Solar Harvest Quinoa Salad

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-17 · Updated 2026-04-17

Bright, protein-rich salad with quinoa, roasted vegetables, and a zesty lemon-tahini dressing. This mediterranean-inspired salads (vegan) ready in about 25 minutes pairs uncooked quinoa, water, halved cherry tomatoes 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 300 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, uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup, diced cucumber
• 1/2 cup, diced red bell pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water, then combine with 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
2. Step 2: While quinoa cooks, toss 1/2 cup diced cucumber, 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes in a bowl.
3. Step 3: Whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to make dressing.
4. Step 4: Once quinoa cools (20 minutes), add to vegetable mixture and toss with dressing until evenly coated.