Warm Quinoa Root Salad (Printable)
A hearty salad with warm quinoa and caramelized root vegetables for a cozy, flavorful meal.
# What's Needed:
→ Quinoa
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water
→ Roasted Root Vegetables
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
05 - 2 medium beets, peeled and diced
06 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
→ Salad Additions
12 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
13 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
→ Dressing
15 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
17 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
18 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
19 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss carrots, parsnips, beets, and sweet potato with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary until fully coated. Spread vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet.
02 - Roast the vegetables for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until tender and golden brown.
03 - Meanwhile, combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
05 - In a large bowl, combine warm quinoa, roasted vegetables, toasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped parsley. Drizzle dressing over and toss gently to combine.
06 - Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese if desired and serve warm.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under an hour, making weeknight dinner feel special without the stress.
- The roasted vegetables caramelize into something almost sweet, which somehow makes this feel like comfort food rather than a health-conscious choice.
- Leftovers actually taste better the next day when the dressing has time to soak in, so you're building tomorrow's lunch while cooking dinner.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the quinoa or it can taste slightly bitter and coating your mouth; this one small step makes a real difference in the final bite.
- The vegetables must be cut roughly the same size so they finish roasting together, otherwise you'll have some sad undercooked beets and burnt carrot edges.
- Dress the salad while everything is warm so the flavors absorb instead of sitting on top, and the warmth helps the oil emulsify into the vinegar.
03 -
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top right before serving adds brightness that the apple cider vinegar alone can't quite capture, making it taste like something's woken up on your plate.
- This salad is forgiving enough to swap in whatever root vegetables you have on hand or what's seasonal, as long as you cut everything to the same size and roast until caramelized.