Try this easy quinoa and arugula salad recipe! It’s a tasty mix of flavors and textures, perfect as a main dish, side dish, or appetizer. It's meal prep friendly and customizable with your favorite ingredients.
This quinoa and arugula salad is loaded with creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, crunchy nuts, and sweet raisins. It's easy to make - you just cook the quinoa, toast the nuts, whisk together a simple dressing, and toss everything together.
You can enjoy this arugula quinoa salad as a main dish, a side, or even an appetizer. If you want extra protein, add grilled chicken or steak.
This salad is great for meal prep, too. You can make it ahead and take it with you as arugula holds up well.
Try more hearty salads such as Spring Onion Potato Salad, Cottage Cheese Egg Salad, or Mexican Tuna Salad.
Ingredients: 12 + oil, salt, and pepper
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
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Recipe ingredients and variations
Quinoa: You can use regular white grains or the tricolor mixture for more fun. You can use already-cooked grains or cook a big batch and use the rest for other dishes throughout the week (I often do that). You can refrigerate cooked quinoa in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or you can freeze it for longer storage.
- You can use other grains like bulgur, couscous, or spelt berries.
Arugula or rocket is one of my favorite greens. I love its peppery taste and firm texture, which makes it perfect for salads you can prepare in advance. Use these leaves to make this Beetroot and Sweet Potato Salad, too.
- You can swap it for baby spinach or any greens you prefer. However, arugula is ideal if you’re making this salad a bit in advance, as other leaves might wilt faster.
Walnuts: Toasting them really brings out their flavor and adds a nice crunch. It makes a big difference!
- Pine nuts or pecans work beautifully, too. For a budget-friendly option, try sunflower seeds or almonds instead. Just be sure to toast any nuts or seeds in a dry pan for added flavor, and add them to the quinoa and arugula salad right before serving.
Cheese: I think creamy goat cheese is perfect for this salad.
- If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, good-quality creamy feta works just as well and tastes great, too.
Avocado adds extra creaminess and a mellow, comforting texture, while raisins bring a touch of sweetness.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make quinoa arugula salad?
- Step #1: Rinse the grains and cook them as instructed on the package. If using already cooked quinoa, you will need about 1 ½ cups (250-275 g).
- Step #2: Prepare all other ingredients. Toast the walnuts, wash and chop the arugula, dice the avocado, and finely chop the onion.
- Step #3: Make the dressing. Mix all the ingredients, then whisk in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies lightly.
- Step #4: Combine all the salad ingredients except for the walnuts. Only add them just before serving. Serve the salad immediately, or chill the arugula and quinoa salad until ready to serve.
Tips
Wash quinoa very well: Rinsing it before cooking helps wash away its natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or slightly soapy. Running quinoa under cold water in a fine mesh strainer helps give it a cleaner taste.
It's a good idea to cook quinoa or any grains according to the package instructions. But if you no longer have the bag, you can cook quinoa this way: use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa.
- For this recipe, start with ¾ cup of rinsed quinoa and combine it with 1 ½ cups of cold water in a pot. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. After that, turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 more minutes.
Make in advance and store
Cook quinoa 3-4 days in advance. Make the dressing and toast the walnuts 1-2 days in advance. Assemble the salad several hours ahead, but only sprinkle it with the nuts before serving.
Store leftovers for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
What to serve with it?
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📖 Recipe
Quinoa and Arugula Salad
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
Ingredients
Salad:
- ¾ cup quinoa 150 g, Note 1
- ¼ cup walnuts toasted and chopped, about 1 oz/ 30 g
- 4 cups arugula about 3 oz/ 85 g
- 2 oz goat cheese or feta, 55 g
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 small avocado
Dressing:
- 1 ½ tablespoons red onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 more tablespoon to taste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup Note 2
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- a pinch of red chili flakes to taste
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Cook quinoa: Place it in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse well under cool running water. Gently rub and swirl the quinoa with your hand as you rinse, then drain (Note 3). Cook quinoa as directed on the package. (Note 4). Let it cool.¾ cup quinoa / 150 g
- Toast the walnuts in a small pan without any oil. Watch closely and shake the pan often. When they’re golden and fragrant, transfer to a plate.¼ cup walnuts / 30 g
- Arugula: Wash, dry, and chop it roughly.4 cups arugula / 3 oz/ 85 g
- Combine: In a large bowl, mix the cooled quinoa, chopped arugula, crumbled cheese, raisins and diced avocado. Add the dressing and toss gently to combine.2 oz goat cheese / 55 g + 2 tablespoons raisins + 1 small avocado +
Dressing:
- Mix the very finely chopped onion with the grated garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup, cumin, chili flakes, and some salt and pepper.1 ½ tablespoons red onion + 1 garlic clove + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 2 tablespoons maple syrup + ½ teaspoon ground cumin + a pinch of red chili flakes + fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add the oil and whisk the dressing until it starts to emulsify. Pour it over the quinoa salad and toss to combine.3 tablespoons olive oil
Notes
- Quinoa: ¾ cup (150 g) of uncooked quinoa yields about 1 ½ cups of cooked quinoa (250-275 g).
- Substitute maple syrup with honey if you like.
- Rinsing quinoa before cooking helps remove its natural saponin coating, which can make quinoa taste bitter or soapy.
- Cook quinoa according to the package instructions. Typically, use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa. Place ¾ cup of rinsed quinoa in a pot with 1 ½ cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
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