables
04 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
05 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
07 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - ½ cup shelled fresh or frozen peas
09 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
→ Herbs & Garnishes
10 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons chives, finely sliced
13 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
14 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
18 - 1 garlic clove, minced
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water until water runs clear. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff grains with a fork, and let cool completely to room temperature.
02 - Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, and peas to boiling water. Blanch for exactly 2 minutes until vegetables turn bright green but remain crisp. Immediately drain and transfer to ice bath to halt cooking. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, add cooled quinoa, blanched vegetables, fresh radishes, cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped parsley, mint, and chives. Gently toss together until evenly distributed.
04 - In a small bowl or Mason jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes until mixture emulsifies and thickens slightly.
05 - Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Transfer to a serving platter or shallow bowl. Top with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The vinaigrette hits that perfect balance between tangy and slightly sweet, making every bite feel like spring arrived early.
- You can prep everything ahead and toss it together last minute, which saved me more times than I can count when unexpected guests show up.
02 -
- I once skipped the ice bath step and ended up with mushy, sad looking vegetables, so do not skip that part.
- The salad tastes better after the dressing soaks in for 15 minutes, but dont let it sit longer than 2 hours or things get soggy.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables about the same size so every forkful gets a little bit of everything.
- Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing, otherwise it will wilt the fresh herbs and make everything warm.