This quinoa vegetable salad is a wonderful dish — it's light and very tasty. My four kids (ages 2-7) ate it up and asked for more!
Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup diced yellow (or purple) onion
2 ½ cups water
3 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
2 cups quinoa
¾ cup diced fresh tomato
¾ cup diced carrots
½ cup diced yellow bell pepper
½ cup diced cucumber
½ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
¼ cup diced red onion
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Step by step
Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and yellow onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil.
Stir quinoa into the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain any remaining water with a mesh strainer; transfer quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 45 minutes.
Stir tomato, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, corn, and red onion into chilled quinoa. Season with cilantro, mint, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, then gently stir until evenly mixed.
