Quinoa Salad with Arugula
You can enjoy this quinoa salad with arugula as a side dish alongside mains like my beef and barley soup, air fryer frozen shrimp, or air fryer meatloaf, or it can stand alone as a satisfying main course. The sharp, refreshing, peppery arugula is balanced by the mild, nutty, and earthy undertones of quinoa. A bright and fresh lemon vinaigrette ties these flavors together, creating a satisfying salad.
Side salads can get a bit boring because we are usually in a hurry and you end up throwing in the same things over and over again. Baby arugula makes an interesting switch from plain old lettuce, and quinoa, although a seed, is considered a whole grain and packs a protein punch. Who isn't looking to get more protein in their diet? If I serve this as a main course I will increase the amount of quinoa and/or add another protein like my air fryer frozen shrimp, Dutch oven shredded chicken, or Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers. Salads are very adaptable, so feel free to add in whatever you have on hand.
Ingredients for Quinoa Salad with Arugula
Arugula is the leafy base of this salad and is a nice change from mild lettuce.
Quinoa, although technically a seed, acts as a whole grain providing plant based protein.
Vegetable add-ins I use are cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and red onions. Feel free to adjust the ratios or add in your favorite vegetables.
Feta cheese adds a briny and creamy flavor profile that complements the fresh veggies well.
Olive oil and lemon juice make up the main volume of the vinaigrette but are enhanced by the flavors of Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper, and a little honey for a touch of sweetness. I add pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for a little crunch.
How to Make Arugula Quinoa Salad
The first step is to cook your quinoa, unless you already have some prepared. To avoid a mushy texture, I recommend cooking quinoa with the lid off throughout the entire process-it's not like cooking rice, despite what some instructions suggest.
Start by rinsing ½ cup of quinoa under cold water. I use a fine mesh sieve and let the water run over it until fully rinsed. Transfer the quinoa to a small saucepan, add 1 cup of water (double the amount of quinoa), and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, leaving the lid off.
Keep an eye on the quinoa as it cooks, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent it from sticking or burning as the water evaporates. I might give it a tiny stir once or twice, but it's really hands off. Once most of the water has evaporated, test the quinoa to see if it's tender. If it needs more time, add a little more water and continue cooking until fully done and the water has evaporated. Set the cooked quinoa aside to cool.
Make the lemon vinaigrette by adding the olive oil and lemon juice to a small mason jar or bowl. Add in the Dijon, minced garlic, honey, and salt and pepper. Place lid on jar and shake, or use a spoon to mix all ingredients in the bowl, until fully combined. Set aside.
In a large salad bowl add in the arugula, diced vegetables and the cooled quinoa. Give the salad ingredients a little mix then add in the vinaigrette and toss the salad. Garnish with the feta cheese and pepitas in the salad bowl or on individual servings.
How to store quinoa arugula salad leftovers
Usually, people don't store salad leftovers, as lettuce is fairly delicate and wilts once dressed. But I find arugula can resist wilting better and I can store this salad for about a day covered in the fridge. Although it is fine to eat, it's appearance is not as nice as when originally dressed, so it is best to dress the salad just before you go to eat it. Another option if you know there are going to be leftovers is to dress all the ingredients except the arugula. Then you can store the arugula and the other dressed ingredients separately in the fridge, and just combine them when you are ready.
What other vegetables and proteins are good add-ins?
This quinoa salad with arugula is super adaptable to whatever veggies you have on hand and enjoy. I can see broccoli, cauliflower and celery working nicely as well. You can stretch this salad by adding a protein like Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers, or Air Fryer Shrimp, or you can keep it vegetarian with a can of chickpeas, kidney beans, even shelled edamame. If you add a lot more add-ins I would recommend increasing the amount of dressing accordingly.
Is there something else to replace the feta cheese?
Sure! This salad would go great with goat cheese, or even burrata if you were looking for something with a more mild flavor.
What about crunchy add-ins?
Crunch is excellent in a salad. I've added pepitas, which are sort of crunchy, but you could sub them or also add in nuts, crispy chickpeas, or even sunflower seeds.
Quinoa Salad with Arugula
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa uncooked
- 4 cups baby arugula slightly packed cups
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup diced bell pepper
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic small
- ½ tablespoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and run cold water over to completely rinse it. Shake out any excess water and place the quinoa into a small saucepan.
- Add double the water, which is 1 cup of water, to the saucepan and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium - high heat. Do not use a lid.
- Keep an eye on the quinoa as it cooks, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent it from sticking or burning as the water evaporates. Once most of the water has evaporated, test the quinoa to see if it's tender. If it needs more time, add a little more water and continue cooking until fully done and the water has evaporated. Set the cooked quinoa aside to cool for about 20 minutes (you can place in fridge to shorten chilling time).
- Make the lemon vinaigrette by adding the olive oil and lemon juice to a small mason jar or bowl. Add in the Dijon, minced garlic, honey, and salt and pepper. Place lid on jar and shake, or use a spoon to mix all ingredients in the bowl, until fully combined. Set aside.
- In a large salad bowl add in the arugula and all the diced vegetables. Add in the cooled quinoa and give the salad ingredients a little mix. Add in the vinaigrette and toss the salad. Garnish with the feta cheese and pepitas in the salad bowl or on individual servings.
- Enjoy your quinoa arugula salad!
Notes
- Storing leftovers. I find arugula can last about a day and be edible if the salad is stored covered in the fridge. Although it is fine to eat, it's appearance is not as nice as when originally dressed, so it is best to dress the salad just before you go to eat it. If you know you will have leftovers, you could dress the salad without the arugula and just add a portion of the arugula to a portion of the other dressed ingredients and store them separately in the fridge.
- Feel free to adjust the ratio of veggies to quinoa if you like. The salad is quite adaptable.
- You can stretch this salad by adding, chicken breast, prawns, canned chickpeas, or kidney beans, even shelled edamame. If you add a lot more add-ins I would recommend increasing the amount of dressing accordingly.
- If you want to sub the feta this salad also goes great with goat cheese or even burrata if you were looking for something more mild.
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Love how fresh this is. Perfect for summer!
This is just the perfect salad for spring and it is delicious!
Hi Therese, thanks for leaving a comment. Spring is such a great time for salad - glad you enjoyed.