Your search for the ultimate salad is over—in my humble opinion. This beauty has all the fancy-pants elements you love in a single, extraordinary bowl of goodness!

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The BEST tasting salad I have made in a while. Perfectly balanced and the pistachios provide an awesome crunch!!
Will be on repeat!!

Heather
(5 stars) 8 ratings
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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s a texture party: Crunchy veggies and pistachios, juicy tomatoes, and creamy Parm keep every bite interesting.
  • Herb-filled energy: Basil and mint bring serious freshness—don’t be shy, pile them on!
  • Lemon + vinegar = zing city: The tangy vinaigrette wakes everything up, and might become your new go-to. But feel free to use any favorite dressing.
  • Leftovers you’ll actually crave: The flavors deepen in the fridge and the salad condenses, making tomorrow’s lunch DELISH. I typically mix in a few handfuls of leafy greens to puff up the volume.
Step 1: Cook quinoa in broth. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and stash in fridge to slightly chill.
Step 2: In a large salad bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and salt. Whisk until well-combined.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and chilled quinoa. Mix everything together.
Step 4: Right before serving, toss in the arugula, basil, mint, Parmesan, and pistachios.

This is not your average quinoa salad. It’s herby, punchy, crunchy, and straight-up addictive! We’re talking fluffy quinoa tossed in a zippy lemony-red wine vinaigrette, layered with sweet cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, buttery pistachios, looooads of fresh herbs, peppery greens, and delicious ribbons of Parmesan. It’s got that magic combo of feel-good ingredients and bold flavors that make you want seconds (and thirds)!

How this recipe was born

I have a hydroponic garden in my basement, and it was overflowing with herbs—basil, mint, parsley, cilantro, you name it! While I usually whip up a pesto or toss them into spa water like a total herb-nerd, I was craving a satisfying salad with all the fresh things. So I grabbed some leftover quinoa from the fridge, threw in a lemony vinaigrette, tossed in a mountain of herbs, crunchy pistachios, parm, some chopped cucumber and tomatoes I had hanging around in my fridge—and voilà. This flavor-packed beauty was born. Now I can’t stop making it—and the kids request it over and over again!

It’s a chop-and-toss situation, packed with gorgeous, nourishing, and hydrating ingredients that will treat your taste buds right. It’s one of those recipes that’ll wow the crowd at parties, picnics, barbecues, and endless celebrations!

If you’ll looking for more action-packed salads to add to your repertoire, check out my Summer Cucumber Salad with Fresh Herbs—think cool, crunchy, and perfect for hot days or when you’re craving something light and crisp. My Bruschetta Pasta Salad is what happens when your favorite appetizer becomes a legit meal that’s packed with juicy tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and pasta goodness in every forkful. And if you’re still riding the quinoa train (same!! always!!), this Quinoa-Chickpea Tabbouleh is terrific and I love this vegetarian Tex-Mex Quinoa Bake!

Try this Superfood Salad!

(5 stars) 8 ratings

Quinoa Salad with Parm & Pistachios

This salad has all the fancy-pants elements you love and crave in a single, extraordinary bowl of goodness!
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients
 

SALAD

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa*, rinsed
  • 2 cups broth*
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • ½ English cucumber, chopped
  • 2 to 3 handfuls arugula or mixed greens
  • 1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup shell-off pistachio nuts, roasted or raw
  • ½ cup shaved Parmesan

DRESSING

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredient Details to Know
*This yields approximately 3 cups of cooked quinoa. If using a specific brand, follow the package instructions, as cooking methods may vary.

Instructions
 

  • Add the quinoa and broth to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for ~10 to 15 minutes until the broth is absorbed. Once the broth is absorbed, cover with lid, and take off heat to steam for 5 minutes. (Note: If you're using packaged quinoa, be sure to follow the cooking instructions on your specific brand—liquid amounts can vary.) Fluff with a fork and stash in fridge to slightly chill. You’ll have about 3 cups cooked quinoa.
  • In a large salad bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and salt. Whisk until well-combined. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and chilled quinoa. Mix everything together.
  • Right before serving, toss in the arugula, basil, mint, Parmesan, and pistachios. Taste and season with extra lemon juice, salt and ground black pepper.

Notes

• Greens: If you love arugula, great. If not, feel free to swap in a spring mix, mixed greens or even chopped romaine. Anything goes—you’re the boss of your toss. 
• Herbs: You can swap in parsley or cilantro for the mint or basil.
• Veggies: You can add chopped bell pepper, corn, red onion, really anything goes. You can even add chickpeas.
• Quinoa: This is a great salad to use up leftover quinoa you have in your fridge. Any color will work! You can use 3 cups of leftover cooked quinoa with any seasoning. You can also swap 3 cups of cooked farro for the quinoa. For foolproof, fluffy quinoa every time: bring one part quinoa to two parts water (or broth) to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about ~10-15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for ~5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to absorb the remaining liquid. Fluff with a fork and voilà, you’ll have perfect light and fluffy quinoa! Of course, if you’re using a specific brand, follow the instructions on the package for the liquid amount and cook time—they know their quinoa best. 
• Cheese: You can use feta if you prefer. Or, omit completely for vegan dish.
• Dressing: I recommend tasting after mixing everything with the dressing and adding extra lemon juice, salt, and pepper to adjust for personal preference. You can swap in apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar if you prefer and add lemon zest to bolden the lemon flavor. Of course, you can also use any other favorite dressing you prefer! 
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1 servingCalories: 300Carbohydrates: 25gProtein: 11gTotal Fat: 19g— Unsaturated Fat: 15.5g— Saturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 490mgPotassium: 465mgFiber: 4gTotal Sugar: 3g— Natural Sugar: 3g— Added Sugar: 0gVitamin C: 14mgIron: 2.5mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe! If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!