Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad is a clean eating quinoa salad with carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, arugula, tomatoes, corn, and pumpkin seeds, in an easy, White Balsamic vinaigrette. Pack this raw, clean-eating salad in your busy day lunch and conquer your appetite the healthy, affordable way.
Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad
How do produce hoarders make the most of farmer’s market hauls and grocery store trips that…get out of hand?
Make GIANT salads that last all week, just like this chopped salad.
It’s loaded with everyday, raw vegetables that are available anytime, but are especially delish during summer months!
A salad like this is simple, nutritious, and and super budget-friendly, for both money and time.
Chopped salad…great for meal prep!
Do you meal prep your lunches for the work week?
We do it on the regular and it always makes our busy week go smoother.
One, giant, salad for lunch 3-4 days of the week is the gift that keeps on giving!
If you want to meal prep this salad for the week, prep each component in advance:
Step 1: Cook quinoa and store in refrigerator
Step 2: Wash and chop produce
Step 3: Make vinaigrette
Step 4: Store each salad component separate from each other (you can use the same container, but don’t toss or dress the salad until you’re ready to serve.
Hot tip: I usually divide dressing portions into these 8oz canning jars or these bpa free containers.
What I love about chopped salad
- Uses everyday, raw vegetables packed with fiber and nutrients.
- Perfect summer salad to take to parties!
- Gives protein-packed quinoa a chance to be really loved!
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free!
- Save money by not buying pre-packaged salad entrees.
- You control the serving sizes for salad and dressing.
- No thinking about what’s for lunch this week.
Chopped salad…great for parties!
You can make this salad to feed a crowd for any occasion.
My friend Dave, known for making big, fat, killer salads for every party, made a garden quinoa vegetable salad for a July 4th party this summer.
It was such a hit and I could NOT stop eating it, so naturally I created one for the blog.
Thanks for the inspiration, Dave!
How to keep salad fresh
Undressed salads can last anywhere from 1-5 days.
The trick is to keep salad components separate until you’re ready to serve.
In this case, store arugula, quinoa, chopped vegetables, and vinaigrette in separate containers for optimal freshness.
When you’re ready to serve, simply toss everything together and dish it up.
How long will leafy greens stay fresh in a chopped salad?
Leafy greens include things like arugula, spring mix, red or green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, and kale, to name a few common greens.
Most greens, once dressed, need to be eaten immediately before they wilt, which makes them look and taste unpleasant.
Want more healthy salad recipes?
Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
Lemony Kale Chickpea Avocado Salad
Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad Ingredients
For the salad:
- cooked quinoa
- carrot
- bell pepper
- cucumber
- arugula
- cherry tomatoes
- corn (fresh or frozen)
- pumpkin seeds (or any nuts)
For the white balsamic vinaigrette:
- white balsamic vinegar
- lemon juice
- fresh garlic
- maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
- salt and pepper
Kitchen tools I use for this recipe:
- chef knife
- cutting board
- salad spinner (to wash leafy produce)
- microplane fine grater (to grate garlic)
- whisk or fork
- measuring cups
- large bowl
- salad containers
- salad dressing containers
Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 cups cooked Quinoa
- 1 medium Carrot chopped
- 1/2 large Bell Pepper chopped
- 1 medium Cucumber chopped
- 2 cups Arugula
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 1 cup Corn
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice optional
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
For the salad:
- In a large salad bowl, combine QUINOA, CARROTS, BELL PEPPERS, CUCUMBER, ARUGULA, TOMATOES, CORN, and PUMPKIN SEEDS; toss to combine; refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Vinaigrette:
- In a mixing bowl or glass, whisk together VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, GARLIC, MAPLE SYRUP, SALT, and PEPPER.
- Slowly drizzle in EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, continuously whisking to emulsify into creamy dressing; refrigerate until ready to serve.
**Storage Tip: Keep components separate (quinoa, leafy greens, vegetables, dressing) until ready to serve.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, and are estimates based on unbranded ingredients acquired from a nutrition database. For accurate calculations, please refer to brand packaging information and consult your nutritionist.
Nutrition
Traci Antonovich
About my recipes: Minimal meat & more plants!
Latest posts by Traci Antonovich (see all)
- BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado and Ranch - 04/28/2019
- Leftover Ham Alfredo Pasta Recipe - 04/22/2019
- Strawberry Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette - 04/07/2019
Dannii says
08/22/2018 at 6:48 amTraci Antonovich says
08/22/2018 at 8:15 amCindy Gordon says
08/20/2018 at 8:33 amTraci Antonovich says
08/20/2018 at 8:19 pmLisa Bryan says
08/20/2018 at 7:54 amTraci Antonovich says
08/20/2018 at 8:18 pmLindsay @ The Live-In Kitchen says
08/20/2018 at 7:53 amTraci Antonovich says
08/20/2018 at 8:18 pmLauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
08/20/2018 at 7:38 amTraci Antonovich says
08/20/2018 at 8:17 pmSandy @ Ginger and Scotch says
03/18/2018 at 10:47 amTraci Antonovich says
03/18/2018 at 10:00 pmJenni LeBaron says
03/18/2018 at 10:25 amTraci Antonovich says
03/18/2018 at 9:59 pmJessica Robinson says
03/18/2018 at 9:15 amTraci Antonovich says
03/18/2018 at 9:58 pmAllison - Celebrating Sweets says
03/18/2018 at 8:56 amTraci Antonovich says
03/18/2018 at 9:56 pmTina says
11/10/2017 at 12:48 pmTraci Antonovich says
11/10/2017 at 1:32 pmSandi says
11/10/2017 at 9:12 amTraci Antonovich says
11/10/2017 at 1:31 pmrikA says
11/10/2017 at 8:53 amTraci Antonovich says
11/10/2017 at 1:30 pmLuci's Morsels says
11/10/2017 at 8:44 amTraci Antonovich says
11/10/2017 at 1:30 pmElaine @ Dishes Delish says
11/10/2017 at 8:12 amTraci Antonovich says
11/10/2017 at 1:29 pm