Quinoa and squash ribbon salad makes a perfect lunch, side dish or vegetarian main!
Summer squash!
We are knee deep in summer squash and I am loving it.
Bring on the loads of zucchini and yellow crookneck squash - I eat them a dozen different ways and keep going back for more.
Now, I know spiralizing zucchini and squash - and anything else we can get our hands on - has become quite the thing.
But I also know most people don’t own a spiralizer. So you probably won’t see too many of those recipes from me.
However, if you’ve got a vegetable peeler, you are in business and can make these awesome squash ribbons for this quinoa salad.
While the quinoa is cooking here, you just shave your zucchini and squash into these long, glorious ribbons, shake up the lemony-mustard vinaigrette and you are in serious summer salad heaven!
You can serve this quinoa salad warm, at room temperature or even chilled from the fridge.
Just wait to add the dressing until you’re ready to eat so you get all the bright, fresh flavors.
Makes for a great picnic or potluck dish since it's a make-ahead side.
Also goes well with anything on the grill and can be a nice cooling note to spicy dishes. Plus, leftovers make for a really tasty lunch.
You might also like this quinoa and veggie Buddha bowl for a healthy lunch or light dinner.
Grab your peeler, some summer zucchini and squash and get to ribbon making!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Quinoa and squash ribbon salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 2 medium squash, ends trimmed
- 2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
- ½ cup walnuts
For the lemony-mustard vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons coarse-grain mustard
- pinch of sugar
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. (I wash mine, add it to a pot with the water, bring it to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low for 12-15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Then I remove it from the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes.)
- Meanwhile, make squash and zucchini ribbons. Use your vegetable peeler to peel long strands. (I discard the ones that have lots of the peel and use mainly the inside ones.) Peel each zucchini and squash to get as many ribbons as you can before you get to the inner seeds of the vegetable.
- Next, lightly toast the walnuts. Just put them in a small, dry pan over medium-low heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. Watch closely and keep stirring them so they don’t burn. Remove and roughly chop.
- For the vinaigrette, add all of the ingredients to a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake until well mixed.
- To serve, mix the quinoa with the zucchini and squash ribbons and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Enjoy!
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