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Summer Quinoa Salad

A cool quinoa salad with fresh cherries, toasted almonds, feta and a big handful of herbs, tossed in a sharp lemon-Dijon dressing. It keeps well, so it works for lunches through the week or as a side at dinner.

4-6 servings · salad · vegetarian

Ingredients

Summer Quinoa Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 cup cherries, pitted and quartered
  • ¼ cup feta, crumbled (optional)
  • ½ cup almonds, chopped and toasted
  • ¼ cup basil, chopped
  • ¼ cup mint, chopped
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped

The Dressing

  • 2 piece lemon, large, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, small, very finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pinch cayenne

Method

  1. Place the quinoa in a small pot and add 2 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and set it aside with the lid off to cool. Note: to cool the quinoa fast, spread it out on a baking sheet.
  2. While the quinoa is cooking, pit the cherries, chop (and toast, if needed) the almonds, and chop the herbs.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all of the salad dressing ingredients.
  4. Once the quinoa is room temperature, transfer it to a serving bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl and pour the lemony dressing over the top. Toss well then serve.

Notes

You want the dressing to be quite salty as it is the salt for the entire dish. The dressing should taste much saltier than you think it should. To toast the almonds, chop them first then place them on a baking sheet in your oven at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes, or until they are light brown and fragrant.