Description
Favorite Quinoa Salad is a quick, vibrant, and nutritious dish featuring fluffy quinoa, crisp fresh vegetables, savory smoked turkey bacon, and a zesty apple cider vinegar dressing. Perfect for meal prep, light lunches, or as a colorful side, this salad delivers bold flavors and wholesome ingredients in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Base
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- ½ cup smoked turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (natural)
- 1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (natural)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse one cup of quinoa under cold water until clear. Cook quinoa in two cups of water or low-sodium vegetable broth by bringing to a boil, then reducing heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
- Prepare the Smoked Turkey Bacon: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the smoked turkey bacon until crispy. Remove from heat and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop the Vegetables and Herbs: Dice cucumber and red onion finely. Halve cherry tomatoes and roughly chop fresh parsley.
- Make the Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar (natural), vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), and garlic powder (natural) in a small bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Combine and Toss: In a large bowl, add cooled quinoa, smoked turkey bacon, and chopped vegetables. Pour dressing over and toss gently until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
- Cool quinoa completely before adding dressing to prevent sogginess.
- Chop vegetables uniformly for even texture and flavor.
- Add a pinch of chili flakes for spice or a drizzle of maple syrup (natural) for sweetness, if desired.
- Prepare quinoa and bacon ahead for faster assembly.
- Store dressing separately to maintain salad freshness longer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: quinoa salad, healthy lunch, gluten free salad, smoked turkey bacon, apple cider vinegar dressing, quick salad
