Quinoa Tomato Salad – An Easy Vegetarian Dish for Everyone
Quinoa Tomato Salad is an easy vegetarian dish perfect for any time of day or any meal. This dish can be served alone or as a side dish. And you don’t need to be a vegetarian or a vegan to appreciate this nutritious, high-protein grain.
If you have never tried quinoa before, you really ought to try it. You’ll be hooked on the crunchy, delicious taste before you even realize how good it is for you. It’s so easy to make, too. If you can make rice or pasta you can make Quinoa. The only thing you need to do is rinse it before you boil it but other than that it’s pretty simple.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) may be one of the most perfect non-animal sources of protein on the planet. It is the only plant-based source of complete protein, meaning that it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids crucial to human function and health. It is gluten free and a favorite of vegans, who often struggle to find good sources of non-animal protein.
I like my desserts like all of us do but during the week I try to eat healthy and work out so that on the weekends I can indulge in my treats. Quinoa is something I make most weeks and keep on hand for a simple quick healthy meal.
Here is how you make this dish.
Quinoa Summer Tomato Salad
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 large tomatoes, quartered and sliced into cubes
- 1/4 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
- 3 tablespoons of fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- A pinch of sugar
- Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Directions:
In a small bowl, toss together all the ingredients except the quinoa and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar. Spread cooked, cooled quinoa in a larger bowl or on a small platter and place tomato salad on top. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
Cook’s Notes:
Salad will keep for a day or two so it can be made hours before you need to serve it.
Replacing the water with chicken stock when cooking the quinoa gives it lots of flavor.
Feel free to get creative and add some feta cheese, olives, oregano or other cheeses and spices.
I originally developed this recipe and had it displayed on BettyCrocker.com. If you like this recipe, please share it recipe with a friend. Just click on the cute little icons below this sentence to share these on your Facebook page, twitter page, etc. with just one click!
