Warm Quinoa Salad Radishes Feta (Printable)
Fluffy quinoa combined with roasted radishes, spinach, feta, and a bright lemon-herb dressing.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 bunch (about 12) radishes, trimmed and halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
→ Cheese & Nuts
06 - 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds (optional)
→ Dressing
08 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss the halved radishes and sliced red onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - While the vegetables roast, combine quinoa and broth (or water) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
05 - In a large bowl, combine warm quinoa, roasted radishes and onions, baby spinach, and half the feta. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to combine.
06 - Transfer salad to a serving platter or bowls. Top with remaining feta and toasted nuts, if using. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted radishes become surprisingly sweet and buttery, nothing like their sharp raw counterpart
- Warm quinoa creates such a comforting base while keeping things light and wholesome
- That feta and lemon combination hits every single craving button
02 -
- Letting the quinoa stand covered for five minutes after cooking makes it perfectly fluffy
- The salad needs to be assembled while quinoa is warm so spinach wilts just right
- Roasting radishes changes them completely, turning peppery into sweet
03 -
- Make extra quinoa at the start of the week for faster meal prep
- Toast nuts in the oven while vegetables roast to save time