There are all kinds of salads out there – leafy lettuce ones, potato salad, pasta salad, egg salad… even jello salad – but this Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad is singular in that it’s both nutritious and filling. (And delicious, which is the most important part in the end!) With a tangy lemon dressing, protein-packed quinoa, and plenty of tasty roasted veggies, it’s a side dish or lunch you can wholeheartedly enjoy and feel good about.
Aside from how yummy this is, one thing I really appreciate about this salad is that all of the veggies get cooked on a sheet pan in the oven. Roasting them together makes the whole prep super easy. I’ve heard you can even cook your quinoa in the oven but until we’ve experimented with that a bit more we’ve got normal stove top directions for you on that front.
You’ll want to start the sweet potatoes and broccoli in the oven first and once they’re approaching tenderness you add in the kale, which crisps up beautifully. It adds a really nice crunch to the soft sweet potatoes and tender quinoa.
There’s also fresh parsley and some salty feta to liven things up, but if you were trying to keep this vegan you could absolutely omit the cheese. There’s plenty of flavor going on without it, but the feta does bring in a tangy richness.
The dressing is simple – just a quick whisking of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil for the perfect tangy-sweet companion to the roasted veggies and quinoa. It’s a delicious nutrient dense dish and it’s a great option for meal prep when you’re trying to plan some healthy lunches ahead.
Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad
Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups broth or water
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 bunch curly kale, roughly chopped
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons feta, crumbled
For the dressing:
- Juice from one lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Rinse quinoa and place quinoa and broth or water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a bowl to cool.
- Place broccoli and sweet potato to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast 20 minutes.
- Add kale, drizzle with a bit more oil, season with salt and pepper and roast 15 more minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Add roasted veggies to quinoa. Add parsley and feta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, and maple syrup. Add olive oil, and salt and pepper and whisk. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Eating Bird Food.