Arugula and Quinoa Salad

By: Merritt Taylor

If you like quinoa, then you will love this salad. Toasted quinoa paired with arugula, maple almonds and soft goat cheese is a delicious combination. This quinoa arugula salad is an easy and tasty dish that will brighten any table.

One of my favorite salad bases is always arugula. It is a lightly spicy green that pairs with so many different add ins. Paired with toasted quinoa, arugula is mellow, crunchy, and so delicious. This post will walk you through how to make quinoa, toast it to perfection, and what to combine it with to make a great salad.

You will love this arugula quinoa salad for so many reasons. The quinoa makes this salad hearty and robust. By putting quinoa into your salad, it will be more filling and very much full of flavor. The maple toasted almonds are a sweet and crunchy addition that adds extra tasty notes that are made even better by the goat cheese!

Common Questions for Arugula Salad with Quinoa

What Kind of Arugula Do I Need?

• Baby arugula is the best flavor for this salad. There is green and red arugula salad that are both found in the produce section of most grocery stores. If you can not find arugula, baby spinach is a great substitute for arugula.

• You can check out my other arugula salad that uses spinach with arugula!

What Kind of Quinoa to Use for Arugula and Quinoa Salad?

• Quinoa comes in many varieties. You can find white, red, tricolor, and black quinoa as the most common. White quinoa is usually the most mild in flavor though any variety will do for this salad.

• Since the quinoa is cooked in stock, it will add umami flavor and mellow the flavor of the grain so do not worry too much about what kind of quinoa you grab!

What Kind of Dressing Does Quinoa Arugula Salad Use?

• This salad uses a simple salad dressing that combines lemon, basil, mustard, and olive oil. You can add a lot to your salad dressing. If you are feeling sweet, add a little honey or maple syrup. You can also switch up the vinegar you use by trying white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar. Water (about 2 Tbs) will mellow out the salad dressing if you want to decrease the acidity and have a lighter flavor.

• You can also check out my other salad recipes to pick and choose which dressing you like!

What Can I Add to Quinoa and Arugula Salad?

• This salad has great flavor and goes with so many different pairings! You can add in different proteins to this salad for a complete meal. Flank steak in soy marinade is my go-to pairing for most of my salads. If you do not like steak, try chicken breast of even tofu!

• You can also add in fun crunchy bits like sunflower seeds, wonton strips, or toasted croutons. Though the quinoa is toasted and adds crunch, more crunch is always a good idea.

• Try swapping the cheeses out in this salad! Instead of goat cheese, try cheddar or parmesan. Both add saltiness and are so good.

• Instead of green onion, try using shallot or even just a tiny bit of red onion.

What does Quinoa and Arugula Salad Go With?

• This salad goes with so many different dishes. I have listed a few of my favorites below:

• Try serving this dish with chicken and parmesan pasta. It is a simple pasta dish that would great with this arugula and quinoa salad!

• Gluten Free Meatloaf goes great with a good salad. Serving salad with meatloaf helps lighten the dinner while creating a complete meal.

• Though maybe non traditional, serving this salad with some buckwheat crackers is always a fun way to add crunch! My recipe for gluten free buckwheat crackers pairs everything bagel seasoning and seeds for a truly delicious pairing.

How To Store Leftover Quinoa and Arugula Salad?

• Leftover quinoa makes great grain bowls and can last in your fridge for about a week.

• If you have leftover dressed salad, it will last in the fridge for about 2 days. You can add fresh arugula to brighten up leftover salad and it will taste almost as good as the day you made it.

• Leftover dressing can be served with other salads and keeps great in a sealed container in fridge.

Ingredients For Arugula and Quinoa Salad

Recipe: Serves 4

• 3 cups arugula
• 2 tsp olive oil, for roasting
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups veg stock
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 Tbs Maple Syrup
• 2 tsp olive oil or butter for the almonds
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• 1 green onion stalk

Recipe: Salad Dressing

• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp mustard of choice
• 1/2-2/3 cup olive oil
• Pinch of dried basil or herb of choice.
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

How To Make Quinoa and Arugula Salad:

1. Prepare the Quinoa

   1. Add one cup of quinoa and approximately 2 cups of stock to a rice cooker.

   2. Set the cooker to either white or brown rice setting and allow the quinoa to cook.

   3. While the quinoa is cooking, chop up the green onion and separate the white from the greens.

   4. Once the quinoa is done, pre-heat the oven to 325 F. Use convection if you have that function.

   5. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a cookie sheet. Toss with the green onion whites and 1 Tbs of olive oil.

   6. Toast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until crispy and dried. Check the quinoa every 5 minutes or so, giving it a stir.

   7. Remove the quinoa to cool.

2. Toast the Almonds

   1. This step can also be done while the quinoa is cooking. Over medium heat, add the almonds.

   2. Add the maple syrup, salt, and oil of choice. Stir until all the almonds are coated.

   3. Continue to cook until the almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 6-7 minutes.

   4. Remove from the heat to cool.

3. Prepare the Dressing and the Salad.

   1. To a small bowl or dressing container, add all the ingredients for the dressing. Shake or stir vigorously until well combined. Set aside until needed.

   2. To a large salad bowl, add arugula, toasted quinoa, green onion tops, almonds, and goat cheese. Add salad dressing to taste and toss to combine.

   3. Top with salt and pepper and enjoy!

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Arugula Quinoa Salad with Maple Almonds

Yield: 4

Author: Merritt Taylor

Prep Time: 10 MinCook Time: 35 MinCool Time: 5 MinTotal time: 50 Min

This easy and delicious salad combines toasted quinoa, arugula, and some scrumptious toppings for a healthy and filling salad recipe.

Ingredients

Recipe: Arugula and Quinoa Salad

• 3 cups arugula
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups veg stock
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 Tbs Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbs salted butter
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• 1 green onion stalk

Recipe: Salad Dressing

• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp mustard of choice
• 1/2- 2/3 cup olive oil
• Pinch of dried basil or herb of choice.
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

How to Make Arugula and Quinoa Salad

1. Add one cup of quinoa and approximately 2 cups of stock to a rice cooker.
2. Set the cooker to either white or brown rice setting and allow the quinoa to cook.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, chop up the green onion and separate the white from the greens.
4. Once the quinoa is done, pre-heat the oven to 325 F. Use convection if you have that function.
5. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a cookie sheet. Toss with the green onion whites and 1 Tbs of olive oil.
6. Toast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until crispy and dried. Check the quinoa every 5 minutes or so, giving it a stir.
7. Remove the quinoa to cool.
8. This step can also be done while the quinoa is cooking. Over medium heat, add the almonds.
9. Add the maple syrup, salt, and butter. Stir until all the almonds are coated.
10. Continue to cook until the almonds are toasted and fragrant, about 6-7 minutes.
11. Remove from the heat to cool.
12. To a small bowl or dressing container, add all the ingredients for the dressing. Shake or stir vigorously until well combined. Set aside until needed.
13. To a large salad bowl, add arugula, toasted quinoa, green onion tops, almonds, and goat cheese. Add salad dressing to taste and toss to combine.
14. Top with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

632

Fat

43 g

Carbs

51 g

Protein

15 g

Cholesterol

14 mg

Note: Nutritional information is an estimate only. Exact values will vary based on specific ingredients used.

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