Quinoa Beet Salad with Dill & Mustard Seed Dressing
Simple to make, this quinoa beet salad works well as a main salad or as a side dish. Crunchy carrot, vibrant greens, and aromatic herbs give the salad a fresh finish yet it still holds it's own as a make-ahead picnic salad.
Servings: 4 -6 servings as a side salad
Calories: 188kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large raw beetroot peeled
- 1 large carrot peeled
- ½ cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 cup frozen edamame beans you can use ordinary green peas, fava beans or even green beans
- 2 tablespoons fresh or dry dill add more or less according to taste
- 1 teaspoon of fresh or dry mint adjust more or less according to taste
- 2 big handfuls of baby spinach you can use kale or arugula - see notes
Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- A squeeze of lemon juice - about 1/2 small lemon
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds lightly toasted
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: If you haven't cooked quinoa before, the packet will have instructions but we have included instructions in the notes for your reference. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- Quickly blanch the edamame beans in boiling water - don't overcook (do the same if using peas, fava, or green beans). Run under cold water to stop them cooking and pop the beans from their shell.
- Lightly toast the mustard seeds in a non-stick pan. I like to give them a slight crush (not to powder but just to crack the shell) in a mortar and pestle after toasting, but this is a personal preference and not necessary.
- Chop the fresh dill and mint if using fresh.
- Prepare the beetroot & carrot: Peel both the beetroot and carrot and either grate, spiralize or julienne them. Julienne or spiralize is preferred as grating can make the veg a bit too fine and the salad mushy. I use a mandoline slicer, but you can use a julienne peeler, spiralizer or even a food processer with the appropriate disc attached - whatever works for you. If you're handy with a chefs knife - feel free to chop as you please. You can also buy packets of pre-shredded carrots and beetroot at the supermarket, but fresh is always best if you can. I find the beetroot especially is often very dry in those pre julienned packs.
- In a bowl, mix the carrot, beetroot, edamame beans, dill, mint, and quinoa. Reserve a little of the mint and dill to garnish at the end.
- Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic, crushed garlic, and lemon juice, then mix the mustard seeds through.
- Gently toss the salad mixing the dressing through a little at a time. Don't use more than you need if it doesn't require it. Some beets can be quite juicy so will not need as much dressing.
- Add some fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- If adding kale over baby spinach, now is the time to mix it through. Kale does well soaking in dressings for longer.
- If using baby spinach, I recommend adding it just before serving, so it doesn't get too soggy in the dressing. It also adds a fresh splash of green to the salad when added at the last minute. See notes about alternate greens.
- Garnish with remaining dill and mint and serve.
Notes
How to Cook Quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh colander.
- Use a 2:1 ration water to quinoa - in this recipe- 1/2 cup quinoa: 1 cup water.
- Combine the water and quinoa in a pot and bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cover the pot until all the water is absorbed.
- Depending on the quantity, this can take around 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, leaving the lid on and allow the quinoa to steam for a few minutes more. The quinoa seeds will pop open when they are at their fluffy best.
- Fluff with a fork and serve or cool for use later.
Alternate Ingredients
If you don't like dill, switch out with parsley or herb of your choice. If you don't have edamame beans, use either green peas, green beans, or fava beans. Fava is my preferred option. Blanch and cool as you would the edamame beans. Alternate baby spinach for kale, swiss chard, or arugula. Whatever alternate leafy green you use, make sure it is a robust dark green. Light lettuce leaves will not hold up to the beetroot. Try not to overwork the salad when mixing and dressing as the more you mix, the redder it will go and you will lose all your vibrant colours.Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 49mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g