This Strawberry and Spinach Quinoa Salad is an easy and healthy recipe made with only 6 clean, real food ingredients. It's the perfect plant-based salad or side dish that can be made with leftover quinoa and can be ready to enjoy in about 5 minutes!
Here's Why This Recipe Works
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- Uses Fresh Or Leftover Quinoa - There are three different ways to prepare the quinoa!
- Ready In As Little As 5 Minutes - If you take advantage of using leftover quinoa, you can have this salad ready to enjoy in about 5 minutes!
- Made With Clean, Real Food Ingredients - Nutrient-dense ingredients such as quinoa, strawberries, baby spinach, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, and Himalayan pink salt.
You can feel good about making my healthy plant-based recipe because it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and oil-free.
How To Make This Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
Here I'll show you how to make this recipe and just how easy it is with step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1: Prepare The Quinoa
Firstly, you will need (1) cup of cooked quinoa for this recipe and there are three different options to use:
- Leftover Quinoa - If you have at least (1) cup of cooked quinoa leftover from another recipe, you can have this recipe prepared in about 5 minutes
- Stove-Top Method - Make a fresh batch of quinoa on the stovetop by adding (2) cups of filtered/purified water + (1) cup of quinoa to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid, then let simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
- Instant Pot Method - Another option to make a fresh batch by adding 2 ½ cups of filtered/purified water + (2) cups of quinoa to your Instant Pot. Use these settings: HIGH PRESSURE --> PRESSURE COOK --> 5 MINUTES --> with VENT CLOSED. After the quinoa has cooked for 5 minutes, allow the pressure to release naturally (leave it untouched) ---> 15 MINUTES. Carefully turn the vent to the OPEN position, remove the lid and fluff the quinoa before using.
Step 2: Add All Ingredients Together
Secondly, once you have (1) cup of cooked quinoa, add it to a medium-size mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients for the recipe.
Gently toss everything together until it's evenly distributed and well combined.
Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Step 3: Divide And Serve
Lastly, divide the salad mixture evenly between your serving dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind Of Quinoa Can I Use?
Any variety of quinoa will work! Here are some you could choose from:
- Tri-Color - aka Rainbow Quinoa (my favorite!)
- White Quinoa
- Red Quinoa
- Black Quinoa
What Other Toppings Could I Use?
I added the walnuts to give the recipe a little bit of healthy fat, but you could also use chopped pecans, slivered almonds, hemp seeds, or even sesame seeds which would give the salad a little crunch.
Can I Make Quinoa In An Instant Pot?
Yes! And it's really easy to do.
- Add (2) cups of quinoa + (2 ½) cups filtered/purified water to your Instant Pot. Close the lid and make sure the vent is in the "CLOSED" position.
- Use these settings: HIGH PRESSURE --> PRESSURE COOK --> 5 MINUTES
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15 MINUTES (do not touch the vent or attempt to remove the lid)
- After 15 minutes, carefully turn the vent to the "OPEN" position and remove the lid
- Fluff the quinoa and store in an air-tight BPA-free container or use immediately
Can I Use Cold Quinoa?
Yes! This salad is actually good using either chilled quinoa (straight from the refrigerator) or warmed (straight from the stovetop or Instant Pot).
Want More Healthy Gluten-Free Vegan Salad Recipes?
Check out these:
- Raw Stuffed Kale Leaves with Mint Cashew Aioli
- Vegan Cauliflower "Potato" Salad
- Chickpea Apple Pecan Salad
- or my CLEAN EATING Cookbook with 75+ plant-based recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
Did You Make This Recipe?
I'd love to hear about it! Please give it a rating and leave a comment below...it would make my day! 🙂
Strawberry and Spinach Quinoa Salad with Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic quinoa (cooked)
- ½ cup organic strawberries (sliced)
- ½ cup organic baby spinach (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons organic balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon organic walnuts (chopped)
- 1 pinch Himalayan pink salt
Instructions
Prepare the quinoa:
- Whichever method you use, you will need (1) cup cooked for this recipe.
- Option 1: Use leftover quinoa.
- Option 2 - Stove-Top Method: Add (2) cups of filtered/purified water + (1) cup quinoa to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid, then let simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork before adding to the recipe.
- Option 3- Instant Pot Method: Add 2 ½ cups of filtered/purified water + (2) cups of quinoa to your Instant Pot. Using these settings: HIGH PRESSURE --> PRESSURE COOK --> 5 MINUTES --> with VENT CLOSED. After the quinoa has cooked for 5 minutes, allow the pressure to release naturally (leave it untouched) ---> for 15 MINUTES. Carefully turn the vent to the OPEN position, remove the lid, and fluff the quinoa before using.
Assembly:
- Add all ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl and gently toss until everything is mixed well and evenly distributed.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your prefrence.
- Divide evenly between 2 serving dishes.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
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