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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing

35 min

Main

Salad
This salad is a light and fresh meal idea, which is just perfect for the hot summer months. Delicious enjoyed both warm or cold, as a side or main dish.

Servings

Total

35 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

25 min

Contains

Soy symbol

soy

Sesame symbol

sesame

Swap out

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Gluten symbol

gluten

Free from

Peanut symbol

peanut

Ingredients

Roasted garlic

  • 1
    head garlic
  • 1 tsp (5 mL)
    olive oil

Salad

  • ¾ cup (128 g)
    uncooked quinoa
  • 1½ cups (360 mL)
    water
  • 1
    red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1
    yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1
    medium tomato, chopped
  • 1
    stalk green onion, thinly sliced
  • ⅓
    cucumber, diced
  • ¼ cup (40 g)
    dried cranberries, chopped
  • ¼ cup (34 g)
    kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1 cup (164 g)
    cooked chickpeas
  • ⅓ cup (46 g)
    roasted unsalted almonds, chopped (optional)

Dressing

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Cut the top ½ cm off the head of garlic to expose the cloves, and place it on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil and roast for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden and softened.
  2. Meanwhile, add the quinoa and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Then remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and keep covered for an extra couple of minutes to further soften the grains.
  3. Meanwhile, prep the veggies, cranberries and olives. Transfer to a large bowl, along with the cooked quinoa and chickpeas. Toss to combine.
  4. Remove the roasted cloves of garlic from the skin and place in a bowl, mash with a fork, and then add the remaining dressing ingredients. Stir.
  5. Pour dressing over the salad and toss. Top with the roasted almonds, and enjoy!

Storage

  • Store the salad and dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Plate method

The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.

Grains & Starches 28%

• uncooked quinoa

Proteins 18%

• cooked chickpeas

• roasted unsalted almonds

• tahini

Fruits & Veggies 54%

• head garlic

• red bell pepper

• yellow bell pepper

• medium tomato

• stalk green onion

• cucumber

• dried cranberries

• kalamata olive

• lemon

Calcium
No significant sources of calcium
Fat

• olive oil

• kalamata olive

• roasted unsalted almonds

• extra virgin olive oil

• tahini

Nutrition info

We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.

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Discussion & Rating

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Jen - June 28, 2023, 6:30 p.m.

Amazing dressing! I use it on everything! Just an FYI, the recipe doesn’t show a head of garlic in the ingredients list:)

PUL Team - June 29, 2023, 9:46 p.m.

Hey Jen! Can you see the head of garlic under the "Roasted garlic" heading? We see it on our ends 🤗

Reply
Shalon - June 15, 2023, 12:47 a.m.

Wow, this dish is delicious! The directions were easy to follow and I was able to find all of the ingredients at middle eastern market in my neighborhood. I’m excited to try other recipes and will definitely make this salad again.

Thank you❣️

PUL Team - June 15, 2023, 2:39 a.m.

Super happy to hear, Shalon - thank you! 😃

Reply
Aleev - May 6, 2023, 10:52 p.m.

This is such a good salad, especially the addition of roasted almonds. Didn’t have any quinoa so I made it with brown rice. Definitely going to make it again

Reply
Liz C - April 12, 2023, 5:57 a.m.

This was delicious!!! I didn’t find the garlic overwhelming at all (even to my breath :)). I brought it to a potluck and it was a hit.

PUL Team - April 13, 2023, 12:15 a.m.

So happy to hear, Liz, thank you 😃

Reply
KT - Oct. 24, 2022, 4:01 a.m.

So. Good.

I made this as meal prep for weekday lunches. I omitted the cucumber, olives, and tomatoes to prevent the salad from getting soggy, then added them right before lunch each day. So delicious and filling!

PUL Team - Oct. 25, 2022, 6:47 a.m.

A lovely idea, KT, and we're so glad the salad was enjoyed!

Reply
Ana - Aug. 6, 2022, 12:58 p.m.

Love this. Best way to prep and cook quinoa?

PUL Team - Aug. 6, 2022, 7:16 p.m.

Hey there, Ana, thank you! There are many ways, but one includes rinsing one part quinoa, adding it to a saucepan with two parts water, bringing it to a boil, reducing it to a simmer, and then covering it to let it cook. Usually, one cup of quinoa takes around 15 minutes to cook. Other methods may include using a rice cooker. It's always best to check the package instructions first though, as liquid and cooking times can vary :)

Ana - Aug. 16, 2022, 1:54 p.m.

Hi. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and help me out! Have a great day!!

Reply
Kasumi - June 17, 2022, 8:33 a.m.

I love the recipe! But we have to stop making it since my son is allergic to sesame :-/ Do you have an idea for a swap? <3

PUL Team - June 19, 2022, 2:04 a.m.

Hey Kasumi! You could omit it or experiment with an alternative nut or seed butter such as sunflower seed butter, cashew butter or almond butter 🙂

Reply
DIY - May 9, 2022, 7:31 p.m.

Love the recipe. refreshing, easy, and filling. I did it with red quinoa.
Is there a difference between white and red?

PUL Team - May 9, 2022, 9:50 p.m.

So glad it was enjoyed, DIY! Both red and white quinoa make for nourishing choices although red quinoa tends to be a bit nuttier and heavier than white. Since white quinoa is a bit of a lighter texture it also tends to cook faster 🙂

Reply
Saurabh - Feb. 20, 2022, 11:33 a.m.

Hi Sadia! I don't have an oven. I know it's not the same, but is there a way I can still make this recipe?

PUL Team - Feb. 20, 2022, 9:38 p.m.

Hey Saurabh, the oven in this one just serves to roast the garlic. You can roast it on the stove-top instead by adding peeled garlic cloves to a skillet on medium heat with some oil and cook it until it's softened. The more oil added the more golden it will get. Just be sure to stir it occasionally and keep a close eye so it doesn't burn. We hope you enjoy the recipe if you're able to give it a try 😊

Reply
Dylan - Aug. 26, 2021, 2:47 a.m.

This has been a staple for me. I usually like to do a baked tofu that I marinade overnight before hand with this. This is a really good meal prep option that I have done. I think I share other peoples concern with the garlic dressing. I have found that the taste is there and it works with the salad though I worry about the garlic breath. I have done other dressings with this salad as it is pretty versatile. I even like eating this with crackers like it were a dip as well. Great recipe. One of my favorites. Cheers.

PUL Team - Aug. 28, 2021, 6:41 p.m.

So glad you're enjoying this one, Dylan! It's one of our favourites too 😍

Reply
Aleksandra Jonczak - Aug. 3, 2021, 4:49 a.m.

Just made this and it's wonderful! So easy, so healthy and so filling! I added a carrot and some celery as well. You can put really any leftover veggies in this salad and it will turn out amazing.

PUL Team - Aug. 5, 2021, 4:13 a.m.

Love the idea to add some carrots and celery! Thanks, Aleksandra :)

Reply
Monica - Aug. 1, 2021, 12:31 a.m.

This is a really fresh salad and it tastes great. I almost always use lettuce in salads so this was a nice change. For me, the dressing was just a little bit too much effort for the pay off- it was good but not better than lemon and olive oil, which is much easier to make. Plus I like to make this to take to work, and the dressing has too much garlic for me to be comfortable talking to people after.

PUL Team - Aug. 4, 2021, 5:08 a.m.

Hi Monica, thanks for sharing the honest review! Super valuable to help us improve. We hope you enjoy the recipe (on a non-work day 😛) if you make it again, although feel free to use less garlic if desired to help with that ☺️

Reply
Sabine - July 24, 2021, 6:21 p.m.

Love this salad! I always make this recipe the day before my exam week starts, so I don't have to stress about dinner for an entire week and still eat healthy (which is very challenging for me when I'm stressed)!
I keep this I my fridge with a bag of leafy greens like spinach and then mix it with this salad + the AMAZING garlic dressing.

PUL Team - July 25, 2021, 11:50 p.m.

Aw so incredible you're able to meal prep before exams, Sabine! Thank you for taking the time to share. All the best with your studies ✨📚

Reply
Maria - July 13, 2021, 1 p.m.

I've made this recipe multiple times for my whole family and we all love it! It's so easy and flavorful and just is great any time of the year. We're Italian so we all love garlic, so I tend to use all of the garlic recommended! If you are more used to a more sweet dressing, pull back on the lemon and garlic. I personally like the intense dressing, I think it makes it so fresh tasting. :)

PUL Team - July 18, 2021, 12:21 a.m.

Oh, Maria, thanks a bunch for the lovely review - it means so much!

Reply
Catharina - July 12, 2021, 9:31 p.m.

I love this website! My partner and I use recipes from here daily. This recipe was great, however, my dressing didn't turn out. The lemon flavour was so intense we couldn't taste any garlic. In fact, it completely overpowered the salad. I checked and I put the correct amount of lemon in, 2 lemons. Any advice to improve the dressing?

PUL Team - July 16, 2021, 1:34 a.m.

We're so grateful to hear you're enjoying the new website, Catharina! How disappointing about the salad dressing. Adding a bit of sugar or perhaps even the slightest amount of baking soda may help counteract the acidic taste to salvage it. We'd suggest using medium-sized lemons if possible next time if yours were larger? Let us know how it goes ✨

Reply
Jaspreet Jawandha - July 9, 2021, 4:18 a.m.

Another one of my regular meals from PUL. I use the sauce for other recipes also. So much to learn from your videos beyond the recipe itself. Thanks Sadia.

Reply
Agate - July 9, 2021, 1:03 a.m.

We make this recipe regularly :) But we typically add extra cranberries and use a bit less quinoa

Reply
Angeliki Tsioli - May 15, 2021, 8:48 p.m.

Hi Sadia!
Do you really use all the cloves of the garlic head in this dressing? Or do you keep some cloves for another salad, another day?
I made this salad with some swaps (soya beans instead of chickpeas, vegetables that I had in the fridge, etc) and I used half of the roasted cloves. In your video, I have the impression you don't use the whole head. And I can say the dressing is the king of this salad!
Better put, dressings are always the kings of each salad. Or the queens?!
Cheers!

PUL Team - May 16, 2021, 12:44 a.m.

Hey Angeliki, so glad you enjoyed the salad! Hehe a crown for the dressing 👑

We indeed did use the whole head, which can totally seem like a lot! Since the garlic is roasted, it kind of gets caramelized which reduces the flavour intensity by making it a bit sweeter. Feel free to stick to half if desired though :)

Angeliki Tsioli - May 16, 2021, 12:50 a.m.

Thank you for the reply!
I also wanted to congratulate on the new website, since it is finally possible to comment directly a specific recipe (in the old one the comments were all mixed up somehow) !

PUL Team - May 16, 2021, 12:55 a.m.

Our pleasure 😃 We also appreciate this so much, Angeliki! We're happy the comments are more organized now too!

Reply