How does a produce hoarder (such as myself) make the most of farmer’s market hauls and grocery store trips? I make BIG salads that last all week…just like this Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad. It’s loaded with everyday vegetables that are available any season! It has the same healthy, meal-prep salad vibe as my Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette.
Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad
Do you meal prep your lunches for the work week?
I can’t say I do it religiously, but I do it often enough to know that, when I do, it just makes everything about my week go smoother.
Even if it’s as simple as one, giant, salad for lunch 3-4 days of the week. It really is the gift that keeps on giving!
Let’s do recognize though…meal prep does take a little effort up front, but it shouldn’t be complicated, time-consuming, or expensive.
It should be simple, affordable, and should fit your budget, both money and time.
Here’s what I love about the Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad
- Uses everyday, raw vegetables packed with fiber and nutrients.
- 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.
- That vinaigrette tho!
Not just for meal prep either!
Nope, you can make this salad to feed any crowd, for any occasion.
In fact, my friend Dave, known for making big, fat, killer salads for every occasion, made a garden quinoa vegetable salad for a July 4th party this summer.
I couldn’t stop eating it and knew I wanted to recreate one for the blog. Thanks for the inspiration, Dave!
So, how do you keep salad like this fresh all week?
Great question! We want to get the most mileage out of our meal prep, right?
The trick with storing salad is to keep the lettuce/greens separate from other produce, and keep the quinoa seperate, if possible, until you’re ready to eat the salad.
If you want to assemble individual salads all at once for the week, push the greens to the side, keep each type of fruit/veg together, and don’t toss it together until it’s time to eat it.
Don’t dress the whole salad all at once, either.
Divide dressing portions into small containers and dress each salad daily. I love to use these 8oz canning jars or these bpa free containers for that.
How long can you keep salad in the refrigerator?
Undressed salads can last anywhere from 1-5 days, depends on the age and type of greens, as well as the moisture content of the produce used.
Again, you want to keep delicate greens separate from other produce as much as possible until you’re ready to consume the whole salad.
The most common delicate greens include arugula, spring mix, red and green leaf lettuce.
These are the greens that, when dressed, have a very short lifespan before they look/taste unpleasant.
Want more VEGAN, meal-prep salad recipes?
Check out my very popular Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette…it’s so addictive!
Equally popular is my Lemony Kale Chickpea Avocado Salad with only eight, simple ingredients.
Then there’s Chopped Thai Salad with Chili Ginger Vinaigrette which rocks my world every time I eat it.
Ingredients you’ll need for Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad (see full recipe below):
For the salad:
- cooked quinoa
- carrot
- bell pepper
- cucumber
- arugula
- cherry tomatoes
- corn (fresh or frozen)
- pumpkin seeds (or any nuts)
For the vinaigrette:
- white balsamic vinegar
- lemon juice
- fresh garlic
- agave nectar
- 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
* Note: This post has affiliate links, which means I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support and please let me know if you have product questions!
Yields 8 1-cup servings
Quinoa, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, arugula, tomatoes, corn, and pumpkin seeds are tossed in an easy Balsamic vinaigrette.
20 minPrep Time
20 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 7 review(s)
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked Quinoa
- 1 cup Carrot (chopped)
- 1 cup Bell Pepper (sliced)
- 1 Cucumber (chopped)
- 2 cups Arugula
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cup Corn
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp Agave Nectar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine QUINOA, CARROTS, BELL PEPPERS, CUCUMBER, ARUGULA, CHERRY TOMATOES, CORN, and PUMPKIN SEEDS; toss to combine; refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a mixing bowl or glass, whisk together VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, GARLIC, AGAVE NECTAR, SALT, and PEPPER.
- Slowly drizzle in the OLIVE OIL, continuously whisking until well-blended and creamy; refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Whether you're meal prepping or serving guests, wait to dress salad until ready to serve (dressed arugula wilts after several hours).
Traci Antonovich
About my recipes: Minimal meat & more plants!
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