Summer Glow Quinoa Salad — a bright, satisfying salad that makes healthy eating feel delicious. Packed with fresh summer produce, this recipe is easily adaptable: swap in your favorite grains and vegetables to suit your taste.
This recipe is delightfully simple and endlessly customizable. Think of it as a blank canvas: use quinoa, farro, couscous, rice, or a blend. I like a mix of quinoa and brown rice for texture and flavor. For the vegetables, choose whatever is ripe and fresh — I used halved cherry tomatoes, crisp diced cucumber, and creamy diced avocado.
The dressing is what brings this salad to life. It’s a bright, lemony vinaigrette you can whisk or shake together in a jar. Fresh lemon juice and zest, olive oil, a touch of water, minced garlic, a drizzle of honey, and chopped parsley add a lively, balanced flavor. Parsley in particular adds a fresh, herbal note that pairs beautifully with the lemon.
If you have a small herb pot, fresh parsley (and basil, thyme, or rosemary) is handy and economical. A tiny patio herb garden will save you money over buying prepackaged herbs and makes it easy to grab a sprig whenever you need one.
Shopping tip: some stores sell convenient grain blends (for example, brown rice and quinoa mixes) that are perfectly portioned and seasoned. Buying larger containers of staple grains can also be cost-effective if you eat them often.
Happy salad-making — enjoy a bowl of fresh summer flavors!
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Summer Glow Quinoa Salad
Rate
Ingredients
- 1 cup grain of your choice, I used half brown rice and half quinoa
- salt + pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 drizzle of honey
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
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Cook the grains: Prepare the grains according to package directions. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
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Make the dressing: Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, water, olive oil, parsley, minced garlic, and honey in a jar or small container. Secure the lid and shake until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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Assemble: Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado to the bowl with the grains. Pour the dressing over everything and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.
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Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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