Copycat Costco Quinoa Salad
This copycat Costco Quinoa Salad recipe has it all, it's nutritious, full of flavor, and even healthier than the store-bought version because it's made without oil!
Servings: 8
Calories: 138kcal
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
Tips for Making Copycat Quinoa Salad
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1581IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg