Quinoa Veggie Salad

Name: Quinoa Veggie Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa, uncooked; 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed; 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced; 4 celery stalks, chopped; 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ((about 1 cup)); ¼ cup red onion, finely diced; ¼ cup lemon juice; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Jump to Recipe

Quinoa Veggie Salad is a healthy and delicious salad that’s full of fresh flavors. Made with quinoa, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a simple olive oil lemon dressing. Ready in just 20 minutes!

overhead photo of quinoa veggie salad in a white bowl with a checkered napkin in the background.

This recipe for Quinoa Veggie Salad is a healthy and easy dish that’s full of fiber and protein. It’s great to make ahead or as a simple side dish that’s perfect for any occasion!

If you love cooking with grains, be sure to try this Farro Salad Recipe or my Farro Tabbouleh Salad. Serve your quinoa salad with either this Salmon in Foil or this Greek Chicken Marinade recipe.

Table of Contents

Why this Recipe Works

Quinoa Veggie Salad is a great way to use up leftover veggies and feel great about what you are eating. Plus, it tastes delicious and is a great meal prep recipe.

This recipe comes together quick. In the 15 minutes it takes to cook the quinoa, you can prep the veggies and have the salad ready to go.

Quinoa cooks similar to rice and is made with about 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water. Just let it simmer, covered, on low heat and you have a healthy grain in no time.

No need to get an extra bowl for the dressing. The dressing for this salad is made by just pouring the olive oil, lemon juice, and seasonings over the salad.

overhead photo of quinoa veggie salad with garbanzo beans in a white serving bowl.

I love to make a big batch of this Quinoa Veggie Salad at the beginning of the week so I have a healthy and delicious grain option whenever I’m feeling hungry. Give this recipe a try, you’ll love it!

Ingredients and Substitutions

overhead photo of ingredients needed including cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, celery, and garbanzo beans.

To make Quinoa Veggie Salad you need: dried quinoa, garbanzo beans, red onion, cucumber, bell pepper, celery, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and kosher salt.

Quinoa: by now quinoa has become a grocery store staple. You should be able to find it in your grain section. You can always substitute couscous, barley, or bulgur here.
Garbanzo beans: also known as chickpeas, these beans add a delicious texture and extra fiber to this salad. You can substitute cannellini beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans.
Veggies: this salad is full of veggies! Use whatever fresh veggies and herbs you have on hand and change up the flavor of this salad.

How to Make Quinoa Veggie Salad

This recipe for Quinoa Veggie Salad comes together fast and is so easy to make. You can even prep the veggies and quinoa ahead of time and toss it altogether when you are ready to eat.

First, cook the quinoa. If you’ve never cooked quinoa before, it’s super easy to do and no different than making rice. Just bring water to a boil, add the quinoa (no need to rinse), bring to a simmer, and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Then, cool slightly and add to large bowl.

While the quinoa cooks, prep all of your veggies. Also, drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.

process shots showing how to make recipe including tossing all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Step 1: Once the quinoa is cooked, add it to a large mixing bowl. Spread the quinoa out so that it cools faster. It can still be warm, not hot, when adding the rest of the ingredients.

Step 2: To the quinoa, add the diced celery, bell pepper, onion, tomato, and cucumber. Pour on the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans. Then, drizzle on the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and kosher salt.

Step 3: Use a large spoon to toss the salad together. Serve the salad immediately or refrigerate for later. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Quinoa Veggie Salad in a large white bowl with lemon wedges.

This salad can be made ahead and stay in the refrigerator for up to a week. Because it is customizable, feel free to substitute whatever veggies you have on hand. Additions like corn, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and edamame would all be delicious.

What to serve with quinoa veggie salad?

Serve the salad cold as is or toss it with leafy greens for an update to your green salad. Or you can top it with salmon or grilled chicken for a heart healthy dinner.

Tips and FAQs

If you don’t have quinoa, feel free to substitute with equal amounts of barley, bulgur, farro, or even brown rice.
If there is a veggie you don’t have, leave it out or add what you do have.
Change up the flavors of the salad by adding in crumbled feta, sun dried tomatoes, or fresh herbs.
Store Quinoa Veggie Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

What goes into quinoa salad?

Quinoa salad is made of cooked and cooled quinoa, and diced veggies such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, celery, and cucumbers. The salad is then tossed with a simple dressing such as olive and an acid like lemon juice or vinegar. Season with salt, pepper, and your favorite seasonings.

Can you make quinoa ahead of time?

If you are making quinoa, it’s always a good idea to make extra and have it on hand. Quinoa can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to a month.

What goes well with quinoa veggie salad?

Quinoa Veggie Salad is a great dish to have because it pairs perfectly with any protein. Serve it with grilled chicken, steak or pork. It is also an excellent side dish for salmon, tilapia, or marinated tofu.

Quinoa Veggie Salad in a white serving platter with lemon wedges on the side.

More Quinoa Recipes!

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