I originally published this Quinoa Summer Salad Recipe a few years ago. It is still a family favorite and I especially love making it in the summer when veggies are freshest and have the most flavor. It’s so easy to make and looks so good!
This Quinoa Summer Salad recipe carries on my love for all things Quinoa. Quinoa is a grain that is high in protein, iron, magnesium and potassium. A one cup serving of quinoa has 222 calories, 8 g of protein, 39 g of carbohydrates and 5 grams of fiber! (One cup equals one serving of protein!) When I make quinoa, typically I will make more than one meal’s worth of quinoa. I will then refrigerate the cooked quinoa and use it in additional recipes.
Many of you have asked me where I get my quinoa. I usually order it on Amazon or Vitacost. I will often compare the prices on both websites and order wherever I can get the best deal!
This salad below is perfect for summer (or all year round eating). It is light and relies on fresh flavors like basil, lemon, tomatoes and green onions! If you make any variations to the recipe below, I would love to hear what you made and how it turns out!
Below is the homemade dressing for this salad (recipe is below)
How amazing do these salad ingredients look? (recipe is below)
Quinoa Summer Salad
Salad Ingredients 
1 cup uncooked quinoa
12 oz. of garbanzo beans, cooked according to directions (or use 1 can rinsed and drained)**
3 roma tomatoes
1 bell pepper (I used orange, you could use yellow or red or a combination of all 3)
1 ½ cups of corn (I used frozen and thawed it)
3-4 green onions, chopped
Dressing Ingredients
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice from one lemon
3-5 fresh basil leaves chopped (or use dried if you don’t have fresh)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions
1. Cook your quinoa (2 parts water to 1 part quinoa), then set aside in a LARGE bowl and let cool. I like to cook my quinoa in my rice cooker – just make sure to watch it towards the end so it doesn’t burn.
2. While quinoa is cooking, cook garbanzo beans if needed, chop tomatoes green onions and peppers.
3. Mix up dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Place all ingredients into the bowl with the quinoa and mix well. Pour over dressing, mix again, and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes – 1 hours.
5. Serve with a side of bread or crackers and enjoy!
**You can substitute garbanzo beans with different beans or edamame if you prefer
Go HERE to see my Apple Quinoa Bites Recipe
Go HERE to see my Quinoa with Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Red Onion Recipe (Gluten-Free)
Go HERE to see additional Recipes posted on Addicted to Saving
The recipe has been adapted from The Garden Grazer
Thanks for coming to Addicted to Saving! Here’s a little bit about me so you can know who’s behind all these posts!
My name is Liza and I began my money-saving journey in the Spring of 2009 as a way to stretch a limited household income. I had lost my job and my hubby was self-employed. I launched Addicted to Saving in November of 2009 and it has grown by leaps and bounds. Since then, my hubby and I have struggled with the ups and downs of two failed adoptions and are now LOVING being parents to our little man Asher who we brought home from Ethiopia in August of 2013. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to help you save money. My goal is that you will have FUN and become empowered to save more and more money each week..
just made it and *I* like it but the boyfriend recognized the tomatoes right away (even though i cut all of the seeds out and Romas don’t have the same texture). Any suggestions on a tomato substitute?
Hi Jeri! Your boyfriend sounds like my hubby! My hubby has gotten to the point where he will eat the food I make with tomatoes but he will have a neat pile of uneaten tomatoes on the side of his plate 😉 You can really substitute any vegetable that you are interested in! I love salads like this because any vegetable goes really well. If you are looking for another vegetable that is red, I bet red peppers would taste really good and have the same vibrant color! Or you could add diced cucumber. Or, just omit the tomato and add more of the other ingredients! Let me know what you end up doing! Good luck!