8 Easy and Healthy Salad Recipes Using Quinoa

Quinoa is a healthy and versatile ingredient that you can add to almost anything. Use it as a replacement for rice in your meals, in place of oats for your morning porridge, or as an addition to your favorite salad recipes. It’s a great ingredient to have on hand because not only is it a good source of nutrients but it contains 8 grams of protein per cup of quinoa to make sure you meet your daily protein needs. While it has risen in popularity in recent years, it can still be a challenge to incorporate quinoa into our daily meals. In this article, we’ve gathered quinoa salad recipes where you can simply add quinoa to salad recipes for a boost in heft and nutrition. Here, we also teach you the easiest way to get perfectly fluffy quinoa every single time so that you can easily incorporate it into your meals.

How To Cook Quinoa in A Rice Cooker:

Step 1: Rinse your quinoa in a strainer under running water to get rid of its natural coating that can leave the quinoa tasting bitter in your salads.

Step 2: Add 2 cups quinoa and 4 cups water into your rice cooker and allow it to cook as you would normally cook your rice. You can lessen or increase the quantity of quinoa keeping in mind that for every cup of quinoa, you need to use 2 cups of water or broth.

Now your quinoa is ready to use for salads or as a substitute for grains such as rice. Quinoa is plain on its own so feel free to season as you wish. We recommend a small splash of Knorr Liquid Seasoning for that umami flavor.

How To Store Quinoa:

We recommend cooking quinoa in batches and storing them for later use. To store, let the quinoa cool down before placing it in an airtight container. You can store quinoa in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. To use frozen quinoa, you can place it in the fridge to defrost overnight and then heat it up in a pan. Alternatively, you can heat it up in the microwave at 45-second increments until completely heated through.

Quinoa Salad Recipes

Quinoa is a great source of protein and a great addition to salads. Incorporate quinoa into these salad recipes below by adding a quarter cup to half a cup of cooked quinoa into the salad mix.

Shrimp Quinoa Salad Recipes

Shrimp Sinigang Salad Recipe

This delicious shrimp salad is a tasty dish made extra special with the use of Knorr Sinigang sa Sampaloc Mix in the dressing. With great flavor contrast and a delicious dressing, this recipe is perfect for transforming into a shrimp quinoa salad dish.

Tempura Salad Recipe

Satisfy your Japanese cravings while meeting your health goals with this Tempura salad. It has the satisfying crunch of shrimp tempura and a generous serving of vegetables that proves that you don’t have to sacrifice taste for something healthy. Add a quarter cup of quinoa to this recipe to transform it into a Japanese-inspired shrimp quinoa salad recipe. Don’t forget to serve it with the wasabi-mayo dressing that’s made extra creamy with Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise.

Vegetarian-Friendly Quinoa Salad Recipes

Summer Pako Salad Recipe

Boost the benefits of this already nutrient-dense salad by adding quinoa into the mix. This refreshing salad takes ordinary Filipino ingredients and transforms them into a delicious Filipino salad. Make it even more filling and satisfying but adding quinoa and making it a Filipino quinoa salad that’s worthy of global recognition.

Roast Vegetable Salad Recipe

Perfect for meatless Monday, this salad has a great mix of leafy greens, vegetables, and starchy potatoes that won’t leave you hungry in the middle of the day. Turn this salad from a side dish to a main dish by adding half a cup of quinoa into the mix for that boost in protein to keep you feeling full for longer.

Waldorf Salad Recipe

Who doesn’t love a good Waldorf salad? It’s healthy and bursting with flavors from the combination of fruits, leafy greens, and nuts that are all brought together by rich and creamy Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise. Add a twist to it by adding a quarter cup of quinoa into your salad. The variety of flavors and textures will make this quinoa salad part of your weekly menu.

Fish, and Chicken Quinoa Salad Recipes

Seared Tuna Vegetable Salad

This heart-healthy salad is rich in Omega-3s all thanks to the generous serving of seared tuna on a bed of vegetables and refreshing pomelo. Elevate this dish into cult status by adding quinoa into the mix for a delicious seared tuna and quinoa salad that you will be asked to make over and over again.

Chicken and Kesong Puti Salad

Kesong Puti is a Filipino classic and beats all other cheeses in our opinion. This in combination with bacon, avocado, egg, and the umami-rich dressing made with Knorr Liquid Seasoning Original makes for a salad that’s a perfect fusion of the flavors we all love. Add quinoa into the mix and you have a power-packed quinoa salad that’ll take you from lunch to dinner without even feeling the slightest bit of hunger pangs.

Quinoa Fruit Salad Recipe

Quinoa, much like our beloved rice, is great for both savory and sweet dishes. We personally like adding coconut cream to it after cooking and adding a hearty dose of whatever fruits we have on hand to create a simple yet delicious quinoa fruit salad. Try this if you’re feeling creative or use the recipe below for a more indulgent take on quinoa fruit salad.

Mixed Fruit Salad with Mango-Mayo Dressing

This recipe was originally developed for children who are picky eaters but grown-ups love them too so we just had to add it to our list of quinoa fruit salad recipes. While delicious on its own, adding a quarter cup of quinoa to the mix can act like a sponge to hold more of the delicious Mango-Mayo dressing made with Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise.

These recipes are just starting points to your quinoa salad journey. Be creative and explore other flavor combinations to see what you like.