Serves 6
45 min
Spring Quinoa Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Recipe GLPRf38b302086dc79
A bright, refreshing salad featuring tender quinoa combined with crisp spring vegetables, creamy feta, toasted almonds, and smoky bacon. Dressed with a light honey lemon vinaigrette and finished with fresh basil and cilantro. Perfect as a light main course or side dish.
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Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water or vegetable broth
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 to 3 cups frozen peas
½ cup almonds, pulsed until coarsely crushed
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup fresh basil and cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions
Rinse the quinoa under cool water. Bring 2 cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil in a pot. Add the rinsed quinoa, stir gently, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. For best results, prepare quinoa the day before and refrigerate until chilled; this helps the grains separate and stay fluffy in the salad.
While the quinoa cooks, prepare the bacon. Cook the bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and add the frozen peas. Cover the pot and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until the peas are bright green and tender. Drain well and set aside.
Pulse the almonds in a food processor until coarsely crushed with a mix of fine and chunky pieces. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the honey, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Pulse until well blended and emulsified. Taste and adjust honey, lemon, or salt as needed.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, drained peas, crushed almonds, crumbled bacon, crumbled feta cheese, chopped basil, and chopped cilantro. Pour the honey lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated. Season generously with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature. It can be enjoyed on its own, tossed with fresh baby spinach for extra greens, or served as a topping on whole grain crackers.
