Quinoa Citrus Salad is a healthy salad with a combination of sweet and savory flavors. Fresh orange pieces are combined with quinoa, shallots, peppery arugula and feta cheese in this simple salad recipe. You can use a mixture of different oranges to make it interesting and colorful. Quinoa is gluten free, high in protein and fiber, plus it packs a lot of nutrients. This salad is hearty enough to eat as a meal in itself for a light dinner or great lunch.
Quinoa Citrus Salad is not just delicious but it is also good for your health. Quinoa is a complete protein and oranges are rich in vitamin C which is good for immune health. The addition of feta cheese adds calcium, and the olive oil is excellent for heart health.
If you like a hearty quinoa salad and would like to try another quinoa salad recipe check out Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, Pomegranate Quinoa Salad, Zucchini Corn Quinoa Salad and Lemon Asparagus Quinoa Salad.
If you would like another way to cook with quinoa check out Quinoa Vegetable Soup. This healthy tomato based soup is full of fresh vegetables, beans and quinoa. You might also like Apple Cinnamon Quinoa and Lemon Chive Quinoa Patties.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- Use extra-virgin olive oil for the dressing as it offers a superior taste. The quality of the olive oil can significantly impact the flavor of your dressing.
- There are a wide variety of oranges available at the grocery store during citrus season. Mandarin oranges, Blood Oranges and Cara Cara oranges will work well in this recipe. Read A Guide To 9 Common Types Of Oranges.
- Rainbow quinoa, is a gluten-free grain that is high in protein and fiber. It provides a healthy base to the salad with its unique and nutty flavor.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Saucepan with Lid: To cook the quinoa. A medium size saucepan works well. The lid is important to ensure proper steam retention, which is crucial for cooking the quinoa evenly.
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife: For chopping the shallot and cutting the oranges into chunks. A sharp knife is essential for clean cuts, especially for thinly slicing the shallot.
- Mixing Bowls: You will need two bowls. A small bowl is needed for mixing the dressing and another larger bowl is needed for assembling the salad.
- Whisk or Fork: For combining the dressing ingredients together. A small whisk is ideal, but a fork can also do the job.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring the ingredients, especially for the dressing to ensure the right balance of flavors.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- If you cannot locate Rainbow quinoa, you can substitute white, red or black quinoa.
- Vegetable broth can be substituted: with chicken broth for a non-vegetarian option, or water if you prefer a lighter flavor.
- Substitute red onion, green onions, or chives for the shallots.
- The feta cheese can be substituted with goat cheese, or blue cheese for a stronger flavor.
- Substitute baby spinach, mixed greens or baby kale for the arugula.
- You can use avocado oil or any neutral flavored oil like vegetable oil or sunflower oil instead of the olive oil.
- The honey can be substituted with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Substitute white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice for the apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon mustard can be substituted with honey mustard for a sweeter taste, or yellow mustard for a milder flavor.
HOW TO STORE QUINOA CITRUS SALAD:
- Store the quinoa citrus salad in the refrigerator. It is best consumed within 3-4 days. Note that the texture of the arugula and oranges may change slightly over time, with the arugula wilting a bit and the oranges releasing more juice.
- If you anticipate leftovers, it is best to store the dressing separately from the salad. This helps keep the ingredients, especially the arugula from becoming soggy.
- If the salad has been in the fridge for a bit, you might want to refresh it before serving it again. You can do this by adding a splash of fresh dressing, a squeeze of lemon juice, or even some fresh arugula to liven it up.
- This salad will not freeze well due to the fresh ingredients like arugula and oranges. Freezing can significantly alter their textures, making them less pleasant to eat upon thawing.
Add the uncooked quinoa and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to the low setting.
Simmer for about 15 minutes until all the broth is completely absorbed. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the oranges, shallots, feta cheese and arugula.
Whisk together the olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir the dressing into the salad and serve.
Quinoa Citrus Salad
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Ingredients
- SALAD:
- 1 cup rainbow quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 oranges, mixed cut into chunks
- 1 large shallot , cut into slices
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 cups arugula
- DRESSING:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
SALAD:
Add the quinoa and vegetable broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes until all the broth is completely absorbed. Let the quinoa cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the oranges, shallots, feta cheese and arugula.
DRESSING:
Whisk together the olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Stir the dressing into the salad and serve.
