Quinoa salad: not the kind of food most of us travel to Europe for. But I ate it twice on a recent trip, once as an appetizer in a Bilbao hotel restaurant and then as an outdoor lunch in Provence.
Both times, I was struck by how appetizing a quinoa salad can be. Maybe because I have a lingering sense of this super grain as a virtuous but not necessarily delectable food.
Quinoa is actually a seed, but in most dishes it serves as a grain, with a well-deserved nutritional reputation. Quinoa even outshines other whole grains like brown rice, with more protein and fiber per serving. It’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants. It’s a carb, yes, but gluten free.
Plus, it’s just fun to look at. As they cook, the tiny grains explode into a mass of frothy squiggles.
I was eating for pleasure and none of that was top of mind–but, to my delight, there was nothing drab about the European quinoa salads I ate.
They enticed with the bright flavors of summer vegetables, sumptuous cheeses and surprising touches like fresh corn kernels, honeydew melon and raisins.
Back home, I was motivated to make quinoa salads with the same attention to balance and sensory appeal.
The first recipe has the roasted peppers, mozzarella, Genoa salami and olives I often include in an Italian rice salad.
I loved the crunch of fresh corn, sweetness of honeydew and raisins, and the tang of goat cheese in the Spanish quinoa salad.
Both salads benefit from fresh herbs and a lovely lemon vinaigrette with a hint of honey, countering the slight bitterness of quinoa.
These recipes make enough for a crowd, served as a side for a cookout. They keep beautifully in the fridge for a couple of days, on hand for a dinner, lunch or snack.
This recipe has everything I'm looking for in a grain salad: Celery contributes crunch, mozzarella lends luscious flavor, olives add a piquant touch. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar optional
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups quinoa
- 1/2 cup frozen edamame
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper roasted and cut in short strips
- 2 to 4 ounces Genoa salami slices cut in strips, optional
- 1 celery rib cut crosswise in small pieces
- 8 to 12 grape tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup kalamata or oil-cured black olives pitted and halved
- ½ cup torn or roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cut in medium cubes
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Dressing: Combine olive oil, lemon juice, honey, vinegar, sea salt and black pepper in a small jar. Shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Salad: Bring 3 cups water in a medium saucepan to a boil. Add quinoa, stirring gently, and reduce heat to low. Cook, partly covered, until most liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.
Remove from heat, cover and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes; fluff grains with a fork.
Transfer warm quinoa to serving bowl. Add warm dressing, gently mixing in. Fold in frozen edamame. Once mixture has cooled, mix in roasted pepper, salami (if using), celery, grape tomatoes, olives and parsley. Fold in cheese.
This salad is like a treasure hunt. Discovering honeydew melon, fresh corn and raisins in its depths is just plain fun.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
- Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika preferably Spanish
- Salad
- 1 ½ cups quinoa rinsed
- ½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup honeydew or other melon cut in small cubes
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup slivered almonds lightly toasted
- 6 ounces fresh or semi-aged goat cheese crumbled or cubed
- Mint and/or basil leaves cut in ribbons
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Dressing
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Combine olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and paprika in a small jar. Shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
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Salad
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Bring 3 cups water in a medium saucepan to a boil. Add quinoa, stirring gently, and reduce heat to low. Cook, partly covered, until most liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.
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Remove from heat, cover and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes; fluff grains with a fork.
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Transfer warm quinoa to a large serving bowl. Add dressing, gently mixing in. Once mixture has cooled, add corn, honeydew, raisins and almonds.
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Distribute goat cheese over salad. Garnish with herb leaves.
