Description
A vibrant and nutrient-packed Loaded Spring Quinoa Salad featuring curly kale, Persian cucumbers, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and Castelvetrano olives, all tossed with a creamy tahini lemon dressing. This fresh, flavorful salad is perfect for a quick lunch or a healthy side dish.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Tahini
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- ¼ Cup Water
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Salad
- 1 Bunch Curly Kale, stems removed, chopped
- 3 Persian Cucumbers, diced
- 15 Ounces Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 Cup Artichoke Hearts, chopped
- 1 Bunch Scallions, chopped
- ¾ Cups Castelvetrano Olives, chopped
- ¼ Cup Dill, chopped
- ½ Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
- 3 Cups Cooked Quinoa
Instructions
- Cook Quinoa: Begin by cooking your quinoa according to your preferred method, whether stovetop or rice cooker. Once cooked, fluff the quinoa with a fork and set it aside to cool completely before adding it to the salad.
- Prepare Vegetables: While the quinoa is cooling, wash and chop the curly kale, ensuring you remove the tough stems. Dice the Persian cucumbers, chop the artichoke hearts, slice the scallions, chop the Castelvetrano olives, and finely chop the fresh dill.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the chopped kale, diced cucumbers, drained and rinsed chickpeas, chopped artichoke hearts, sliced scallions, chopped olives, chopped dill, crumbled feta cheese, and the cooled quinoa. Toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Prepare Dressing: Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, tahini, honey, garlic cloves, fresh lemon juice, water, kosher salt, and black pepper to a blender. Blend until the dressing is smooth, creamy, and aromatic. If the dressing is too thick, add a splash more water and blend again until it reaches a thick yet pourable consistency.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve and Store: Serve the salad immediately and enjoy. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The flavors will continue to meld and improve with time.
Notes
- Quinoa can be cooked ahead of time and chilled to save prep time.
- You can substitute Castelvetrano olives with Kalamata olives if preferred.
- The salad keeps well for up to 3 days and tastes even better after marinating.
- Adjust the thickness of the dressing by adding more water as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
- For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese or substitute with a vegan cheese alternative.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
