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We love a midweek meal prep moment (say that 10x fast!) This quinoa salad has sweet cherries, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs and a balsamic-cherry dressing. Add chickpeas to bulk it up!
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Details
Recipe
- 1 1/ 2 cups quinoa
- 1 1/ 2 cups cherries, divided and cut in half or quarters
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup parsley, tightly packed
- 2 garlic cloves, divided
- Salt to taste
- 1 lime, zested
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/ 4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/ 4 teaspoon mustard seed (or mustard)
Method
Step 1
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Rinsing removes quinoa's natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter.
Step 2
While the water is coming to a boil, finely mince the garlic and set half aside for the dressing.
Step 3
Add the rinsed quinoa and minced garlic to the water, cover with a lid, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 20 minutes.
Step 4
In a small bowl or jar, add 1/2 cup of cherries and blend using a hand blender.
Step 5
To the blended cherries, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and mustard seed. Whisk until well combined.
Step 6
Once the quinoa is ready, turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes to absorb any extra moisture. Once that’s done, fluff it with a fork.
Step 7
To a large bowl, add the quinoa, cucumber, remaining cherries, grape tomatoes, and parsley leaves. Add the dressing at this stage if serving immediately or reserve to drizzle over individual portions.
Step 8
Garnish with more parsley and lime zest for a bit of brightness!