Citrus Thyme Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa mixed with juicy citrus, fresh thyme, and a tangy lemon dressing delivers a refreshing dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Citrus
03 - 1 large orange, peeled and segmented
04 - 1 large grapefruit, peeled and segmented
05 - 1 lemon, juiced (reserve 2 tbsp juice for dressing)
→ Vegetables & Herbs
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra for garnish
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
15 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Optional Add-Ins
16 - 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
17 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - While quinoa cooks, segment the orange and grapefruit, removing any seeds and membrane. Set aside.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in the thyme leaves.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, cucumber, red onion, parsley, orange and grapefruit segments, and any optional add-ins like almonds or feta.
05 - Drizzle with thyme vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with extra thyme leaves, and serve immediately or chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This salad somehow manages to taste indulgent while being the kind of thing you can eat by the fistful without any lingering guilt whatsoever
- The vinaigrette has become my default dressing for literally everything, from roasted vegetables to suspiciously sad takeout salads that need rescuing
02 -
- Citrus segments release water as they sit, so if you are making this ahead, wait to add the final dressing until right before serving or you will end up with soup instead of salad
- Room temperature quinoa absorbs dressing better than cold quinoa straight from the fridge, so let it sit out for twenty minutes before tossing
03 -
- Use a microplane to zest some of the citrus into the dressing for an extra punch of flavor that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is
- Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan constantly until they smell nutty and fragrant, then immediately remove them from the hot pan so they do not keep cooking