This Costco Quinoa Salad is light, refreshing, and full of plant protein! But you don’t have to have a Costco membership or fight the crowds to enjoy this simple salad. This copycat recipe has it all: it’s nutritious, full of flavor, and even healthier than the store-bought version because it’s made without oil!

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We’ve had a Costco membership for a few years now. We absolutely love it! You can stock up on many nutritious foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen veggies, almond milk, grains, and so much more! I try to stick to the staples, but occasionally, I’m lured to their pre-made items like their quinoa salad. I decided to give it a try and fell in love! My whole family ate it up in a day.
But Costo is not close to my house, and I knew I could make a version of this salad at home, saving me money and time by making the trip.
This version has all the original ingredients, but I’ve put a simple spin on it using a light dressing made of fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper! The vegetables speak for themselves, and you don’t need a ton of extra spices. Enjoy this vegan salad all year long, although I love to serve it in the summer when the produce is at its finest!
💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Copycat Recipe
- Refreshing Summer Salad
- Nutritious
- High in Plant Protein
- Satisfying
- Makes a great side dish for picnics and potlucks
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Plant-Based
- No-Oil
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
White Quinoa: The Costco version of this salad uses white quinoa, however, you can use any type of quinoa you prefer such as multicolor, black, or red. Some quinoa is already pre-rinsed. I recommend giving your quinoa a good rinse even if it says it is pre-rinsed just to be sure.
Brown Lentils: These types of lentils are sturdy and hold their shape unlike red lentils or yellow lentils. To work in the salad you want a lentil that will not turn to mush and has some bite and texture. Green lentils also work.
Baby Kale and Parsley: I like to use baby kale because it is little less coarse than curly or dinosaur kale. Remove the stems of the parsley and finely chop.
English Cucumber: You’ll need about half of an English cucumber. English cucumbers have edible skin and fewer seeds which make them ideal for this salad.
Red Pepper: Finely dice the red pepper. You can also use orange or yellow bell peppers if you prefer.
Cherry Tomatoes: Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. If you have larger cherry tomatoes, cut them into quarters. Cherry tomatoes are sweet and don’t have a lot of seeds.
Lemon: You’ll need the juice and zest of one whole lemon.
Salt and Black Pepper: Season to taste.
📖 Variations and Substituions
- If you don’t have a lemon, you can add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
- No parsley, you can use cilantro instead.
- Add a ½ cup of brown rice for added fiber.
📋 How to Make Costco Quinoa Salad
Step 1: Prepare one cup of dried quinoa according to package instructions. Rinse quinoa, and place in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Place in the refrigerator to cool before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2: If your lentils are not prepared, boil a small pot of water. Rinse the lentils, add them to the water, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside. Combine the cooled quinoa and the cooled lentils in a large bowl.
Step 3: Finely dice the red bell pepper, roughly chop the baby kale, roughly chop the parsley, dice the cucumber, and cut the cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters.
Step 4: Now that each component of the recipe is prepared, it’s time to fold it all together. Add the chopped vegetables to the large bowl with the quinoa and lentils. Gently fold together.
Step 5: To the bowl, add the zest of half a lemon and the juice of a whole lemon, about ¼ cup. Season with salt and pepper. Fold it all together, and enjoy!
❓ Recipe FAQS
The quinoa salad from Costco is on the healthier side. It is rich in plant protein. A one-cup serving has about 12 grams of protein, and clocks in just under 300 calories. The nutrition content is high. However, the salad from Costco is made with extra-virgin olive oil, which adds calories and fat. If you choose to enjoy the version from Costco, just be careful not to go overboard on your serving size. Opt for a one-cup serving. My copycat version is only 140 calories per serving, with 2 grams of fat.
I do not recommend freezing this quinoa salad. It has tons of freshly chopped vegetables that don’t freeze well. Plain quinoa lasts longer, and without added vegetables and seasoning, can easily be frozen to use later. After you’ve cooked the quinoa, allow it cool. Then transfer it to a freezer-safe bag. Push out all of the excess air. Label with the date. It will be good in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.
The quinoa salad from Costco lasts anywhere from 3-4 days. Be sure to look at the package you purchased, as it will show a “good-by” date which may be slightly different depending on the date it was packed.
👩🏻🍳 How to Serve
This Costco quinoa salad is an excellent side dish to bring to a picnic or potluck and served alongside veggie burgers, or kebab skewers. But you can also easily dress it up at home and make it into the main dish, or a light lunch.
Top with crispy tofu, chickpeas, or vegan feta cheese for even more protein, or serve with falafel and flatbread as a main meal. This salad pairs nicely with other salads like my Mediterranean Cucumber Salad or Beetroot Salad. Or how about a side of lentil soup! If you like this salad you’ll also love my edamame and quinoa salad.
❄️ How to Store and Keep
Refrigerate: This salad is best enjoyed fresh. Although, the flavors really meld together nicely when left in the refrigerator overnight. I recommend enjoying it within 1-2 days, but it will keep for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
💭 Expert Tips
- Use pre-cooked lentils to save time.
- Prep your quinoa in advance during your meal prep to have it ready to go to prepare this salad.
- Add your favorite vegetables, fresh herbs, or lean protein to this salad.
🎥 Video
😋 More Healthy Salad Recipe!
Recipe
Copycat Costco Quinoa Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa
- ½ cup brown lentils cooked
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut into halves
- ½ English cucumber diced
- 1 cup baby kale roughly chopped
- ¼ cup parsley roughly chopped
- ½ lemon zested
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Quinoa: Prepare one cup of dried quinoa according to package instructions. Rinse quinoa, and place in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Place in the refrigerator to cool before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare Lentils: If your lentils are not already prepared, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Rinse the lentils, add to the water, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
- Chop the Vegetables: Finely dice the red bell pepper, roughly chop the baby kale, roughly chop the parsley, dice the cucumber, and cut the cherry tomatoes into halves.
- Put It All Together: Now that each component of the recipe is prepared, it's time to fold it all together. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled and cooked quinoa, cooked and drained lentils, and the vegetables to a large bowl. Gently fold together.
- Make the Dressing: To the bowl, add the zest of half a lemon, and the juice of a whole lemon, about ¼ cup. Season with salt and pepper. Fold it all together, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use pre-cooked lentils to save time.
- Prep your quinoa in advance during your meal prep to have it ready to go to prepare this salad.
- Add your favorite fresh vegetables or lean protein to this salad.
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh. Although, the flavors really meld together nicely when left in the refrigerator overnight. I recommend enjoying it within 1-2 days, but it will keep for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Shadi
I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend! My family is going to love this!
Shadi
Love how easy this recipe is. Can’t wait to try it this weekend.thank you for the recipe!
Kate
What a great idea – I love the Costco Quinoa Salad but my nearest one is quite a trek, so great to be able to make my own at home! Thanks.
Casey
Made this for the 4th of July for a healthy refreshing side dish and it was hit! Will be making again!!
Heather
This was the perfect summer salad side dish! Loved the addition of the lentils and kale to it.
Liz
I don’t have a Costco membership anymore so I needed this recipe!! So yummy, thank you!
Katherine
This is such a great, healthy salad. And just like at Costco!
Dionne
I love to see lentils in here – this automatically makes it a must-try for me!
Mahy
I don’t know if there is a healthier salad than the one that has quinoa in it, just like this one. Always delicious, too!