Quinoa Beet Salad

This recipe is one of my favorites. It’s bursting with flavor, beautiful, and nutritious. I’ll be making this over and over and experimenting with variations. I’ll be trying out various additions like cucumber, bell pepper, jicama, tomato, sliced almonds, and more.

I made this with hot green chiles (Pueblo Hot, also known as Mirasol or Mosco), but I only used 2 tablespoons. After it sits for a half hour or more, the chile flavor blends in and adds depth to the taste, but it’s not really that hot. If you want it distinctly spicy, you’ll want to add more hot chiles to taste (probably doubling the chiles).

Of course, you can make this with mild chiles; I’d suggest doubling the amount of chiles if using mild.

Got your own ideas of variations on this dish? I’d love to hear them!

Quinoa Beet Salad

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

An easy, nutritious quinoa salad just bursting with flavor. This is ideal for a summer bbq or get together.

Author: Anita Edge

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Southwestern

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ½ lb beets, peeled and diced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp spicy brown mustard (Gulden's)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp hot green chiles (+ more to taste)
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tbsp crumbled feta cheese for garnish

Instructions

1. Steam the beets until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
2. While beets are steaming, put quinoa in a dry saucepan. Heat over medium high heat while occasionally stirring till it starts turning light brown and smelling nutty. Then add the 2 cups water and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and opening up and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. You may need to add up to a cup more water and simmer longer (mainly depending on altitude).
3. While quinoa is cooking, whisk red wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, garlic, mustard, and black pepper together in a bowl.
4. Remove quinoa from heat and pour half the vinegar dressing on while fluffing quinoa with a fork. Set remaining dressing aside. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more.
5. Stir in green onions, beets, green chiles, feta cheese, and remaining dressing, blending thoroughly.
6. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with additional feta cheese, and serve.

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