Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables
By the Gracious Vegan
This recipe is more of a launchpad than a blueprint for making entree salads in the summer. You can use whatever cooked grain you like, whatever kinds of grilled vegetables, and your choices of greens and dressing. The smokiness of the grilled vegetables and the roasted red pepper dressing give this its unique character. This isn’t a middle-of-the-winter salad. This ticks all the boxes on nutrition as well: healthy grains, vegetables, protein (from quinoa), seeds (from tahini), and dark leafy greens.
Number of servings is up too you; quinoa and dressing make up to 10 servings
Prepare the quinoa on the stove or in the Instant Pot. (Cut recipe in half for fewer people.) For the stovetop method, stir together the quinoa, water, and salt in a saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low until the quinoa is tender and fluffs out (you will see the curly tails), about 12 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
3 cups water
1.5 cups regular or red quinoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Instant Pot, add the ingredients to the pot. Use “Multigrain” setting (or “Manual,” “Pressure Cook,” or “High”). Set valve to “Sealing.” Set for 1 minute. Use a 10-minute Natural Release. Open the lid and fluff the grains with a fork.
2.5 cups water
2 cups quinoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
Grill the vegetables. Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Grill the vegetables on the pre-heated grill until they are tender and charred, rotating every 2-3 minutes. This will take around 10 minutes. You don’t have to coat them with oil, but you can add some if you like, as well as salt, pepper, and/or other spices. When the vegetables are cool enough, cut them into bite-sized pieces. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut off the kernels from the cob.
Vegetables of your choice, possibly including: corn on the cob, asparagus, zucchini slices, eggplant slices, cauliflower slices, and/or mushrooms – enough for each person to get enough vegetable pieces
Serve the dish by tossing the quinoa, grilled vegetables, some of the dressing, and baby greens together. (Or serve the dressing on the side.)
Baby kale or other salad greens
Serve additional dressing on the side for people to serve themselves.
Timing depends on so many factors that it’s hard to estimate.
Gluten-free