This salad couldn’t come at a better time. I’ve just returned home after a long weekend in Austin, Texas. Taco after taco, margarita after margarita. Chips and salsa in between. On the return home, I ate a scoop of Mexican vanilla ice cream for dinner. It was incredible.
This was a girls’ trip, just for fun, and it was desperately needed. My taste buds got a break from all the cookbook recipe testing and now, I’m craving healthy home cooking once again. Please, remind me to take real vacations more often!
This mega-healthy quinoa and spinach salad was inspired by a Whole Foods buffet salad that I found in Kansas City last week. I was desperate for recipe inspiration, so I sampled a few of their salads and particularly enjoyed their spinach and quinoa salad with pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. The sign said the salad had basil in it, but I sure couldn’t find any.
Anyway, I tried to recreate it at home and ended up making a few changes, of course. I swapped more affordable sliced almonds for the pine nuts (they taste better, too), skipped the nonexistent basil, and whipped up a zippy lemon dressing.
This salad packs up great for lunch. It would also make a lovely, protein-rich side salad. Top it with a fried egg and call it dinner. It’s vegan as is, but you could throw in some feta if you’d like. Chickpeas might be nice, too. Arugula is a great alternative to spinach (I could hardly decide between the two).
I’ve been frustrated with my quinoa ending up mushy lately, so I tried cooking the quinoa uncovered for 15 minutes this time, and it worked beautifully. I hope it works just as well for you. Please let me know!
Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa
Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Quinoa Salad
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
This simple spinach quinoa salad is full of fresh Mediterranean flavors, including lemon, sun-dried tomatoes and toasted almonds! It’s vegan and gluten free, too, so it’s a great potluck option. Recipe yields 4 side servings or 2 main dish-sized servings.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
- ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach or arugula
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ teaspoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Lemon dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, which gives it time to fluff up.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt and red pepper flakes. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
- To toast the almonds: Warm ¼ teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the almonds and a dash of salt and cook, stirring frequently (beware, these burn quickly!), until they are golden and fragrant. Transfer the toasted almonds to a medium-sized serving bowl to cool.
- Once the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork and then transfer it into your serving bowl. Drizzle all of the dressing on top and toss to combine. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and wait a few more minutes to add the spinach so it doesn’t wilt completely. Toss again, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe inspired by a quinoa salad at Whole Foods Market.
Make it nut free: Replace the almonds with pepitas (green pumpkin seeds). Sunflower seeds might be nice, as would pine nuts if you aren’t sensitive to them (they are technically seeds).
Storage suggestions: This quinoa will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for several days. Gently reheat or serve chilled.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Deborah @ The Harvest Kitchen
Beautiful salad!! Great combo of ingredients!! Glad you had a good time in Texas! :) (Always love photos of Cookie!)
Kate
Thank you, Deborah!
Karen
Awesome salad! Don’t particularly like sun dried tomatoes, but threw them in. All the flavors come together so well!
Kate
Thank you, Karen!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
This looks delicious! I share your pain with mushy quinoa. I always use a rice cooker and it turns out perfect every time. Love the addition of sun dried tomatoes in the winter when we can’t find good fresh ones.
Kate
That’s a great idea! Now why did I give away my rice cooker?
Debbie
Instant Pot!! Perfect quinoa every time.
Lynne
Seems you had a fun filled time in Texas :-) but it is always nice to get home. I am so pleased I am not the only one with Quinoa issues. I made some yesterday without the lid to the pot and it did help.
This is a great recipe, can’t wait to try it and as always your pics are stunning.
Kate
Thank you, Lynne! Glad to hear that leaving the lid off worked for you, too.
Kate Elizabeth
I find that my quinoa cooks best when I use a quinoa to water ratio of 1:3 but leaving the lid off sounds like a good plan too. Photos are absolutely fabulous as always — salad can be a pretty hard thing to get excited about sometimes but this looks like it would do the job :)
Hulya Oyman
Hi Kate,
I have tried a slightly different recipe with my quinoa salad. After rinsing, I boiled it uncovered with 1/2 ratio of hot water. Then I let it stay, covered with a kitchen towel for some time. I’ve chopped kale leaves. (I reserved the stems for another simple dish.) I added chopped walnuts, cranberries, black olives and a drizzle of olive oil. I love kale since it stays fresh in the fridge for at least a week, unlike spinach or lettuce. Finally, when I was serving, I added sliced eggs and “Pomegranade sauce” which gives a very nice flavour.
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing your variations, Hulya! They all sound so good. :)
Joshua Hampton
This quinoa salad sure looks appetizing. I love the pop of color from the sun-dried tomatoes in the pictures.
Katrina
Such a perfect combination of flavours for winter. Definitely need to try!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
Yum! I’ve been on a quinoa kick lately and this salad looks lovely!
Terry
just what i want for lunch and i have all the ingredients – perfect
thanks for all your great recipes, thoughts and insights!
★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Terry! Hope you loved it!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Oh I’m so jealous of your girl’s trip, how fun! I’m in need of more salads this time of year (just been eating ALL the french fries in an effort to stay warm here), so this is perfect!
Kate
Oh brrrr, it’s terribly cold down here, so I can only imagine! Stay warm, Abby!
annie
This dressing sounds fabulous! I love finding new ways of putting sun dried tomatoes (and arugula) into my life. What a tasty souvenir from your trip.
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet
Best souvenir ever! Haha. This salad has me dreaming about spring! Good thing it’s coming fast! :)
Gaby Dalkin
This recipe reminded me of how much I love sun-dried tomatoes!
Amelia Littlejohn
I love sun dried tomatoes! This dish looks so delicious.
leeshin
the whole sum of health in a single bowl. thank you for sharing such an healthy food recipe
Emma {Emma's Little Kitchen}
Yummy! This looks so delicious and satisfying <3
Celeste@The Whole Serving
You were in my neck of the woods, kinda, I live in the Dallas area. I’m glad you had a real vacation and had a chance to relax and I’m loving this salad. It looks so pretty.
Kate
Thank you, Celeste! We had layovers in Dallas, so I really was in your neck of the woods. Hope you get a chance to make this salad soon!
Amanda Conrad
this is perfect. i was looking for a healthy salad to bring to a super bowl party (because balance). going to try it out!
Sally
I share your pain about mushy quinoa! BUT I have a solution! I forget where I read it but it works every time. Do 1 cup quinoa and 1.5 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, lower to simmer for 13-14 minutes or until water is absorbed. Let sit covered for 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork. Works. Every. Time. Enjoy!
laurasmess
Awwww yay. Girl gangs are so precious. Glad that you had some quality time away (with amazing food too!). As for this absolutely gorgeous salad – just YUM. I love quinoa and I’m always looking for new ways to add it to my weekly repertoire. I know what you mean about ‘mushy’ quinoa. I think cooking it without a lid is the only way that I’ve managed to keep some integrity to the finished product too. Looks like you cooked it perfectly. Sending you hugs, Kate, and lots of cookbook-energy-vibes! It’s going to be amazing xxx
Allyson
Your Austen trip sounds absolutely lovely. This looks like the sort of lunch salads I love to eat- healthy, hearty, quick, and delicious.
Suzannah
This salad is DELICIOUS!! I made it today for lunch with some girlfriends and they were crazy about it too! One friend has gluten and dairy allergies so this was the perfect meal! I added grilled chicken, used the Super Greens blend from Costco, and substituted toasted pecan pieces for pine nuts/almonds since I was out of both and didn’t realize it until I went to make the salad! I tripled the recipe since it was our main dish. I also had little bowls of crumbled goat cheese and feta on the side for the gals without dairy allergies. Yum!!! I’m planning to make it again on Sunday when we have more folks over for dinner! Thanks for sharing this!!
Kate
Hooray, glad to hear you all enjoyed it!
Carol Johnson
Hi Kate! Love new quinoa recipes . This one looks delicious. Thank you. I cook a lot of quinoa and I have a great cooking method…it’s a little involved… But trust me, it’s worth it. I found the method year’s ago and honestly cannot remember where I first read it. Rinse the quinoa and drain it in a metal strainer on a clean towel for 20 minutes… No less… Shaking it every so often. Pop the quinoa in a dry saucepan and toast it for about 5 minutes until it gets fragrant. While it is toasting, heat to boiling 3 cups of water (for 2 cups quinoa). Pour the boiling water into the toasted quinoa…set the heat to keep it just simmering… Lid the pan but tilt the lid to vent…a toothpick works well. Simmer for 16 minutes. Remove lid and let it cool for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Once you get used to the process…it becomes second nature. Hope you enjoy. I love your website…you make cooking so much fun!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Carol! Looking forward to trying your method soon!
Heghineh
Looks very fresh and appetizing.Will try this one for sure.Thanks for sharing !
Terri
I have made this salad twice in a week it is that good – easy and delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
Yay, happy to hear you enjoyed this salad, too!
Allie
This looks so simple, so yummy, so refreshing! Definitely pinning it for later, thank you for your constant healthy inspiration!
Edith Marie
We loved this, fresh, super and so winter-spring (North of Sweden) – even our lilla 16 month had fun eating it! Thanks Kate.
Kate
Thank you, Edith! I’m so glad you all enjoyed the salad.
Nicky
Made this last week, super super delicious and easy to make as well :)
★★★★★
Kristen Berry
I made this last night to accompany a Lasagna soup for a fun Italian themed dinner! I didn’t have any almonds so I used toasted pine nuts.It was delicious! The lemon really shined through! My husband loved it too! Thank you for a great recipe!
★★★★
Edward
Simple, fresh ingredients = wholesome tasty food. Be sure to share this recipe when ratemydishapp.com launches in the spring.
Lori
My son is new to vegan and I am trying to cook some yummy things for him. I LOVE your blog!!! I tried this the other day and must say it is probably one of my favorite ways to eat quinoa! I decided to throw caution to the wind and add a hint of blue to the beautiful color…I added some dried blueberries, and it was AMAZING! Thanks for your delicious & nutritious recipes. The photos are so beautiful, also!
★★★★★
Lea
I made it and it tastes amazing !
I just added some mozzarella for an extra
★★★★
gillettfor@aol.com
Love this salad! Love your pictures of Cookie too! ;-) Just want to say thanks to your healthy recipes I have lost 10 pounds in the last month and a half. Both my husband and I feel much better too. Thank you!
Kate
That’s amazing!!! Thank you so much for letting me know. :)
Heather
I made this for dinner last night and it was so good! I love how quick it came together and, except for almonds, that I had everything already. I cooked the quinoa according to the “new” method and it was the best I’ve ever made. Thanks Kate for all your hard work!
★★★★★
Laura
I’m interested in making this for a baby shower but would like to make the the day before (not add the dressing til the day of, of course). Will it be fresh the next day or will the spinach/arugula be too mealy? Thanks! This recipe looks like just the thing the party needs!
Christine
Another awesome recipe! I made this the other day and loved it. The next had some left overs so had a avocado I needed to eat so I cut it up and threw it on top and wow! This is going to be on my favorite list for sure.
★★★★★
Kelsey
Made this tonight & it was so delish! The flavor combos of sundried tomatoes, lemon, garlic & quinoa – so yummy! Can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Rachel
Just made this for a family BBQ and it’s so tasty I might not share it. Thank you so much for creating this (and sharing it)!
Karolina
I loved it as well as all of my friend !!! Amazing, very tasty receipts thank you!
★★★★★
Miriam
This is so good!! I’ve made it lots of times and it’s always well received, thank you Kate! Looks amazing with red quinoa (which I can’t alays find)
Emilie
Kate, I keep finding recipes on your blog that I make again and again… This is the current favorite! Thanks. It’s so great to find satisfying vegetarian dishes.
Madison
Great recipe! Simple and delicious but a bit dry. I might suggest doubling the dressing, mixing half with the quinoa and reserving the other half to drizzle just before serving. Blanched asparagus would be a great addition
Janis
My 14 yo daughter has been cooking recipes from you blog and they are delicious. This salad is amazing. Thanks. The meals are affordable and tasty. Thanks for sharing! We did add beans for an added protein.
★★★★★
Richard Vargas
We loved this recipe! Our 20 year old son requested less quinoa and more spinach. We also doubled the dressing recipe. Love the lemon. I love the meaty flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Richard! Glad you all enjoyed it.
Barbara
I have made this on several occasions. It is always a hit!! I have taken the liberty of adding feta cheese after the quinoa has chilled a bit. Other than that, I follow the recipe exactly, and it always comes out great!
★★★★★
Brinn
Excellent salad. I added white beans for extra protein and served it for dinner. Thanks for the great recipe idea.
Also, I always cook quinoa with a 1:1.5 ratio (1 cup quinoa + 1.5 cups water) so it doesn’t get mushy. Simmer on very low heat, covered, for 15 min. Perfect every time ;)
Perla
Yum!!! Loved this salad….I added avocado, black beans and broccoli! So filling.
★★★★★
SBK
hi kate, i’m late to the party but wanted to say that i love your blog and this is my first time commenting … this recipe is fantastic and i made the addition of cannellini beans, which turned out great. i also love the use of toasted almonds instead of pine nuts. i took this salad to a picnic over the weekend and received rave reviews thanks to you :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you so much for taking the time to say hello, SBK! Delighted to hear that this salad was a hit. :)
Savanna
Made this and loved it! I didn’t have sun dried tomatoes so I used dried cranberries.
Hannah
just made this and it is great! I tried mixing it with sun dried tomato and basil hummus and it is delicious. thanks for the recipe!
Nancy C Rodgers
Would love to have nutritional information on these recipes…..is that available? Thanks for great recipes!!
★★★★★
Peta
Family enjoyed. Quick, healthy, will do it again.
Kate
Glad the family approved, Peta. :)
Joanne Listro
This is delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I used kale, which I massaged, and roasted almonds because that is what I had on hand. In the morning I topped the salad with a fried egg and avocado. It was delicious and satisfying. :) I have a potluck coming up at work and plan on bringing this dish. I’m sure people will love it!
★★★★★
Kate
So much yum! I hope the dish is a hit at the potluck :)
Nicole
Loved this salad. I used Pepitas instead of nuts, added some danish feta, spring onions and avocado.
★★★★★
Kate
Your version sounds delicious, Nicole.
Meg
This salad is delicious! Shared with many friends. Big hit! Thanks for your amazing recipes. They make eating vegetarian easy!
★★★★★
Kate
Awesome!
Rachel Skipper
Made this for dinner tonight and it was PERFECT! Can’t wait to try the dressing in other recipes or on a different salad!
★★★★★
Sherry
This recipe is delicious! I tried your trick of cooking the Quinoa with the lid off and it came out perfect!
★★★★★
Kate
Awesome!
Christine
Try cooking your quinoa in a rice cooker. Perfect every time
★★★★★
Donna
We have Sacred Meal once a month at our church and it is a very special time with whole foods that are simple and harken back to ancient times, i.e. vegetarian soups, salads, hummus, olives, whole grain bread, etc. Last night, someone brought this salad and we were fighting over who was going to get the end of the bowl!!!! It was absolutely amazing!!!! I am making this as I brown bag it and am trying to lose weight and this is not only ridiculously delicious…it’s healthy too! Thank you for your passion! I have subscribed to your blog and look forward to trying your recipes!!! Kiss Cookie for me!!! #DogKisses
★★★★★
Kate
What a lovely tradition to have, Donna! Sacred Meal sounds like a great celebration of nutritious foods. I’m so glad this dish was a hit!
Donna
Just made this on Sunday to brown-bag this week! I used arugula as I prefer the bite and it brings more complexity to the salad!! It is AWESOME!!! Thank you for this fantastic recipe!!! (I doubled the batch)!!! Better the second and third day!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Yum! Arugula sounds delicious with this. Thanks, Donna!
Colleen
I love this salad! I’ve made it 3 times now and everyone always loves it. Its now my go-to recipe whenever I need to bring a dish to a party. One thing different I did was I added chopped, peeled cucumbers. Yummy Thank you for this recipe!
Kate
Yum! Cukes sound like a fabulous addition. Thanks, Colleen.
Deb
I love your blog and your Cookie!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Deb. Cookie says hello!
Jocelyn
Wow! I am so grateful to have stumbled upon this blog right at the beginning of my meatless journey. I used to think of food as just serving a purpose; now I am falling in love with it. This salad is heavenly. The combination of tangy, nutty and umami flavors is fantastic, and the mix of textures is so satisfying. I want this for lunch every single day. Thank you, Kate!
Kate
I’m so glad you found my blog, Jocelyn! Thank you for your kind comment.
Azza
Hey Kate, I so love your blog. And will be ordering your book soon.
I have been wondering are there any specific salads you would recommend to be served with cheese and wine?
Thank you so much!
Kate
Hi Azza, I think any salads with an Italian/Mediterranean vibe would be very well suited for cheese and wine. Maybe my chopped Italian salad in the roundup?
Azza
Thank you Kate. You rock. And honestly, I think you are a genius with flavours. Will try the Chopped Italian Salad one as you suggested.
For some reason i had in mind a salad that may have pears or apples…Not sure why i thought they would be good with cheese and wine.
Catherine
I bought your book this weekend at Anthropologie and already am in love with all the recipes. I came across your blog tonight and made this salad for dinner. My fiancé said he didn’t know quinoa could be this good. Thank you for sharing your passion for food!
Kate
Oh, you’re so welcome, Catherine! I hope you love the book, too.
Lynne Daly
You rarely disappoint Kate. Loved this recipe. I didn’t have enough quinoa, couscous or chia seeds so I mixed all of them together and put in salad. Relish.
★★★★★
Kate
Great! Thanks, Lynne.
Patti
My first time making and eating quinoa. I added baked chicken and a bit of feta. The dressing; I didn’t have Dijon mustard so I used hummus and added some dry mustard. This was fantastic and my husband loved it too. I will be making this again
★★★★★
Kate
Sounds like a delicious version, Patti!
Faith
Could this be served cold with grilled chicken?
Kate
I don’t see why not, Faith!
Doreen Colnaghi
Just made this and we really liked. On its own, quinoa doesn’t thrill me, but with the dressing and other goodies, really good! Added bit more red pepper and some left over grilled chicken. Can’t wait to try other salads.
Kate
Thanks, Doreen! I hope this changed your mind about quinoa. ;)
Katherine Ryan
I really wanted to try a salad with Quinoa and I loved all the ingredients, but for some reason my salad came out very bitter. Not sure if it’s the type of Quinoa I bought, or because I used Quinoa and baby spinach? Any thoughts?
Kate
Hey, Katherine. Sorry to hear that! I’m trying to figure out what could have happened. After a little research, I figured out: baby spinach often still has the stems attached, which are bitter or metallic tasting. That’s most likely the culprit!
Lea
My mom loves this recipe so much! It was my first time cooking quinoa and over the past 2 weeks I have made it 3 times. It’s just so good.
Kate
I’m glad you both enjoy it, Lea!
Hailley
Delicious! I toasted pumpkin seeds instead of almonds :)
Kate
That works!
Emily
This salad is wonderful! I made it according to the recipe, and it was perfect! I see someone used pumpkin seeds instead of almonds, that sounds great too. (and I’ve got family members who can’t eat nuts) Just made this for the third time tonight. (its officially in the rotation!) Thanks Kate, for another great salad!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Emily!
Heather Batshon
So, been feeling fat recently……and started searching for some really yummy healthy and light dishes. I just made this one and WOWZA, it is probably one of the very best salads I have ever tasted. It is absolutely full of incredible flavours. (I had some basil in my yard, so I decided to chop some up and toss it in as well…what the heck)…I usually make tabouleh when I’m trying to go light on meals, as I am a total ‘foody’ and cook for everyone all the time. This may very well become my new go-to dish. Much less work involved than Tabuleh. The ingredients blend perfectly together. Thank you so very much for sharing the recipe!
Julie Brandon
Great recipe! Amazing flavor! I added sauted mushrooms to mine. Thanks!!!
★★★★★
Peg
Hi Kate!
“Found you” when I was needing a refresher on cooking quinoa and, long story short, just made a slightly simplified version of this salad. On hand (not always true), arugula, a tomato, black olives and chickpeas to toss with red quinoa and simple olive oil/lemon dressing. Look forward to trying with almonds and a zippier dressing – but it was delish as it was! Good to know for even quicker but nutritious meals! Thanks! And yes, your photos are beautiful! Am also a dog lover. =)
★★★★★
Dawn
Recouping from surgery and too many pain meds. I was searching for a fiber-licious salad and I came across this recipe. What a find; I made for lunch today and will keep it in my repertoire of delicious salads/meals. Thank you.
Kate
Hope your recovery is going well! Thank you for giving it a try :) There are a lot of create salads on the blog I assume you will enjoy since you liked this one!
Dawn Alexander
I will be all over your site and suggesting it to friends!! Thank you!!
Laura Handke
Hi Kate! Upon deciding to cook with quinoa for the first time, I ran across your site and printed four different quinoa recipes. I started with this one, and it turned out beautifully! (I have a photo but am not on Instagram at this time.) I loved your instructions on how to perfectly cook quinoa, and will be trying my next recipe soon. Give Cookie a hug from me and my cat, Lady Jane (who does not eat my crumbs, however she does like a sliver of tuna from time to time.) Hugs, Laura
★★★★
Kate
Welcome! This is a great one to start with for sure. I am glad you liked it. Thank you, Laura for your kind comment and review. I will give Cookie some extra love!
Karen Weiss
This is a great recipe! I’ve made it twice for two different groups, and everyone likes it. It’s easy, and alternative ingredients can be used, so there can be variety each time it’s made.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Karen! I appreciate your comment and review. And yet, this is a great salad to have different mix-ins to change it up :)
Sue
First time I have used quinoa. Your cooking method worked really well. This salad tastes amazing. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear it, Sue! Thanks so much for your review.
Noreen
I was looking for more quinoa recipes and stumbled upon this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I don’t care for mushy quinoa either, so I just reduce the liquid to 1 3/4 cup and it works out fine. I believe this is the amount of liquid in a standard can of veggie or chicken broth as well. Anyway, thank you for this wonderful dish!
★★★★★
Kate
There are a lot of quinoa dishes on the blog! Search ‘quinoa’ in the search bar if you need more options. I’m happy you liked this one, Noreen!
Veronica
Will try this tonight with the addition of black beans, to continue with the mexican inspo ;)
thanks for the quinoa cooking tips too – I feel like I finally have motivation to cook it at home!
★★★★★
Kate
Welcome! Thank you, Veronica.
Shannon Harris
Made this this past weekend as I am trying to find more tasty quinoa recipes that makes it taste good and not like dirt, as my husband says. This is a winner! Gonna be a staple in my household. I had to fight my husband off from having more than seconds. I am going to try adding artichoke hearts next time. Thanks for this recipe.
★★★★★
Shannon Harris
I also always use broth in place of water, so that helps too.
Kate
Love that! Thank you, Shannon.
Mary Alison
I’m a little late to this party, but I just want to let you know that I LOVE this recipe! I added a few more tomatoes because sun-dried is my favorite way to eat them! And for the dressing, I just used equal parts lemon juice and olive oil with a dash of black pepper (my go-to salad dressing at home). But thank you for sharing this! I am excited that I found your blog and can’t wait to try more of your meals! :)
Kate
You aren’t late! Thanks Mary, for commenting. Let me know what you think of recipes as you give them a try.
Louise Lavoie
I ain’t a huge fan on spinach but this salad converted me making this recipe over and over again
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad to hear this one won you over. Thanks for your review!
valerie
Saw your 17 side dishes this am and made 3 as a meal. This one is delicious, even 30 min after being made. Indeed a bit more salt
★★★★
Kate
Love that! Thanks so much for commenting and for your review.
Karen
I made this for dinner tonight as a main dish. It was nice and light for a hot summer day. My husband and I both loved it! I added lentils because we were eating it as a main dish and I wanted it to be a little heartier. The sun-dried tomatoes are the perfect touch. The dressing pulls it all together. This is staying on our menu!
KW
Sedona, AZ
★★★★★
Kate
I bet it was! A great one for the summer. Thanks for sharing and for your star review, Karen.
Cheryl
The recipe sounds good. Definitely going to try it. That’s a pretty high count on the sodium – any suggestions of a way to lower it a bit?
Cynthia
This was delicious! My family isn’t vegan so I added in feta cheese, which was nice but certainly isn’t necessary. I love your quinoa salads!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Cynthia!
judi perkins
oh my goodness. I just subscribed to your newsletter the other day becuase I saw (and loved) the beet/carrot/quinoa salad with spinach and edamame. So in comes my first newsletter – this torn olive thing – that made my mouth water and I have to FIX IT THIS WEEKEND and at the bottom was creamy scrambled eggs wtih goat cheese (which is the only cheese I can eat and the pics said DINNER TONIGHT and then I saw butternut squash tacos – and I am addicted to butternut squash (with goat cheese, onions, bacon, tomatoes, wilted spinach) and….and….and….here I am 10 minutes later having saved like a million of your recipes to Pinterest. I have to go buy your cookbook.
Kate
Hooray! Thank you, Judi. I appreciate the comment. If you would like to leave a star review, I would appreciate it. As you try other recipes you saved, let me know what you think!
Carole
Wow, this was delicious! I am looking for healthy new ideas as alternatives to the boring garden salads I make for my school lunches. This is a keeper!
Carole
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thanks so much Carole :)
Linda A Johnson
I copied all of your recipes. I am 79 years old and intrigued with all your beautiful recipes. Yes, beautiful for the pictures certainly are and the best of ingredients. Just discovered the flavor of sun dried tomatoes. I love your step by step w/pictures then the recipe to print. You are a sweet person to post these for our pleasure.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for the compliment, Linda! I appreciate it.
Karly Anderson
This combination of flavors and textures is utterly delightful! Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Karly!
Leslie
My family and I loved this recipe! Easy to make and is ready quickly! We served it with parmesan crusted tilapia and it went perfect together! Thanks for sharing !!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Leslie!
NANCY H READINGER
While I’ve made many recipes in “my day”, yours take me to the next level ….via the next generation! Kate ( and Cookie ) I love your creations!! Really!! You are my go-to for my next fun, yummy, creative, recipe with great presentation!!
Please….keep doing what your are doing.. creating healthy food the universe needs!! And, I pray, we are evolving toward!!! XOXO
love,
Nancy P.P. Yes, I am a subscriber!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you!
Ali
The salad is easy to make & delicious — very flavorful. The only change I made was to add some feta. It tasted even better the next day for lunch when the flavors had melded.
Kate
Thank you, Ali for sharing!
Evelyn Edwards
At what point do you add the almonds? Couldn’t see in the recipe instructions? Sprinkle them on just before serving?
Gail
Hello, Kate. Made this recipe today to bring to a pot luck Halloween party, where it will be served as salad. I added dried cranberries, chopped black olives,chopped red pepper, and basil. I used toasted sunflowers seeds in lieu of almonds and arugula in place of spinach.
It tastes great to me.Let’s see how the witches and goblins like it tonight! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
How fun! Thank you for sharing, Gail.
Meagan
Looks delicious! I plan to try to make this tonight! I do have a mustard allergy, will the dressing taste as good without it?
thanks!
Nancy
This was EXCEPTIONAL. Unbelievable recipe. I saved the zest from the lemons I juiced and sprinkled into the salad. I accidentally bought sun dried tomato BRUSCHETTA and used it anyway. Yum! I used the excess oil from the jar for the salad dressing to bump up the flavor.
To make this a meal for my always starving husband, I scooped this delicious salad into a cooked acorn squash half. I served in a shallow pasta bowl. This is dish is beautiful when plated.
And just as a stand alone recipe, the salad dressing is delicious. (I added a touch of agave to the dressing, as Dijon is a little strong for me. The Dijon really makes this dressing pop. I just wanted to take it down a bit)
Thank you for this recipe. Really two recipes, the salad and the dressing. This goes in my permanent recipe file!
★★★★★
Kate
I love all your ways of serving this salad! Thanks so much for sharing, Nancy.
Lal
Hi, I recently decided to try quinoa as a healthier alternative to rice. First recipe I made was the spinach quinoa salad. It came out well and was a hit with the wife and kids as well. The lemon was a bit overwhelming so added a bit of maple syrup. No leftovers!
Thanks for the recipe.
Lal.
★★★★★
Kate
No leftovers is a win! Thank you for sharing, Lal!