Quinoa Beet Salad is a delicious make-ahead side dish topped with feta cheese crumbles that’s ready in less than 20 minutes! Don’t miss this simple and refreshing side dish!
Quinoa Beet Salad is the one dish that is always in my fridge. Great on it’s own or as a side, this dish seems to get better the longer it sits. Plus, it’s great addition to any meal and so easy to make.
If you love make-ahead salads, be sure to try this Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing or my Greek Pasta Salad with Whole Wheat Pasta. For a delicious 5-ingredient pasta salad that’s always a hit, don’t miss this Pesto Pasta Salad with Store-Bought Pesto.
For another easy to make beet salad, check out my Beet Salad with Feta and Celery. And for a summertime salad try this delicious Watermelon Feta Salad.
You’ll Love Quinoa Beet Salad!
Quinoa Beet Salad is sure to be one of your new favorite go-to recipes. The combination of sweet beets, salty feta, and crunchy celery really makes this side salad recipe special. Plus, it’s actually really easy to make.
The star of the recipe are the beets and make for a truly beautiful salad. You could make your beets from scratch using raw beets, but I recommend using the steamed and peeled beets you can find in the produce section of the grocery store.
Quinoa Beet Salad is a great make-ahead salad too and perfect for my gluten-free friends! I always use this recipe for meal prep and it’s great to have around for lunches or a healthy snack.
You’ll love that you can make this dish ahead of time and serve it with extra protein or on top of arugula salad for a simple and delicious meal. Plus, the entire dish is made in a large bowl with minimal prep work involved.
So, if you’re looking for a hearty quinoa recipe using red beets, be sure to try this Quinoa Beet Salad recipe. You’re going to love it!
Ingredients and Variations
Quinoa: I like to use red quinoa for this salad whenever I have it. The red quinoa is a heartier grain and works well here. However, regular quinoa works too.
Beets: You could peel and steam your own roasted beets, or save time and buy the prepackaged beets that taste just as good. These pre-peeled and steamed beets can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. You can also use roasted golden beets.
Feta: I always have a large container of feta cheese crumbles in my fridge. You could, however, use fresh feta and cut it into cubes. Crumbled goat cheese would be an excellent substitute.
Celery: diced celery adds great crunch and texture to the salad.
Lemon: fresh lemon juice adds acid and flavor to the quinoa beet salad.
Olive Oil: use a bit of good quality olive oil to dress the salad.
Salt: use a kosher salt and fresh black pepper.
Variations: this is a great base recipe. Feel free to add other fresh produce such as diced cucumber, chopped kale, red bell peppers, fresh herbs, peppery arugula, or any other leafy green. Nuts such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or walnuts would be a great addition.
How to Make Quinoa Beet Salad
Quinoa Beet Salad is a quick and easy recipe. You can prep this up to two days in advance, just add in the feta before serving.
Step 1: cook the quinoa
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Firstly, you’ll need to cook and cool the quinoa. You can do this step ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to make. This is also a great recipe to up leftover quinoa.
Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. You want to simmer the quinoa and cook until just al dente and all of the water in absorbed. This will ensure you get fluffy quinoa.
Next, in a large serving bowl, combine the cooled quinoa mixture with diced roast beets, chopped celery, and crumbled feta cheese.
Step 2: add oil and lemon juice
Add the salad dressing directly to the bowl with the ingredients. Here, you’ll just need to use olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a sprinkle of kosher salt.
Step 3: toss the beet quinoa salad
Use a large spoon to gently toss together the ingredients. Mix just until well combined.
Step 4: serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
You can either serve the quinoa beet salad immediately or let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This recipe can be made up to a day in advance.
This simple salad would be great served with Grilled Marinated Chicken or Grilled Chicken Kabob Skewers. Great served cold or at room temperature. Enjoy this healthy make-ahead dish any time of the year!
Recipe Tips
- Quinoa does not need to be rinsed ahead of time. To make quinoa, simple combine one part quinoa with two parts water in a pot. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let simmer, with the lid on, for 10-15 minutes.
- Always leave the lid on and let the quinoa sit for about 5 minutes after cooking.
- Peeled and steamed beets are a great shortcut! To use them, cut open the bag, drain the liquid (or you could save it for another use), then cut the beets into bite-sized pieces.
- To make this salad vegan, omit the feta cheese and either replace it with a vegan version, or you could add in walnuts or pistachios in place
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes well with beet salad?
Beet salad pairs well with any protein, especially grill proteins like chicken, pork, or steak. You could even do grilled fish or tofu. =
How to flavor quinoa?
Cooked quinoa is a blank slate. Like rice, there are so many ways you can flavor it. Firstly, cook quinoa in broth instead of water to add more flavor to it. Then, afterwards, add a squeeze of lemon, lots of fresh or dried herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
How to roast beets?
To cook roast beets, preheat your oven to 400 degrees, then scrub the baby beets clean and trim off the tops and roots. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, place them on a baking sheet, and roast for about 45-60 minutes until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
Related Recipes
If you love simple and healthy side dishes, be sure to check out these fan favorite recipes:
Quinoa Beet Salad Recipe with Feta Cheese Crumbles
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried quinoa (regular or red quinoa work)
- 2 cups filtered water
- 8 ounces beets, steamed and peeled, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine the quinoa and water. Cover with a lid and bring to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer until the quinoa is cooked though, about 10-15 minutes. Shut off the heat and let it sit and cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, diced beets, celery, feta, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Quinoa: I like to use red quinoa for this salad whenever I have it. The red quinoa is a heartier grain and works well here. However, regular quinoa works too.
- Beets: You could peel and steam your own beets, or save time and buy the prepackaged beets that taste just as good. These pre-peeled and steamed beets can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Feta: I always have a large container of feta cheese crumbles in my fridge. You could however use fresh feta and cut it into cubes.
- This make-ahead salad stays fresh for days. Just be sure to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I’ve been trying to eat more quinoa lately and this is one of my favorite quinoa recipes I’ve tried so far! Love the combo of beets and quinoa!
I wish I saw this earlier because I have all of the ingredients and I was looking for something to make for lunch. Bookmarked to make tomorrow, thanks so much for the recipe!
You’re going to love it!
We love trying new and healthy recipes. Such a great and very tasty salad! I will definitely be making this again!
So happy you loved it! 🙂
Such a wonderful use for beets! That texture sounds amazing with the red quinoa and I love how the salad can be prepared ahead of time. Yum!
I love beets, so this salad is right up my alley! Definitely giving it a try for lunch this week!