Carrot Salad with Crispy Quinoa
sandravalvassori.com
Filled with flavors and textures—from sweet to savory and crisp to creamy—this Carrot Salad with Crispy Quinoa is deliciously complex, rich in protein and fiber, and make-ahead friendly.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the quinoa
- 3/4 cup (135g) quinoa (not cooked, rinsed well)
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) water
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the dressing
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 pound carrots, scrubbed clean and grated
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
- 3 cups lightly packed spinach and/or arugula, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons each of chopped fresh mint and parsley, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds or pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 4 ounces feta, crumbled
Instructions
- In a small saucepan bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to low, give it a stir and cover the pot (see note #1). Cook for 13 minutes, remove from heat (without lifting lid!) and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork then transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Using a spatula spread it out into an even layer and let it dry and cool for about 10 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooling, preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Drizzle the cooled quinoa with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat, then spread out to an even layer again, doing your best to ensure the grains are not mounded on top of each other (the thinner the layer, the crispier the quinoa will get). Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until brown and crispy.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the shallot, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, cumin, salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly pour in the oil.
- Add the carrots, chickpeas, spinach and/or arugula, chopped fresh herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; stir until evenly coated. Top salad with crispy quinoa, toasted nuts, dried cherries, and feta; gently toss again to combine. Garnish with additional fresh herbs, if desired. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Heat must be on low, not medium-low: Because we are cooking the quinoa with less water, it is very important to cook it over very low heat. Make sure it is on low and not medium low.
- Rinse the quinoa: Quinoa grains (or seeds) are naturally coated with saponin which if not rinsed, can taste bitter. Most quinoa is now sold pre-rinsed but I still like to give it a rinse for good measure.
- Don’t bother with peeling the carrots: Unless for some reason the skin on my carrots is looking very gnarly, I rarely peel them. Especially since the carrots will be grated and you won't notice any peel. Just give them a good scrub and that's it.
- Toast the nuts: You can buy already roasted nuts but if you are using raw nuts, make sure to toast them in a skillet or oven until fragrant and toasty. This will enhance their flavor and texture, bringing out a deeper nuttiness and providing more crunch. If nut allergy is a concern, use pepitas or sunflower seeds.
- To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
- General note: The 1 hour of cooking time for this recipe is based on the assumption you will be cooking the quinoa, than baking it. If you already have cooked quinoa on hand, or you have crispy quinoa on hand, this salad will take only 15-20 minutes to come together.