Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad

5 from 4 votes

Enjoy a bold, flavorful, and nutrient-dense roasted beet and quinoa salad with a bright vinaigrette for a simple and satisfying, make-ahead-friendly side or main!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time1 25

Course: Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: to 6

Calories: 699kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of uncooked raw quinoa
2 pounds of beets, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
½ teaspoon of salt
½ tablespoon of sugar
5 ounces of mixed greens
1 to 2 cups of your choice of nuts or seeds

Dressing

2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
¼ cup of parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
Using a fine strainer, wash the raw quinoa thoroughly to remove the bitter flavor. Cook according to package instructions. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the beets.
Place the beets on the baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle the salt and sugar. Mix and spread them in a single layer. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes. Carefully lift the aluminum foil and remove one of the chunks of beet. Taste to see if it’s tender. Add more time accordingly to reach a soft texture. Once they are fully cooked, remove the aluminum foil and broil for 2 to 5 minutes or until a light charred texture is achieved. Remove from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack.
Once the quinoa and beets are ready and cooling down, make the dressing.
In a jar with a lid add the olive oil, water, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dijon mustard, and parsley. Tightly close the jar with the lid and shake for 10 to 20 seconds. Set aside.
In a large salad bowl, add the quinoa and beets. Add ½ of the dressing and mix well. If the quinoa is still warm, place the bowl in the refrigerator until chilled, otherwise, add the arugula and nuts/seeds, and toss to mix.
Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Notes

Rinse the quinoa: This will remove the natural saponin coating, which can cause the quinoa to taste bitter (and even soap-like) if not rinsed thoroughly.

Be careful handling beets: They stain, so it’s a good idea to wear gloves and rinse your cutting board/kitchen tools immediately after use to avoid staining.

Leave it to rest: For the best flavor, make the dressing early on so the flavors can meld. After tossing the salad with the dressing, leave it to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

When to add the dressing: We recommend adding half the dressing to the quinoa while it’s still slightly warm, as it absorbs it more, for better flavor.

Nutrition