I’ve never been a big fan of traditional salads.
Lettuce and I don’t really get on and I never usually feel quite satisfied after eating a salad for lunch but there are certain exceptions, including this quinoa salad!
I think it’s the fact it’s cooked – it’s more of a comforting dish, even when eaten cold.
I based this recipe on a roasted veg & couscous salad I used to buy from Marks & Spencers years ago and always crave this time of year.
I’ve swapped couscous for quinoa to make this gluten-free and used one of my favourite ingredients, harissa paste, to add some spice and flavour to the roasted vegetables.
The salad definitely has a Moroccon flavour to it and I can imagine it would be gorgeous with some chickpeas added, I might have to try that next time.
What I love most about this recipe is that it’s so easy to make but you can get quite a few meals out of it! I had a portion eaten hot, as soon as it was cooked.
Then I had some for lunch the next day and the day after, straight from the fridge. It’s so delicious, both hot and cold!
For a light lunch, I’ve found that a quarter of this recipe is a good serving size but I did end up eating half the batch on one occasion because I was so hungry at the time (and because it’s so delicious.)
So feel free to divide up the portions how you wish. It also works great as a side dish to serve at a BBQ or picnic.
This salad is:
- Vegetarian & vegan
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Low-fat (only 3g per serving)
- Low calorie and diet-friendly (only 170 calories per serving)
- Easy and quick to make
- Can be eaten both hot and cold (great for packed lunches)
- Healthy and delicious!
📖 Recipe
Roast Vegetable Quinoa Salad
A filling lunch of nutty quinoa and flavourful roast vegetables. Works great as a side dish or a large serving with chickpeas, for a main meal.
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper, diced into small cubes
- 1 courgette, diced into small cubes
- ½ an aubergine, diced into small cubes
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tsp garlic powder or finely chopped garlic
- 120 g / approx ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed
- 360 ml / 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- To serve: fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F.
- Mix the veg with the harissa paste and garlic powder so it's well coated. Roast for 20-30 minutes until slightly browned.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa by adding it to a saucepan with the vegetable stock. Cook on a simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes, until it's absorbed all the liquid.
- Add to a serving bowl and fluff with a fork. Stir in the spring onions and tomato puree.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, stir them into the quinoa, along with the chopped coriander.
- You can serve straight away for a hot meal or keep it in the fridge for a cool salad.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 100Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 315mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 4g
Adele says
I am a huge fan of this salad, making big batches at the weekend to have for lunch through the week. I’m finding it difficult to get hold of aubergines at the moment due to the coronavirus restrictions, so do you have any ideas of a different veg that I could substitute it wit? I was thinking red onion maybe, what do you think?
Aimee says
Red onion would be delicious, yes! Or you could just leave it out. Glad you’re enjoying the recipe :)
Erica says
I finally got around to making this salad! I started working at an office two days a week, and I needed some packed lunch options. I ate this salad cold and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Aimee says
Glad you enjoyed it, Erica :)