Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Root Vegetables (Printable Version)

Fluffy quinoa meets caramelized root vegetables in a vibrant bowl with tangy lemon-herb dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Quinoa Base

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Roasted Root Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
05 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
06 - 1 red onion, cut into wedges
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Salad Additions

11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
12 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
13 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts

→ Lemon-Herb Dressing

14 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
17 - 1 clove garlic, minced
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Place carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and red onion on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly, then spread vegetables in a single layer.
03 - Roast vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until golden brown and tender.
04 - Bring vegetable broth or water to a boil in a saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and let stand covered for 5 minutes.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
06 - In a large serving bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, fresh parsley, feta cheese if using, and toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Serve salad warm or at room temperature.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted vegetables get those irresistible crispy edges while staying tender inside
  • It actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle
  • You can customize it with whatever root vegetables look best at the market
02 -
  • Crowding the baking sheet will steam your vegetables instead of roasting them, so give them room to breathe
  • Letting the quinoa rest covered for those 5 minutes after cooking makes all the difference in texture
  • The salad needs about 15 minutes to absorb the dressing properly, so do not serve immediately
03 -
  • Toast your pumpkin seeds or walnuts in a dry pan for extra nutty flavor
  • Massage a bit of olive oil into the warm quinoa before adding anything else to keep it from clumping

Go Back