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This Spinach Quinoa Salad is packed with fresh vegetables, textured grains, leafy greens, and healthy fats! It's a great building block for a more involved salad, but also delicious on it's own. And dressed with a homemade, zesty lemon vinaigrette, it's one you won't want to miss out on!
great for meal prep and vegetarian friendly
Looking for a power salad that's great for meal prep? I've got your back.
This Spinach Quinoa Salad is packed with fresh vegetables, textured grains, leafy greens, and healthy fats! It's a great building block for a more involved salad, but also delicious on it's own. And dressed with a homemade, zesty lemon vinaigrette, it's one you won't want to miss out on!
This salad was inspired by a finely chopped tabouli recipe that I wanted to develop as a meal option. It easily comes together in just 20 minutes and makes a great appetizer. You can also make it a full meal by adding a delicious protein like this Rosemary Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken.
Enjoy!
ingredients for spinach quinoa salad
Spinach: A softer and incredibly nutritious green!
Quinoa: More nutritious than regular rice and has more of a nutty flavor. So delicious!
Cucumber: For fresh crunch.
Bell Pepper: I used a red one which tastes a little sweeter, but feel free to use your favorite.
Feta Cheese: You guys know I love my feta cheese!
Avocado: A great healthy fat.
Red Onion: Adds crunchy bitterness!
Minimal kitchen equipment needed
To make this Spinach Quinoa Salad, you will need a large salad bowl, cutting board, knife, mixing spoon, and sauce pan.
Toss together this Spinach Quinoa Salad
Salad base:
- Prepare the quinoa according to package instructions. You can use a microwave packet for convenience if you wish!
- While quinoa is cooking, dice cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach. Crumble feta cheese if not already done. Finely slice your avocado.
- Once quinoa is finished cooking, let cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Assemble all ingredients. Toss until thoroughly combined.
I highly recommend using this Homemade Lemon Vinaigrette as the dressing for this recipe!
What is quinoa?
You may know quinoa as a "superfood," and that's a great place to start! Quinoa is full of fiber, protein, and other nourishing vitamins and minerals. It's often substituted for rice to increase the nutritional value of a meal. And while it's often thought of as a grain, it's actually a seed!
Quinoa is gluten-free, has anti-inflammatory benefits, and is a great ingredient to have on hand if you're looking to lower your cholesterol, improve your digestion, maintain your heart health, and more. Truly, it is a superfood and it's super easy to prepare.
(Source: Live Science)
What does it taste like? A forkful of quinoa tastes similar to brown rice, but it has a little more of a nutty flavor. It's incredibly light and fluffy and can sometimes be a little crunchy, depending how you prepare it. It also does a great job of absorbing sauces and seasonings, so it's easy to flavor to your preferences!
Why we love spinach as a salad base
When you think of eating a salad, you probably think of a big bowl of crunchy lettuce. While butter lettuce, romaine, and iceberg lettuce are great salad foundations, I love to use spinach! Not only is it incredibly nutritious, but it can also help you balance varying textures so you get a bit of everything in each bite.
Spinach is sold in the produce section of virtually every grocery store, making it extremely accessible. It's full of vitamins and minerals, fiber, magnesium, and potassium, making it great for our health. (Source: Live Science)
Plus, it's super easy to use—no chopping required! Just dump it from the bag to your salad bowl and you're ready for toppings.
As for texture, spinach is a softer green. This means you can pair it with crunchy add-ons like cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and more without an overwhelming amount of similar textures.
Suggestions and recommendations
How do I store this salad?
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Do you have any tips for success?
Fresh produce and well cooked grains are crucial to nailing this recipe. Seasonal and locally sourced ingredients will elevate this salad and take it to the next level.
Is this salad good for meal prep?
This salad is AWESOME for meal prep! Don't store it anywhere else besides the refrigerator.
Do I serve this salad hot or cold?
This salad is best served chilled.
I find my greens go bad so quickly. Any advice?
I swear each time I purchase a bag of spinach, it’s wet the next day too! A clever tip to avoid spoiling greens is to put a piece or 2 of paper towel against the side of the plastic bag or on top of the spinach in a container. That way, the paper towel can absorb excess moisture.
Can I make this vegan?
Of course! The only thing you'd have to remove is the feta cheese.
Can I add a protein?
Absolutely! I recommend some crunchy chickpeas, seasoned tempeh, or my Rosemary Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken.
Alternatives for homemade dressing?
I recommend a olive oil balsamic dressing or another creamy vinaigrette. The best part about this salad is it can be dressed in a lot of ways. If you have a favorite, use it on this salad!
Looking for more delicious recipes? Check these out!
Spinach Quinoa Salad
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Salad bowl
- sauce pan
- Spoon
- Immersion blender
- Whisk
- Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ avocado, sliced
For the lemon vinaigrette
- 4 sage leaves
- ⅛ cup olive oil
- ⅛ cup lemon juice
- ½ tbsp honey dijon mustard
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp garlic
- dash salt and pepper
Instructions
For the salad
- Prepare the quinoa according to package instructions. You can use a microwave packet for convenience if you wish!
- While quinoa is cooking, dice cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach. Crumble feta cheese if not already done. Finely slice your avocado.
- Once quinoa is finished cooking, let cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Assemble all ingredients. Toss until thoroughly combined.
For the lemon vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, mustard, and seasonings.
- Chop fresh sage leaves into small pieces and whisk with other ingredients.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the dressing together until thoroughly mixed.
Notes
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved, something that you think it might need, or just say hi!
Quinoa is the most underrated salad ingredient!!! I said it!!!! Courtney does not make boring salads and this recipe upholds that statement. I tried it with jarred red pepper instead of fresh bell pepper and that combo with the feta and cucumber was amazing. Also don't skip the homemade dressing, it really does take this to the next level and is too easy to pass on. I bought sage specifically to make it and I can tell you it will now be a pantry staple!! Thank you Courtney!