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    Home » Recipes

    Caprese Quinoa Salad

    Published: Jun 16, 2016 · Modified: Jun 6, 2024 by Lauren Kelly · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Caprese Quinoa Salad is simple to make, healthy, delicious and a huge crowd pleaser! This quinoa salad will be ready in 30 minutes and is packed with protein.

    Quinoa salad with chopped basil on top on a white plate with a clear jar of balsamic dressing in the background in upper right.Pin

    When I think of summer foods, I picture light salads, grilled vegetables and of course, fun cocktails! (We all believe in moderation, right?)  

    This salad is so fresh and light and packed with protein, even without any meat.  Quinoa provides all the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) and the vegetables, fresh basil and mozzarella pack on the flavor!

    I am always looking for easy to make salad recipes made with fresh ingredients, especially during the summer. I love any salad that I can make ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a quick lunch.

    Caprese Quinoa Salad on a white dish.Pin

    Why You Should Make This Quinoa Salad

    This whole recipe can be ready in 30 minutes, from start to finish. It also tastes delicious if you let it sit for a few hours in the refrigerator to let it "marinate" a bit.

    But that's if you are patient enough to wait.

    Everyone loves this delicious salad and I love to make it for parties and gatherings. It's always the first dish to be finished too, which I will take as a good sign.

    This quinoa salad only has 8 very simple ingredients to make this. I love to visit my local farmer's market to get my fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella.

    Caprese Quinoa Salad with dressing being poured on top.Pin

    Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips

    This salad is served cold, can you also eat it while it's still warm?

    Yes, of course you can. The mozzarella might melt a bit, but it will still taste delicious.

    I don't like mozzarella, can I substitute with another cheese?

    Yes! I have made this with feta and burrata before and both of them were divine. Get creative and use whatever cheese you'd like.

    What can I use instead of fresh basil in this salad?

    You can use arugula or even fresh oregano if you'd like. Or you can leave out the basil completely and add little more garlic.

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    This Caprese Quinoa Salad is simple to make, healthy and delicious. Even carnivores will love this vegan salad. www.laurenkellynutrition.comPin

    Caprese Quinoa Salad

    Simple to make, healthy and delicious, this Caprese Quinoa Salad is a huge crowd pleaser!
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: brunch, dinner, Main Course, main dish, meatless, Salad, vegetarian
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 298kcal
    Author: Lauren Kelly

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups uncooked quinoa rinsed and drained
    • 32 ounces vegetable broth
    • ½ cup red grape tomatoes halved
    • ½ cup yellow grape tomatoes halved
    • ½ cup fresh mozzarella sliced
    • ¼ cup fresh basil. torn and chopped
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 1 clove garlic diced
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • Cook quinoa in vegetable broth according to instructions.
    • Allow to cool completely.
    • Prepare dressing by adding oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in sealable glass jar. Shake well.
    • Add tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese to cooled quinoa.
    • Toss with dressing and allow to sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so all of the flavors marinade.

    Notes

    You can prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    You can prepare the quinoa with either water or vegetable or chicken broth (for more flavor). 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 767mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lkellynutrition or tag #lkellynutrition!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica

      June 16, 2022 at 11:52 am

      5 stars
      I've been trying to eat more quinoa but wasn't sure how to make it different than what I was already doing. THIS was perfect! So delicious and full of flavor. Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Toni

      June 16, 2022 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      This is such an amazing salad! My whole family loved it!

      Reply
    3. Allyssa

      June 16, 2022 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious!

      Reply
    4. Eden

      March 25, 2022 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      This salad turned out so flavorful! The colors are so pretty too! We loved this salad 🙂

      Reply
    5. Matt

      March 25, 2022 at 11:02 am

      5 stars
      Such a yummy and super healthy dish. I like Caprese anything haha. You can never go wrong with mozzarella and tomatoes.

      Reply
    6. Toni

      March 25, 2022 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      Everyone at my house loved this salad! I will definitely make it again! Thanks!

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    5 from 13 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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