My Favorite Healthy Springtime Quinoa Salad

Who else is ready for spring? Let’s get started and enjoy all the fresh spring produce. My Healthy Springtime Quinoa Salad recipe contains seven different plants, and four are in season for spring—asparagus, peas, strawberries, and leeks.

What is quinoa?

What is quinoa and why is it good for you? And how do you pronounce it, anyway? There are several ways, but I usually hear it pronounced KEEN-wah.

Quinoa is a seed, not a grain. Because it’s a complete protein, (containing all nine essential amino acids) it’s an excellent addition to a plant-based diet. Quinoa is a good source of fiber, B vitamins, folate, zinc, iron, and magnesium and is gluten-free. Use it as a substitute for wheat grains and pasta, or even for breakfast.

Quinoa has many health benefits because of its anti-inflammatory compounds and fiber, including beneficial effects on blood sugar regulation and metabolic health.

However, quinoa is high in oxalates, so be sure to rinse it, or even soak it before cooking if you have kidney stones.

How to cook quinoa

Here is the simple secret for perfectly cooked quinoa. Use twice as much water as quinoa. Cook uncovered until the water is gone, then remove from the heat and cover for 5 minutes.

Now that you know how to cook quinoa, try My Healthy Springtime Quinoa Salad recipe. It’s a potluck favorite but halve the recipe if you’re cooking for a small group.

Although it has a lot of ingredients, it’s super versatile. No leeks? No problem! Just substitute onion, scallions, or green onions. Sometimes I leave out the parsley or use other fruits or berries I have on hand, like blueberries. I think mango or dried cranberries would be good too. Enjoy!

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Healthy Springtime Quinoa Salad

Versatile side dish featuring vegetables in season for spring.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword crowd favorite, healthy, spring vegetables, substitutions

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 large skillet or wok

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained
• ½ tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 each leek sliced into rounds or half moons
• 2 each garlic cloves
• 1 bunch asparagus approximately 15 stalks, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup parsley roughly chopped
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• ¾ cup fresh or frozen peas

Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 3 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed or bottled
• ½ tbsp maple syrup substitute honey or other sweetener
• ¼ tsp sea salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

• Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer
• Add two cups of water and the 1 cup quinoa to a medium saucepan
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Cook uncovered until water is absorbed, usually about 10-15 minutes
• Remove pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes
• Fluff quinoa with a fork
• Heat a large skillet or wok. Add the 1/2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Add the leek and garlic and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat
• Add the asparagus pieces and saute for another 5-10 minutes until tender but still crisp
• Stir in the peas, parsley, and strawberries. Heat for another minute or two, then remove from heat.
• Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the quinoa and dressing to the skillet and stir.
• Serve warm or cold

Notes

This recipe is very versatile. If you do not have parsley, substitute some chopped spinach, or leave it out. No leeks? Use half of a medium onion, chopped. Experiment with other fruits instead of strawberries.