Tricolor Quinoa Salad with pomegranate, walnuts and feta

This tricolor Quinoa Salad with pomegranate, walnuts and feta is bursting with flavor, texture and color and will delight both your senses and taste buds.

I must confess that I avoid food fads, or any fads for that matter, like the plague. That includes ‘superfoods’ like quinoa, chia and matcha…

When I finally cooked and ate quinoa myself I found to my utter amazement that I loved it. Subsequent exposure to a variety of Peruvian dishes containing quinoa made me realize how versatile it is.

I had been pondering what to do with my packet of Tricolor quinoa and this quinoa salad with mediteranean flavors of pomegranate, walnuts and feta turned out to be the perfect light lunch or dinner.

I made two portions, in the hope that I could persuade my friend at work to join me, since she is a diagnosed diabetic. However, I had forgotten that she had the day off 🙁 Another colleague came into my office while I was having lunch and had a taste.

She loved it so much she asked me to bring the second portion of tricolor quinoa salad for her lunch the following day! I was thrilled that she loved it as much as I did!

Top tips for making tricolor quinoa salad

• Pre-soak the quinoa seeds in hot water for 5 minutes to remove the bitter taste and smell.
• Rinse it thoroughly (3 times) until the water runs clear.
• Cook the quinoa according to package instructions, in vegetable stock instead of unseasoned water, to give it more flavor.
• Add the dressing to the warm cooked quinoa to help it absorb the flavors.
• Quinoa is very versatile and you can swap out the pomegranate, walnut and feta with chicken for a quinoa chicken salad.
• A lovely vegan option is quinoa salad with avocado, cranberries and spinach.
• If you don’t like sweetness then quinoa salad with vegetables (grilled or raw) is a good option too.

If tricolor quinoa salad with pomegranate, walnuts and feta is not your thing why don’t you check out these other summer salads.

• Crayfish salad with avocado, red cabbage and cucumber, 
• Chicken salad with cherry tomatoes, olives and artichokes
• Ultimate Summer Salad

Tricolor quinoa salad with pomegranate, walnuts and feta

This Tricolor quinoa salad with pomegranate, walnuts and feta is bursting with flavor, texture and color and will delight both your senses and taste buds.

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Servings: 2

Calories: 1037kcal

Author: Razena Schroeder

Ingredients

• 120 grams tricolor quinoa seeds (approximately 2/3 cup, covered and soaked in hot water for 5 minutes)
• 250 ml vegetable stock (water or stock per the package instructions for cooking)
• 1 lemon (grated rind and juice as required below)
• 15 ml pomegranate molasses
• 15 ml chili infused olive oil
• 5 ml lemon juice
• 250 ml salad leaves
• 2 small cucumbers (mine were approximately 12 cm long)
• 60 ml chopped spring onions
• 60 ml chopped parsley
• 60 ml coriander leaves (torn)
• 60 ml mint leaves (torn)
• 125 ml pomegranate seeds
• 125 ml toasted walnuts (chopped or roughly broken up)
• 50 grams feta (drained and crumbled)

Instructions

• Place the quinoa in a bowl and cover with hot water. Leave to soak for at least 5 minutes.
• Rinse at least three times and drain the water.
• Place the rinsed quinoa in small pot and cook in at least one cup of hot stock or hot water according to the package instructions.
• When the quinoa is cooked, drain any water remaining in the pot and allow it to sit in the hot pot for about 15 minutes to fluff up.
• Add the grated lemon rind, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and lemon juice to the warm quinoa and stir thoroughly to coat.
• Allow to cool completely before adding slice cucumbers, spring onions, parsley, mint and coriander.
• Mix together and add more lemon juice if required.
• Add two thirds of the pomegranate seeds, walnuts and feta and toss lightly to combine without smashing everything.
• Spoon the salad into a bowl and decorate with remaining pomegranate seeds, walnuts and feta and chill until required.

Notes

I have not added salt as the sour notes from the pomegranate and lemon juice were enough for me. Please add additional seasoning, as required.

Nutrition

Serving: 150g | Calories: 1037kcal (52%) | Carbohydrates: 106g (35%) | Protein: 35g (70%) | Fat: 60g (92%) | Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) | Cholesterol: 22mg (7%) | Sodium: 921mg (40%) | Potassium: 3217mg (92%) | Fiber: 21g (88%) | Sugar: 24g (27%) | Vitamin A: 7865IU (157%) | Vitamin C: 300.5mg (364%) | Calcium: 801mg (80%) | Iron: 23.3mg (129%)

Nutritional information for the recipe is an approximation and varies according to the ingredients and products used.

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This was first published on 16/11/2015 has since and been updated.