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This healthy Vegan Quinoa Salad with Fresh Dill & Lime Vinaigrette is light and refreshing, yet high in protein. It’s perfect for a light lunch or a side dish for BBQs and picnics. Ready in under 20 minutes!
It’s fun eating green when it tastes this good. Juicy grapes, crunchy celery, crisp cucumber, spicy green onion, sweet green peas, and herby dill all contribute to the deliciousness.
This Vegan Quinoa Salad is one of my favorite light summer recipes. I know you’re going to love it, too!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitions
Quinoa ~ Full of high quality plant protein (containing all nine essential amino acids), fiber, iron, potassium, B vitamins, calcium, and so much more, quinoa packs a healthy nutrient punch. [source]
Naturally gluten free, it’s a seed that cooks up like a grain. You can use it just as you would rice or couscous.
I like using white quinoa so all the green produce stands out, but you could use tricolor if you like.
Love quinoa? Try these easy vegan quinoa recipes.
Grapes ~ Grapes bring a juicy sweetness to this otherwise veggie heavy dish. Green grapes keep this quinoa salad all green, but red grapes would be just as delicious.
Peas ~ Green peas are a great source of plant based protein. Use frozen peas for convenience and best flavor and texture.
Canned peas are yucky…don’t use those.
Celery ~ Celery offers a great crunch and a fresh, herby flavor.
Cucumber ~ Cucumbers are crisp and cool and so refreshing. Use English cucumbers so you don’t have to peel or seed them.
Other “greens’ that would be tasty in this quinoa salad: diced green apple, sliced zucchini, and avocado. Pick your faves and make it your own.
Lime vinaigrette ~ This salad would be great with a lemon vinaigrette, also, but I wanted to keep everything green this time. Be sure to use fresh dill, not dried!
How to make the recipe
This salad comes together in the amount of time it takes to cook the quinoa….about 10 minutes. If you chop the veggies and whisk the dressing while the quinoa is cooking, it shouldn’t take you more than about 15 minutes.
Rinse the quinoa in fine mesh colander (1). Add the quinoa to a pot with cold water (2) and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork (3).
Place all the ingredients for the lime vinaigrette in a bowl (4) and whisk well to combine (5).
Place the chopped vegetables and the quinoa is a mixing bowl.
Toss all the ingredients to combine. Pour on as much dressing as you like and toss again to distribute the dressing evenly throughout the salad.
Storage
This vegan quinoa salad can be eaten right away while the quinoa is still warm, but it’s equally as yummy eaten cold or room temperature.
It will keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. Any longer and fruits and veggies will start to release too much water and get mushy.
While quinoa by itself can be frozen, I do not recommend freezing this salad.
Pro tips for success
~ Rinse the quinoa well under cold water to remove any bitterness and debris.
~ Once the quinoa is cooking, do not stir it and do not open the lid. Once all the water is absorbed, turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. Then open the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Do not use a spoon or spatula to stir it or it will get clumpy.
~ Cut the grapes in half to make them bite size. If your grapes are large, you may want to cut them into quarters.
~ Use an English cucumber so you don’t have to peel or seed it. If you only have a regular cucumber, be sure to peel the waxy skin and remove the seeds.
~ Be sure to use fresh dill in the vinaigrette, not dried.
~ This is a versatile dish that could easily be packed up for lunches-on-the-go, like picnics, potlucks, or school lunch boxes. It’s an easy make-ahead dish, too.
FAQs
The great thing about this vegan quinoa salad is that it’s delicious warm, room temperature, or cold. For this reason, it makes a great side dish for BBQs and picnics and packs nicely in a lunch box.
Yes! This quinoa salad is full of healthy plant based protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
Quinoa had a mild, slightly nutty taste that lends itself well to a variety of flavors. Here it’s paired with fresh vegetables and fruit. It’s wonderful with Mexican, Italian, Indian, Thai, and Mediterranean flavors as well.
It depends on what other ingredients are in the quinoa salad. Quinoa itself will last about a week in an air-tight container in the fridge. If combined with fruits and veggies that have a high water content, like cucumbers and grapes in the case of this vegan quinoa salad, I would suggest storing it not longer than 3 days.
More vegan summer salads
- Healthy Broccoli Salad
- Hearts of Palm Salad
- Cucumber Chickpea Salad
- Raw Veggie Chopped Salad
- Vegan Pasta Salad
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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Vegan Quinoa Salad
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dry white quinoa
- 1 ¼ cup water
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 1 cup diced English cucumber
- 1 cup halved green grapes
- ½ cup sliced celery
- 2 green onions sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- zest of 1 lime
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice about 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. Drain.
- Place the quinoa and water in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- Take the quinoa off of the heat, add the peas, and replace the cover to steam the peas.
- Add the diced cucumber, halved green grapes, diced celery, and sliced green onions to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk the chopped dill, lime zest, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.
- Add the quinoa to the bowl of vegetables & grapes. Drizzle as much or as little of the dressing onto the salad as you like. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
- Serve immediately or store tightly covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Storage Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this salad.
lani says
is there any way to make the dressing without the oil? Aquafaba?
Jenn Sebestyen says
I’ve never tried aquafaba in a dressing, so I can’t say for sure how that would taste, but with the strong tangy flavors of lime and ACV, it might just work! Also, you might try a tablespoon of pure maple syrup to help thicken the dressing and balance the tang of the citrus and vinegar. Let me know how it turns out!
Melissa Perez says
This was absolutely delicious! The whole family loved it! Thank you 🙂
Jenn Sebestyen says
Wonderful to hear. Thank you, Melissa!
Laurentiu Vasilica says
Big hug for you, Jen
Your kindness to share got far, far away, in Romania and we send back to you loving thoughts.
Fabulous dish, fresh, elegant, easy to make…
5 stars
Jenn Sebestyen says
Oh, this is wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for your comment. Happy to hear you love it!
JOANNE I MURPHY says
just made this for a summer party I’m attending. It’s fabulous! I doubled the recipe but reduced the scallion amount because I find that onions overpower every dish. Excited to share it later with friends. Thank you, this is exactly what I was looking for!
Jenn Sebestyen says
Oh, that’s wonderful, Joanne! I’m so happy you love it! It’s one of my go-to potluck dishes…so fresh and flavorful! I hope your friends loves it too. Happy Summer Party! 🙂
Natalie says
Serves six?!?! Not likely!!!
Not when I’m the only one home, am having this as a main course, and have my feet up in front of the TV. 😀
The sweetness of the grapes and baby peas, crunch of the fresh cucumber and celery, and the balance with those green onions. Yum! Only made better with that scrummy lime and dill dressing!
I thought the dressing was a little polarizing at first and added a little stevia. That wasn’t necessary once incorporated with the salad; luckily I didn’t add much. My Bad!
The only other thing I might consider adding is some toasted flaked almonds.
Jenn S. says
I’m so glad you loved it, Natalie! I could nearly eat the whole thing myself, too. As a side, it would/could feed 6. LOL!
And I agree, a lot of dressings need to be a bit sharp at first bite because once they get mixed with the other ingredients, those flavors all mellow out a bit.
Thanks for your comment!
Alisa Fleming says
What a fresh way to enjoy quinoa! My husband loves dill, so I use it often, but I’ve never thought to pair it with so many flavors.
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Alisa! I’m with your hubby – fresh dill is the BEST!
georgie says
I love anything quinoa so this looks fab! I don’t think I’ve ever put grapes in a savory salad before though, definitely have to try it!
Jenn S. says
You definitely need to try it. I promise you’ll love it!
Emily says
I would never have thought of adding grapes to a salad like this, it sounds so delicious!
Jenn S. says
I’m addicted to adding grapes to savory salads. I think this is my fourth savory salad recipe with grapes on this blog. LOL! Hope you love it, Emily!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
I adore grapes in savory salads — definitely need to try this!
Jenn S. says
I put grapes in so many savory things. It’s an addiction. 🙂 Thanks, Tara!
Stephanie says
This salad sounds perfect. I’m always looking for new ways to use quinoa. I have everything to make this salad but the grapes. So I’m getting some grapes & can’t wait to try this!
Jenn S. says
Enjoy, Stephanie! Thank you!
Lisa Huff says
Love how healthy and easy this is! And that dressing! We love all things with dill around here.
Jenn S. says
Fresh dill is my fave! I hope you enjoy this salad! Thanks, Lisa!