Summer Quinoa Salad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute®. I received payment and product to create this post. As always, all opinions and recipes are my own.

Elevate your next meal by whipping up a Summer Quinoa Salad! Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa serves as the star of this entrée salad. Toss with romaine, avocado, tomato, chicken breast and feta, then drizzle on the homemade lemon vinaigrette. Ready in less than ten minutes, this salad makes a wonderful work lunch! Wholesome food doesn’t have to be bland, and this Summer Quinoa Salad is something that proves that point again and again.

Quinoa and Salad on white plate

When I was pregnant nearly three years ago, my husband and I decided to take one final trip before our daughter arrived.

After some discussion of wilderness vs. cityscape, we decided upon New York City, a place where my husband had never been, despite having several friends who live there.

In mid-October, we hopped on a plane and flew north to experience the wonderland that is NYC.

join our party!

get our latest recipes delivered to your inbox every week — plus all my entertaining tips and tricks!


    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
    quinoa salad in a white bowl

    While there, we played tourists for several days, hiking the Brooklyn Bridge, climbing the stairs of the Statue of Liberty and lounging in Central Park, among other things.

    And at the behest of my sister, who’d spent a lot of time there, we hit up her favorite pizza joint… and had the most amazing salad.

    It was simple, but to this day, I remember it as an all-time favorite.

    close up of quinoa salad with tomatoes

    Quinoa served as the base for the salad, and when tossed with avocados, tomatoes, spinach and a fresh vinaigrette, Winston and I could not stop talking about it.

    We enjoyed it so much that I added it to my list of ‘to make’ recipes.

    But I never did make it myself until a few weeks back.

    pouring dressing on quinoa

    In came Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa to make all my salad dreams come true! This gluten-free, whole grain blend of white and red quinoa is the first 100% quinoa Minute product. And you can serve it hot or cold, making a versatile addition to various dishes.

    In my opinion, Minute Ready to Serve Quinoa is perfect for lunch because it’s portable and fast! In just 60 seconds, you have a fully cooked, single portion of quinoa.

    I knew it would be the fabulous to recreate that salad we ate years ago because I’m always in search of quick, flavorful, wholesome lunches.

    (If quinoa isn’t your thing, but this salad sounds like something you’d enjoy, have no fear! There are FIVE new “better-for-you” Minute® Ready to Serve pantry staples to try, including Minute Ready to Serve Organics and gluten-free Multi-Grain Medley. I bet any of them would work well here, too!)

    quinoa salad in a bowl with a fork and red napkin

    So let’s make a salad, eh?

    First, we’ll whip up a lemon vinaigrette. Just two ingredients, plus spices, and it can be made in advance!

    Next up, we’ll heat the Minute Ready to Serve Quinoa in the microwave.

    While that’s happening, layer romaine into a bowl, then add avocado slices, fresh tomato, feta cheese and chicken breast. You can specifically bake a chicken breast for this recipe, use leftover chicken from the night before or rotisserie– just do whatever is easiest.

    When the quinoa is done, add it to the bowl, then toss together using tongs.

    Drizzle in the lemon vinaigrette, and enjoy immediately.

    quinoa salad with a blue striped napkin

    Who’s ready to make themselves a salad now?

    Also? You can turn it into a jarred salad, too. More on that in the recipe instructions below.

    Quinoa and Salad on white plate
    Quinoa and Salad on white plate

    Summer Quinoa Salad

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Elevate your next meal by whipping up a Summer Quinoa Salad! Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa serves as the star of this entree salad. Toss with romaine, avocado, tomato, chicken breast and feta, then drizzle on the homemade lemon vinaigrette. Ready in less than ten minutes, this salad makes a wonderful work lunch! Wholesome food doesn't have to be bland, and this Summer Quinoa Salad is something that proves that point again and again.
    5 from 3 votes
    Servings 1 large salad
    Calories 710 kcal
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 1 minute
    Total Time 11 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    Salad

    • 1 Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa Cup
    • 1 cup romaine lettuce chopped
    • ½ avocado sliced
    • 1 tomato chopped
    • 3 oz. roasted chicken breast I used leftover chicken from the night before, but you could use rotisserie here, too!
    • 1 tablespoon feta cheese

    Lemon Vinaigrette

    • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    Make the Vinaigrette

    • In a small mason jar, measure out the lemon juice and olive oil.
    • Season with salt and pepper.
    • Shake, and set aside for later.

    Make the Salad

    • Remove the film from the Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa, and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds.
    • While the quinoa heats through, prepare the salad.
    • Start with a base of romaine.
    • Add the sliced avocado and chopped tomato.
    • Measure out the chicken breast and the feta.
    • Add the quinoa to the salad.
    • Drizzle the vinaigrette on top of the salad, and toss with tongs.
    • Serve immediately, and enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Many elements of this salad can be made in advance and packed for a quick work lunch. In a large mason jar, make the vinaigrette, then layer in the avocado, tomato, chicken, cheese and lettuce and transport to work. When it’s time to eat, heat up the Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa Cup, shake up the salad ingredients, and combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
    The vinaigrette can be made up to a few days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 1-2 hours in advance so the dressing can come to room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1large saladCalories: 710kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 36gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 474mgFiber: 12gSugar: 6g
    Keyword easy dinner, easy salad dressing, easy salad recipe, lunch recipe, lunch salad, salad recipe
    Course Entrees
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa.

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

    Similar Posts

    Before leaving a comment or rating, ask yourself:

    • Did you make the recipe as directed? If you didn’t or made an ingredient swap, please do not leave a rating. Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.
    • Is your comment helpful to others? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Please remember that this website is run by a real person.
    • Are you complaining about ads? I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising allows me to continue to do so at not cost to you. It is also unavoidable on the internet and in everyday life. If you want recipes without ads, please purchase a cookbook or borrow one from your local library.

    18 Comments

    1. I love using minute rice and this is a great idea for summer! I can’t wait to try this for lunch.

    2. Goodness gracious this salad looks so bright and refreshing! I love that it’s so easy to whip up! I can’t wait to try it for lunch this week.

    3. I looooove a good quinoa salad! This version looks absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to try it! That homemade dressing looks SO tasty, too.

    4. What an easy way to get a healthy and delicious meal to the table! Love the no fuss approach for busy weeknights!

    5. I often hesitated to use quinoa when I had to cook it from scratch. I love this product! It is so handy, and it tastes great!

    6. What a great combo of ingredients here! I LOVE that the quinoa is minute-style – it makes life that much easier. Great dish!

    7. I usually make quinoa instead of rice since we have two haters in the family, so this would be perfect for us! Love this salad!

    8. Quinoa that can be ready in just a minute?? Sign me up! What a perfect salad for summertime. 🙂

    9. How have I never seen these before!?? I can’t wait to try them in this delicious salad!

    10. I love how popular quinoa is becoming. So healthy and I love the texture. Great salad.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating