Sunshine Quinoa Salad
A vibrant, nutrient-packed salad bursting with citrusy brightness and golden textures. This Mediterranean-inspired salad recipe (vegan), ready in about 55 minutes, pairs quinoa, cherry tomatoes, 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
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1 medium lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water. In a pot, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
- Step 2: Toss 12 oz halved cherry tomatoes with 1 small diced red onion and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Season with 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk 3 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour over the tomato mixture and toss to coat.
- Step 4: Fold the cooked quinoa into the tomato-parsley mixture. Garnish with additional lemon zest and serve chilled.
