Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Feta — Filling, in 25 Minutes
Yvonne Ammann VegetarianRinse the quinoa under running water — or it tastes bitter — and cook in twice its volume of stock for 15 minutes, then steam covered for 5 and fluff. Once cool, toss with vegetables, avocado, feta and a lemon and olive oil dressing. Rinsing is the step everyone skips and then dislikes quinoa.
Quinoa salad is the salad that fills you up without meat: quinoa has more protein than almost any other grain, and with avocado and feta the bowl is a complete lunch. The reason many people dislike it is a bitter aftertaste — and that comes only from not washing the quinoa. One minute under the tap and the problem is gone.
Ingredients
- 250 g Quinoa
- 5 dl Vegetable stock
- 2 pieces Avocados (ripe)
- 250 g Cherry tomatoes
- 1 piece Cucumber
- 3 pieces Spring onions
- 150 g Feta
- ½ bunch Parsley
- 2 tbsp Pumpkin seeds (optional)
Dressing
- 1 piece Lemon
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Honey
- ½ tsp Salt
- Pepper
Method
- 1
Rinse the quinoa
Put the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under running water for a minute until the water runs clear. This removes the bitter saponins on the husk.
- 2
Cook
Bring the quinoa and stock to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Off the heat, leave covered 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and let cool uncovered.
- 3
Vegetables
Halve the tomatoes, deseed and dice the cucumber, slice the spring onions, chop the parsley, crumble the feta. Dice the avocado last and toss at once with a little lemon juice.
- 4
Dress and toss
Whisk the lemon juice with the olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Toss the quinoa with the vegetables, feta and dressing, fold in the avocado gently. Scatter with pumpkin seeds.
Tips
- For meal prep: quinoa, vegetables and dressing keep three days in the fridge. Add the avocado only on the day of eating — it browns and softens.
- Cook quinoa in bulk: 500 g makes four salads. Cooked, it keeps four days in the fridge and three months frozen.
- Red or black quinoa has more bite and looks prettier but needs 5 minutes longer. Mixed, it is sold at Migros and Coop as 'quinoa tricolore'.
What can I substitute?
Bulgur and couscous just steep; millet boils 20 minutes. All are cheaper than quinoa; only quinoa and millet are gluten-free.
Chickpeas make it vegan and just as filling. Chicken turns it into a meat dish for the evening.
When no ripe avocado is to be had. Sweet fruit with feta and lemon works especially well in summer.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my quinoa taste bitter?
Because of saponins, a natural bitter coating on the grain. It rinses off with water — one minute in a fine sieve under the tap. Some packs are 'pre-washed'; a second rinse still does no harm.
How much quinoa per person?
60 g raw per person as a main in a salad, 40 g as a side. It triples in volume when cooked. The ratio is always 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid.
Is quinoa salad a complete lunch?
Yes. Quinoa provides all the essential amino acids, avocado good fats, feta extra protein, vegetables the rest. One portion has about 20 g protein — as much as a small piece of meat.
How much does quinoa salad cost per person?
About 3.50 CHF per person. Quinoa itself costs about 8 CHF a kilo at Migros and Coop — dearer than rice, but 250 g serves four.
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