Spring Vegetable Quinoa Salad (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa meets crisp spring vegetables in a zesty lemon-herb dressing for a vibrant, refreshing dish.

# What You Need:

→ Quinoa Base

01 - 1 cup quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Fresh Vegetables

04 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
05 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
07 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - ½ cup shelled fresh or frozen peas
09 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced

→ Herbs & Garnish

10 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons chives, finely sliced
13 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

14 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
18 - 1 garlic clove, minced
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water until water runs clear. Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and transfer to a large baking sheet to cool completely.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add asparagus pieces, sugar snap peas, and fresh peas. Blanch for exactly 2 minutes until vegetables are bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately drain and transfer to an ice water bath to halt cooking. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with clean towels.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, blanched vegetables, radishes, cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh parsley, mint, and chives. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - In a small bowl or glass jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes until mixture is fully emulsified and slightly thickened.
05 - Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Top with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The textures are incredible fluffy quinoa, crisp vegetables, and creamy feta all in one bite
  • It keeps beautifully for lunch the next day, maybe even better than fresh
  • You can swap in whatever vegetables look good at the market
02 -
  • Cold quinoa absorbs dressing better so do not skip cooling it first
  • The ice bath step makes all the difference for keeping vegetables crisp
03 -
  • Cut all vegetables the same size so every bite has everything
  • Make double the vinaigrette and keep it for other salads

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