This lemony quinoa and arugula salad is bright, refreshing, and healthy. Packed with plenty of plant-based protein, fiber, and nutrients, you’re gonna love this quick 30 minute meal!

I’ll be honest, I haven’t always been a fan of quinoa. In fact, I used to think it was boring and tasteless. That was before I discovered the importance of adding the right dressing, and once you try this olive oil citrus vinaigrette, you’ll find that quinoa is anything but boring when you dress it up.

I love this recipe because not only is it a super quick and healthy lunch to have on hand, but it’s also bright and refreshing, giving you a boost of energy to fuel your day!

30 minutes is all you need to make this lemony quinoa and arugula salad that is sure to please everyone. This recipe is also great for meal prepping lunches. Make a few servings and you’ll have a healthy and delicious salad ready to go!

Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa provides an excellent source of protein, with 8 grams of protein in every cup of cooked quinoa. It is considered a complete protein given that is contains all 9 essential amino acids, which is hard to come by in most plant sources of protein. For this reason, it’s the ideal grain for vegans and vegetarians looking for sources of plant-based protein or for anyone looking to decrease their consumption of animal protein.
Quinoa is a great source of manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus and 1 cup of cooked quinoa provides 15% of the RDA for iron according to an article from Medical News Today.
Quinoa is rich in the flavoins quercetin and kaempferol, plant-antioxidants that are shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, and anti-cancer effects in animal studies. (links to the studies can be found in this Healthline article)
Quinoa contains 5 grams of fiber and paired with vegetables as shown in this recipe, you can increase the fiber content of your meal even more.

The Ingredients

Quinoa
Arugula
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Pepper
Red Onion
Cucumber
Kalamata Olives
Optional Toppings: feta cheese crumbles, basil, cashews

Vibrant Citrus Vinaigrette

This vibrant and delicious citrus vinaigrette transforms the dish and gives this salad a bright and refreshing feel.

All you need are 6 ingredients and you’ll have a quick and tasty dressing ready to go!

Here’s what you need

Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Minced Garlic
Salt
Pepper

Simply combine these ingredients in a bowl and pour the dressing over the quinoa salad once the quinoa has cooled! Toss to combine and serve with feta crumbles, minced basil, and cashews to top off this delicious salad.

Print Recipe

Lemony Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

This lemony quinoa and arugula salad is bright, refreshing, and healthy. Packed with plenty of plant-based protein, fiber, and nutrients, you're gonna love this quick 30 minute meal!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: lunch

Keyword: arugulasalad, citrusdressing, quinoasalad

Servings: 3

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa makes about 3 cups of cooked quinoa
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes chopped in half
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red peppers
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup kalamata olives chopped in half
Toppings: crumbled feta cheese, minced basil, chopped cashews.

Citrus Vinaigrette

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring one cup of quinoa and two cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to cool.
To a large bowl, add arugula, chopped cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, red bell peppers and cucumber. Add in kalamata olives and toss to combine.
To a small bowl add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Once the quinoa is cool, add all of the vegetables to the bowl with the quinoa and pour in the citrus vinaigrette. Toss the salad with a pair of tongs.
Top the quinoa salad with a small handful of crumbled feta cheese, fresh minced basil, and chopped cashews.

If you enjoyed this recipe, I’d love it if you could leave a comment and rating below!

Hope you all love this recipe as much as I do! It sure has become a staple in my household and I can’t wait for you to try.

Looking for more healthy lunch recipes? I’ve got you covered with these delicious quick and healthy meals right on my blog!

Stay tuned for more healthy recipes to come on Sip & Scone! Let’s make 2021 the healthiest and tastiest year yet 🙂

Take care,

Sip & Scone