Spring Vegetable Quinoa Salad (Printable)
Fluffy quinoa meets crisp spring vegetables in a zesty lemon-herb vinaigrette. 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 & Toppings
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 running water. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool completely.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, and peas. Blanch for 2 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp and brightly colored. Drain immediately and transfer to an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, add cooled quinoa, blanched vegetables, radishes, cherry tomatoes, red onion, parsley, mint, and chives. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is fully emulsified and thickened slightly.
05 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad mixture. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, sprinkle with feta cheese if using, and serve immediately. Alternatively, refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The vegetables stay crisp and bright because you blanch them first, a technique I learned from a chef friend who swore it made all the difference
- You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors mingle, perfect for those days when you dont want to cook
02 -
- The ice bath step is not optional, it's what keeps your vegetables bright green instead of sad and gray
- Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing, otherwise it will wilt the herbs and make everything soggy
03 -
- Toast the quinoa in a dry pan for 3 minutes before adding water, it adds this incredible nutty flavor that most people cant quite identify
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons of asparagus instead of chopping them, they look fancy and eat like elegant noodles