Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with zesty citrus vinaigrette is a great healthy summer recipe that can be served with grilled salmon or chicken.
If you are tired of boring salads, you should check out this amazing sweet potato quinoa salad with avocado, arugula, and cherry tomatoes! It has a great flavor combination, and will be loved by any picky eater.
This salad is not just tasty and filling but also very nutritious! It has a good amount of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins. Perfect meal after your workout routine or just for lunch.
Like in my Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, for the dressing, I love to use my Citrus Vinaigrette or Lemon Salad Dressing. It gives very light zesty notes to compliment the dish.
What is Quinoa?
Despite many people calling quinoa a grain, it is actually a seed. It came to us thousands of years ago from the Andes mountains. It received the names “the gold of the Incas” and “the mother grain” for its nutritional value, because it has more protein than any other grain or seed.
Is Quinoa Gluten-Free?
Quinoa is a gluten-free seed and often recommended for a gluten-free diet as a great source of protein, dietary fiber, iron, and calcium. However, not all people agree with its “glute-free” status. The reason is quinoa contains a type of protein that can affect people with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. This is why many specialists recommend to buy quinoa from brands that are certified gluten-free.
Is Quinoa Paleo?
Because quinoa is not a grain but a seed, many people believe that it is paleo compliant. However, if you follow a strict paleo diet, you probably want to exclude this pseudo-grain from your diet. Despite all the benefits and nutritional value, this seed contains a high level of carbohydrate, which should be avoid in a paleo diet.
How to Cook Quinoa
Here is a quick tip for quinoa to water ratio: for one part quinoa use two parts water.
First, rinse ½ cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve, then put it together with 1 cup of water into a saucepan and add some salt. Bring it to boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium/low, cover with the lid and cook for about 10-15 minutes until fully cooked and the water in absorbed.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
Peel and dice a medium size sweet potato into 1×1 inch cubes, coat with a little bit of olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes, until soft and baked through.
How to make Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
Mix all the ingredients in a salad bowl: arugula, cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and pitted and diced avocado. Add Citrus Vinaigrette or Lemon Vinaigrette and mix again until combined.
Did you make this recipe?!? I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!
Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel and dice a medium size sweet potato into 1×1 inch cubes, coat with a little bit of olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes, until soft and baked through.
- Rinse ½ cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve, then put it together with 1 cup of water into a saucepan and add some salt. Bring it to boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium/low, cover with the lid and cook for about 10-15 minutes until fully cooked and the water in absorbed.
- To make the salad, mix all the ingredients in a salad bowl: arugula, cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and pitted and diced avocado. Add Citrus Vinaigrette or Lemon Vinaigrette and mix again until combined.
Notes
Nutrition
I think I drooled a little looking at this! Also, it’s funny. Every time I make something with quinoa, I google if it is gluten free!!
This looks so delicious and fresh! Quinoa is such a healthy grain, I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate it into our diet. We’ll definitely have to give this is a try.
I make almost similar kind of salad , only that i add avocados and onions (sometimes cucumbers) to the salad. I absolutely love the addition of rockets. Looks great!
Wow, what a beautiful, hearty dish! I don’t eat quinoa nearly enough, but I would definitely eat it more often like this. I love that you keep it simple, yet still very nutritious
Oh, I love quinoa and the idea of adding it to a salad. The quinoa makes it perfectly hearty, and I love the creamy addition of avocado.
This quinoa salad sounds delicious. It’s much more than a salad side– it’s almost a meal in itself. The sweet potatoes is a nice addition and the citrus vinaigrette adds to the fresh taste. A real winner!!
What a gorgeous salad idea! These healthy ingredients are absolutely calling to me! So perfect for the season, and I love that it’s also vegetarian!
This looks incredibly good! I love all the ingredients in this, its a win with me for sure!
Salads like this are just so good! Perfect for this time of the year and I love how easy to make this is. Perfect!
I made a quinoa salad this past weekend for Father’s Day. This version sounds delicious too. You could make a meal out of this…and that is how I would eat it for sure.
Vegan fellow here! 🙂 I will try out your recipe, i am sure it will taste great! I love avocados!
Quinoa is my FAVORITE way to bulk up a salad! I love the nutty flavor and the way it fills me up and fuels me through the day. Can’t wait to try this one! Thanks for sharing!