Honey Dijon Quinoa Salad

Share this post:

I am on a salad kick lately! This is coming from a girl who grew up hating vegetables. I think my childhood left me with a bad impression of salads. I didn’t realize that there is so much more to them – they can be incredibly flavorful and you don’t have to be stuck eating the same iceberg lettuce salad every night at dinner.

This brings me to today’s recipe: an easy honey dijon quinoa salad that is perfect for lunch or dinner. Plus it’s so easy to make – once you cook the quinoa, it all comes together quite quickly.

So whether you need a salad for a summer picnic, busy weeknight dinner (but still want to be healthy), or packed in a mason jar for lunch on the go. It’s versatile, it’s easy and it’s fresh!

Let’s talk about the ingredients for a quick sec. There’s not a lot to this recipe. But that’s what I love about it. You’ll be getting protein from quinoa and chickpeas, and loads of vitamins and minerals from red pepper, cucumber, and red onion.

For this quinoa salad recipe, you’ll also be making your own honey dijon dressing.

If you’ve never tried making your own salad dressing, it’s my goal in life to convert you to it. That means no more store-bought dressings that are loaded with preservatives and refined sugar!

I can totally relate to being intimidated by making my own salad dressings – I thought they were far more complicated than they actually are. It turns out they’re super easy to whip up at home. Plus it’s cheaper too!

I like to keep these small mason jars handy in my kitchen for things like this. I just dump all the ingredients in, seal the lid and give it a good shake. Then pour over the salad and ta-da! you’re done.

And if you want even more salad inspiration, well here are some more recipes I’ve been loving lately that you might want to give a try. Remember folks, Jane Fonda says we need to “eat the rainbow” and she’s not talking about skittles, she’s talking about vegetables! I don’t know about you, but I want to look like her when I’m 82 years old, so yes Jane, I’m with you! Let’s eat more veggies with lots of colors!

More Delicious Salads To Try:

• Cobb Salad
• Garden Salad with Herb Dressing
• Sweet Potato Taco Bowl
• Veggie Burrito Bowl with Paprika Rice
• Six Healthy Mason Jar Salads For Easy Lunches
• Easy Salad Dressing Recipes

Honey Dijon Quinoa Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Print

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup red bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
• sea salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, heat 2 cups of water along with 1 cup quinoa, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until quinoa absorbs all the water. Be careful not to overcook when it’s close to the end. To get light and fluffy quinoa, instead of mushy quinoa, stir very little during the cooking process. Once quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, red onion, and cucumber. Set aside.
3. In a mason jar or small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: olive oil, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), sea salt, and pepper. Seal with a lid and shake it up.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix everything together. Serve right away, or store in an airtight glass container until ready to use.

Notes

See more family-friendly recipes on our website: www.andianne.com

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 287Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 125mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 7g

Please note: This nutrition information is only an estimate.

Did you make this recipe?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @madebyandi or leave a comment below.

Share this post: