Vegan Quinoa Salad (Gluten free)

This vegan quinoa salad recipe is refreshing, easy to make and made with affordable ingredients! All you need is quinoa, chickpeas, cashews, cucumber, fresh spinach, and dried cranberries! Then, it is dressed with a simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing. This salad is NOTHING like boring quinoa salads you’ve had in the past, I promise.

It is easy to toss together, especially if you use leftover quinoa. This Vegan Quinoa Salad makes for a great lunch or meal prep, plus it takes less than 30 minutes to make! I love it because it is super easy to make, delicious, AND inexpensive to make. Thats a win win if you ask me! Plus, this Vegan Quinoa Salad can feed a big group of people! It is made with simple ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store.

If you loved this easy meal prep salad, you’ll also enjoy my salmon poke bowl recipe, vegan gluten free fried rice, and my chopped vegan salad.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This Vegan Quinoa Salad packs great for lunch, picnics, when you’re on the go, road trips and flights, etc.
• Makes for a great side dish! I love bringing this to a potluck because no one ever knows it is actually gluten free and I get to safely enjoy it!
• It is allergy-friendly! This Vegan Quinoa Salad is vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and nut free!
• It is the perfect recipe for the warm summer months! It’s crisp, fresh and satisfying!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Quinoa: I love quinoa cold, but if you don’t you can also use brown rice or just double the amount of chickpeas.

Chickpeas: White beans work great too in this Vegan Quinoa Salad!

Cucumber: I like to slice mine into pieces the same size as the chickpeas so all the ingredients are a similar size.

Spinach: You can use any leafy green. Spinach is my favorite. Arugula, kale or romaine lettuce would be great too.

Dried cranberries: In my house we eat dried cranberries instead of rasins (I cannot shake the fear about our puppy accidentally eating a raisin!), but any dried fruit is perfect! You can use dried cranberries, rasins, chopped dried apricots, chopped dried pears, etc.

Cashews: My favorite nut! Pecans, pine nuts or walnuts work great too. Omit for a nut free Vegan Quinoa Salad.

Dairy free feta: Dairy free feta makes sure this recipe is vegan and dairy free. You can omit if you do not want a dairy free cheese. No judgement here!

How do I make this recipe?

First, I rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water or vegetable broth.

Then, I bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.

While the quinoa is cooking, I dice the cucumber, chop the spinach, and roughly chop the cashews. I rinse and drain the chickpeas.

In a small bowl, I whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. I season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, I combine the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, diced cucumber, chopped spinach, dried cranberries, and chopped cashews. I add the dairy free feta.

Finally, I pour the dressing over the Vegan Quinoa Salad and toss gently to combine. I serve the salad immediately or chill for later.

Expert Tips & Tricks

You can throw in any combination of in-season vegetables to bulk the Vegan Quinoa Salad up! I like adding fresh herbs, zucchini, cauliflower, tomatoes or even eggplant.

If you are not vegan you can always add grilled chicken, salmon or tuna to the salad. You can serve it alongside as well for anyone wanting extra protein.

What other dressings can I use?

I love anything with citrus and an oil on top of this Vegan Quinoa Salad! You can use any dressing you want on this salad but here are some extra ideas:

Citrus: Lime juice, lemon olive oil and lemon zest, salt + pepper

Pear Dressing: Olive oil, pear balsamic oil, salt + pepper

Savory italian: Minced garlic, balsamic glaze, red wine vinegar, olive oil, , salt + pepper

Pomogranite: Pomogranite balsamic, olive oil, lemon zest, salt + pepper

How Do I make this Quinoa Salad nut free?

To make this Vegan Quinoa Salad nut free you can omit the cashews. You can add in sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds to replace the crunch! I like a good crunch in this salad!

How Do I Serve the Vegan Quinoa Salad?

This Vegan Quinoa Salad can be served as a main dish or side dish. I like to serve it at room temperature but it is also great served cold as well.

How do I Store this Vegan Quinoa Salad?

To store, I let the Quinoa Salad cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to four days.

I would not recommend freezing it.

How Do I meal prep this Vegan Quinoa Salad?

To meal prep into individual portions, divide into separate containers. These individual portions of the Vegan Quinoa Salad are my favorite for great grab-and-go lunches or quick dinners during the week.

Looking for more gluten free vegan recipes?

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