Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Roasted Carrots and Fennel
This is one of my favorite salads to make all the components for ahead of time. It takes just minutes to assemble and enjoy for lunch or dinner all week long. It's a nutritious and satisfying salad on its own, but it's delicious with roasted salmon on top for a boost of added protein.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 432kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1 cup water or broth
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and sliced into ¼" slices
- 5 medium carrots, peeled, cut half, then into ¼" sticks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 5 ounces arugula
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° Place carrots and fennel on a rimmed baking sheet and toss evenly with olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden and tender, about 25 minutes.
- Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse under running water until the water runs clear, 1 to 2 minutes. Add rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Quinoa will dry out and then after a few minutes will smell nutty and turn slightly golden. Add water or broth and a pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Take off heat and spread on a parchment lined sheet pan to cool.
- To make the vinaigrette, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
- To assemble, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables and arugula in a large bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat the leaves. Add feta cheese and toasted pine nuts and gently combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 495mg | Potassium: 802mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 13704IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 3mg