Citrus-Zest Quinoa Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-03-26 · Updated 2026-03-26

A vibrant, light salad featuring quinoa tossed with zesty citrus, crisp vegetables, and a refreshing herbed vinaigrette. This mediterranean-inspired salads (vegetarian, gluten-free) ready in about 35 minutes pairs quinoa, medium, segmented grapefruit, finely chopped red onion into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 medium, segmented grapefruit
• 1/4 cup, finely chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup, chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water over medium heat for 15 minutes, then drain and let cool.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, grapefruit segments, red onion, and cilantro.
3. Step 3: In a small jar, whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified.
4. Step 4: Pour the vinaigrette over the quinoa mixture and toss until evenly coated.
5. Step 5: Chill for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.