This Vegan Quinoa Salad Is Your Next Potluck Go-To

When I was invited to a friend’s potluck a few weeks back, I was unusually stumped as to what to bring. While I don’t have any dietary restrictions, the host is vegan, meaning my go-to potluck choices, like taco dip, slow-cooked chili and macaroni coleslaw, were off the table.

But I didn’t have to search far for a great alternative, thanks to this refreshing (and oh-so-easy!) quinoa tabbouleh salad from Logan Levant and Hilary Hattenbach, authors of the cookbook The Kitchen Decoded. “We love this recipe because it’s super simple to whip up in a food processor,” says Logan and Hilary. “It’s light, packed with fresh flavors and perfect for folks on gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan diets.”

Keep reading for this simple, but flavorful, recipe, plus some tips from the authors and Taste of Home’s Test Kitchen.

How to Make Vegan Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 3/4 cup packed fresh parsley sprigs, stems removed
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Yield: 6 servings

Directions

Step 1: Prep the quinoa

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then stir in the quinoa. Reduce the pan to a simmer, cover and allow the quinoa to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Once it’s done, remove the quinoa from heat, fluff it with a fork, transfer to a large bowl and cool it completely. If you’re new to quinoa, be sure to take a peek at our guide to everything quinoa.

Author Tip: “We recommend using red quinoa with this recipe,” suggests Logan and Hilary. “Red quinoa has a slightly earthier flavor and a pretty color.” You can get a bag from Amazon here.

Step 2: Prep the veggies and dressing

While the quinoa is cooling, add the parsley, mint, onions and garlic to a food processor and pulse until they’re finely chopped. Add the tomatoes and cucumber and continue to pulse until they’re coarsely chopped.

In a small, separate bowl, whisk together the whisk lemon juice, oil and seasonings until blended well.

Test Kitchen Tip: In need of a new food processor? Don’t buy blind. This is the brand our Test Kitchen found to be the best.

Step 3: Assemble

Add the veggie mixture and dressing to the cooled quinoa, then toss to coat. You can serve this salad right away at room temperature, or pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Change Up the Flavors

This quinoa salad is inspired by Mediterranean flavors, but don’t be afraid to make it your own. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Mexican-inspired: Substitute the mint for cilantro, cucumber for chopped avocado and allspice for cumin for a salad that will take your tastebuds south of the border.
• Thai-inspired: Rather than assembling the dressing in this recipe, toss the salad with a few tablespoons of Watcharee’s Thai Peanut Sauce, trade the tomatoes for red bell pepper then sprinkle in some chopped peanuts for extra texture.
• Italian-inspired: First, swap the mint for fresh basil leaves then the allspice for dried oregano. Add in some chopped artichoke hearts, pepperoncini peppers and vegan parmesan to round the salad out.

Don’t stop there! These are our favorite quinoa salad recipes.

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Quinoa is such a fantastic salad base—it's full of protein, it adds a nutty flavor, and it's the perfect vehicle to soak up any kind of dressing. If you like a little more heat, add more cayenne or curry to the dressing. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta

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In our new cookbook “The Kitchen Decoded,” we include tabbouleh salad because it's super simple and filling. Try red quinoa for a slightly earthier flavor. —Logan Levant, Los Angeles, California

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Some vegan quinoa recipes are boring, but this one definitely isn't. My daughter’s college asked parents for the best quinoa recipes to use in the dining halls. This healthy quinoa recipe fits the bill. —Lindsay McSweeney, Winchester, Massachusetts

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My youngest daughter recently learned she has to avoid gluten, dairy and eggs, which gave me a new challenge in the kitchen. I put this quinoa salad together as a side we could all share. We love it for leftovers, too. —Catherine Turnbull, Burlington, Ontario

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Subtly spiced crunchy chickpeas are the key to this wonderful quinoa salad by The Last Food Blog. Fresh avocado, cucumber, tomato and a creamy mustard dressing complete the dish. Get Recipe

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This recipe is special to me because it’s delicious as well as healthful. Serve it hot or cold, and enjoy the leftovers while they’re fresh! —Patricia Nieh, Portola Valley, California

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California Quinoa

I’m always changing this salad up. Here I used tomato, zucchini and olives for a Greek-inspired salad. Try adding a few more favorite fresh veggies you know your family will love. —Elizabeth Lubin, Huntington Beach, California

Get Recipe Don't miss our other hearty grain bowls, made with wheat berries, rice, bulgur and more.

The post This Vegan Quinoa Salad Is Your Next Potluck Go-To appeared first on Taste of Home.

Caroline Stanko