This Quinoa Balsamic Salad is light, refreshing, and packed with flavor. Great for meal prep lunch, a BBQ side dish, or a colorful dinner addition. Made with protein-rich quinoa, vibrant grilled veggies, and a tangy homemade balsamic dressing, it’s a dairy-free recipe that packs a punch of nutrients.
This looks delicious and healthy!
- Jem
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 4 hours and 30 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 447kcal and 15 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Quinoa, bell peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and mustard
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Light, flavorful, and packed with plant-powered protein, this quinoa balsamic salad is your go-to for effortless lunches or crowd-pleasing sides.
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This quinoa balsamic salad has been a go-to in my kitchen since my kids were toddlers and I needed quick lunches that actually fueled me. With colorful veggies, plant-based protein, and a zippy dressing, it’s perfect on its own or served as a quinoa salad for BBQ nights, especially when paired with teriyaki chicken kabobs.
I often double the batch to enjoy the quinoa salad with grilled vegetables the next day or scoop it alongside gluten-free chicken wings for a light, refreshing lunch. It’s that rare kind of recipe that feels both effortless and healthy, aka exactly what you need when mom life is hectic.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Allergy-friendly: This quinoa salad with vegetables recipe is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
Easy to make: There's really only three steps to whip up this salad, and the hardest part is waiting for it to set.
Versatile: The quinoa with grilled vegetables is versatile enough to adapt and works for multiple meals.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cooked quinoa: Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and one of the only plant-based foods that is a complete protein, perfect for a quinoa veggie wrap too. For faster meal prep, have cooked quinoa in he fridge.
- Veggies: You can use anything you have in the fridge, but you want to make sure they grill well. Personally, we use cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and bell peppers as they add great texture but cook easily enough.
- Dressing: The dressing for the quinoa salad is a mix of tangy balsamic vinegar, avocado oil, and honey mustard to give a punch of flavor. Adjust the dressing to suit your personal flavor preferences.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Dressing: Though the balsamic dressing is tangy and sweet, using another Buddha bowl dressing, like lemon miso, would be tasty too.
Vegetables: Mix and match your vegetables and try new ones like grilled eggplant or zucchini for new tastes.
Proteins: Quinoa is a wonderful source of plant-based protein and delicious in something like quinoa upma. However, topping the salad with spicy chicken bites, air fryer steak bites, or keto air fryer chicken tenders is delicious as well.
How To Make Quinoa Balsamic Salad
Step 1: Whisk together the oil, salt, and pepper, and toss the cut veggies with it.
Step 2: Grill the vegetables for 8-10 minutes until just cooked. Let them cool, then chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3: Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Step 4: Toss together the quinoa, vegetables, and dairy-free dressing. Chill in the fridge for 4 hours.
Expert Tips
This quinoa salad with balsamic dressing whips up quickly if the quinoa is made and ready in the fridge. If you don't have cooked quinoa, you'll need to chill it after it cooks before adding the remaining ingredients.
Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces so that there are lots of them throughout the whole salad.
The quinoa salad needs to chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge for the flavors to set, but overnight is best.
In place of grilling the vegetables, you can roast them in the oven instead. Lay them flat on a baking sheet after being tossed in the oil and roast them at 350F for roughly 15 minutes or until soft but not mushy.
Store leftover quinoa salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a stir before serving it again alongside something like crispy baked chicken wings.
Quinoa Balsamic Salad FAQs
Quinoa salad will stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.
Quinoa tends to absorb whatever flavor it is paired with. So, make sure to use bold flavors and extra dressing so that it doesn't taste bland.
Balsamic vinegar and quinoa pair well together, as quinoa tends to absorb the flavor of whatever it is mixed with. You'll want to add something sweet to the quinoa salad with balsamic vinegar to balance out the tangy taste.
Quinoa is a very neutral-tasting grain, so it pairs well with almost everything. Grilled vegetables, leafy greens, beans, legumes, or animal proteins can all be enjoyed alongside quinoa.
More Veggie-Packed Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Quinoa Balsamic Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Quinoa Salad With Balsamic Dressing (Gluten-Free)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa cooked and cooled
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 14 asparagus
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dressing Ingredients
- ⅛ cup olive oil
- 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 5 tablespoons mustard dijon or bold
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions if you haven't done so already. Pop into the fridge.
- Cut the peppers into quarters and prep the asparagus. In a large bowl combine veggies.
- Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Pour it over the vegetables.
- Grill the veggies on the bbq for 8-10 minutes or until just cooked.
- Let the veggies cool, then cut into bite size pieces but leave tomatoes intact.
- Mix the veggies into the quinoa.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the quinoa salad. Toss until fully combined.
- Chill the quinoa salad the fridge at least one four hours or until ready to serve.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Ophelia Tang says
I love quinoa and this looks so healthy and delicious. I want to make this for lunch asap. Thanks for sharing.
fitasamamabear says
It's tasty and light- we love it! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Jem says
This looks delicious and healthy!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks! It's a tasty one 🙂
Angie says
A lot of my friends love Quinoa, but I've never tried. I may have to give this salad a try and make it one afternoon!
fitasamamabear says
Quinoa is awesome because it takes on whatever flavor you pair it with- and it's light and fluffy! I hope you enjoy it- let me know!
fitasamamabear says
Quinoa is awesome because it takes on whatever flavor you pair it with- and it's light and fluffy! I hope you enjoy it- let me know!
Cait Weingartner says
This looks so fresh and delicious! I'm always looking for ways to add quinoa to my diet, so this recipe is most welcome.
fitasamamabear says
Quinoa is so versatile I love it! Enjoy 🙂
Gillian Kent says
This looks delicious. I have a feast or famine relationship with quinoa. I love it for a while then suddenly can't stand it. Looks like it's time to give it another go 'round.
fitasamamabear says
Haha I think everyone goes through phases with food. I get addicted to it because it can be used with so much!
Lauren says
This would be great to bring to a tailgate party!
fitasamamabear says
Yes! Hrm.. that actually sounds like fun. I need warmer weather again!
Megan | Mama on Main Street says
Wow!! This looks absolutely AMAZING! I'm drooling over the dressing. Adding it to my list of things to make next week!
fitasamamabear says
Haha it's definitely a tasty one- I'm a sucker for grilled veggies
Margaret Stuart says
This looks so yummy! I love quinoa too. I will definitely be saving this to make sometime in the near future!
fitasamamabear says
Let me know how you like it!
Ginger Smith says
This sounds so yummy! I'll have to try it out this weekend!
fitasamamabear says
The simple ones are the best ones! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Christina | From Under a Palm Tree says
The recipe looks so yummy! I love quinoa, it's a great food and it's so versitile. This post is making me hungry!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! Quinoa can be made into anything. I love it.
Sara says
I adore quinoa! I had gestational diabetes with my pregnancy and got to enjoy quinoa a ton! I have made this combination before but haven't grilled the veggies or made that dressing! I know what we'll be having this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
Hope you enjoy it! I'm a sucker for quinoa too it just goes with everything. I also love grilled veggies because they get so tasty!
Patricia says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I did not know Quinoa was a super food. I may be on the look out for some, as they do fortunately sell quinoa in my store. 🙂
fitasamamabear says
I hope you enjoy it Patricia! It's so versatile it goes with everything 🙂
Erin says
This looks delicious and your photography is beautiful! can't wait to give it a try. Thanks so much for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks so much for the photography compliment! I've been working hard on it 🙂
Melanie says
This looks so good and easy to make!
fitasamamabear says
Simplicity is key for me lol
Oh to Be a Muse says
This colorful veggie quinoa salad is really the type of food that I should be eating. Looks very healthy!
fitasamamabear says
Haha I love color in my food! Makes it look so much better and super yummy!