Quinoa is tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, apples and scallions in a garlicky lemon vinaigrette to create this simple, protein-packed dish.
I love quinoa because it is an affordable, plant-based source of protein that is naturally gluten free and full of fiber.
That being said, until recently, I thought I hated it! As it turns out, I just didn’t know how to prepare it properly. The truth is, quinoa is extremely versatile. It is a blank canvas that can be used in soups, salads, stir-fries, desserts, and more.
To achieve quinoa nirvana, it requires a bit of doctoring.
Frequently asked questions:
Toast and Rinse: A secret to cooking quinoa is to rinse it and lightly toast it in a little olive oil before cooking it. If you want to add even more flavor, swap out vegetable or chicken stock for water during the cooking process
Season Properly: Salt is your friend when it comes to cooking quinoa. Or any food from scratch for that matter. Remember, no matter how much salt you add when cooking at home you are always going to wind up with less sodium than anything you order in a restaurant or make from a box.
Add Texture: Quinoa can be a bit mushy on its own. I love combining it with various ingredients to add contrasting textures. Crunchy apples, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh herbs all add texture to this dish.
Want more delicious quinoa recipes? Check out these other tasty ideas:
Quinoa Caprese Salad from The Lemon Bowl
Hummus Quinoa Cakes from The Lemon Bowl
Your fork is waiting.
Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Apples and Scallions
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa prepared according to package instructions
- 1 apple diced
- 12 pieces sun-dried tomatoes minced
- 1/2 cup scallions minced
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 juice of lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss together cooked quinoa with diced apples, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle vinaigrette over the quinoa mixture and toss well to combine.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
Yummmmmm! I know these flavors would be a hit here, can’t wait to make this!
Liz DellaCroce
I hope you try it!! :)
Tina Muir
Wow love that combination! I am addicted to quinoa, I love the tang of sun dried tomatoes….and with apples too! Yum yum yum! You know how to work your flavors! This is wonderful! Pinning right now!
Liz DellaCroce
Let me know what you think – you would love this Tina!
Nutmeg Nanny
Wow I love this idea! Such a simple dish, but with such fantastic flavors :)
Liz DellaCroce
Let me know if you try it.. quinoa always needs a little doctoring in my world. :)
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm
Ooooops I left my comment in the wrong place! Eeek! But I love the tips you give too, the first time I made qunoa it was mushy and tasteless! Those are all GREAT ideas!
Sarah Cruze
Interesting combo! Love your secret tip for cooking quinoa. So for the link you have listed below for the Quinoa Granola, have you tried rinsing & toasting before baking or do you just leave the quinoa uncooked as it says to? I’m confused. But really want to add quinoa into my diet & I eat homemade granola everyday.
Liz DellaCroce
The Quinoa Granola is not my recipe, Sarah – that comes from Ali at the incredible blog GimmeSomeOven.com – check it out!!