This Broccoli and Quinoa Salad is a nutritious, filling lunch or dense side dish that is both gluten-free and vegan. Made with finely chopped raw broccoli, shredded carrot, red bell peppers, plus quinoa and beans (or chickpeas) for protein. It’s paired with a creamy but tangy tahini-mustard dressing with shallots. It’s ideal for workweek lunches as it can be prepared in advance. It would also make a tasty and substantial side dish for a BBQs or pot luck.
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This salad is packed with protein and fiber to help keep you feeling full. It’s also delicious as a snack paired piled onto some avocado toast or served in a wrap. It’s ideal for meal-prep (just keep the dressing separate) as it keeps well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If you love a big, hearty salad then check out some of my most popular recipes like my Cauliflower and Pearl Couscous Salad, Curried Cauliflower Salad or Creamy Avocado BLT Pasta Salad with Tempeh Bacon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Nutrient-Dense: Packed with quinoa, broccoli, and beans, offering a balanced mix of protein, fiber, and vitamins. It’s crisp and fresh, but also substantial enough to be a main meal.
- Diet-Friendly: Vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free. If you’re invited to a pot-luck or BBQ, this is a great plate to bring along as it caters to lots of dietary requirements.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe features cooked quinoa as the base, with a mix of fresh veggies including finely chopped broccoli, shredded carrot, and finely diced red bell pepper. It also includes white beans (you can also use chickpeas, or any other legume) for extra protein. The dressing really ties all the flavors together with a tangy, creamy mix of minced shallot, tahini, mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Yum!
You can find all the ingredients and specific quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here is a shopping list to make it easy:
- Quinoa
- Canned white beans (or sub another legume, like chickpeas)
- Broccoli
- Carrot
- Red bell pepper
- Shallot
- Mustard
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Tahini
- Salt
- Ground coriander
Instructions
If you have tried any of my other recipes, you’ll know I’m all about making recipes as simple as possible. This Broccoli Quinoa Salad is no exception. You make it by prepping your veggies, whisking the dressing ingredients together, then combining these with cooked quinoa.
For the visual learners, like myself, here’s a step-by-guide with photos on how to prepare the salad from start to finish:
Step One: Finely mince the shallot.
Step Two: Shred the carrot and slice the bell pepper into thin strips.
Step Three: Finely chop the broccoli into small pieces, separating florets and stems.
Step Four: Add mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, tahini, salt, and ground coriander to a small bowl.
Step Five: Whisk until emulsified and creamy to make the dressing.
Step Six: Add the shredded carrots and diced bell pepper to a large bowl.
Step Seven: Add the quinoa to the bowl.
Step Eight: Add the broccoli to the bowl.
Step Nine: If you intend to eat the salad immediately, add the dressing over the top and toss to combine. Leave the salad to stand for 30 minutes before serving to allow the dressing to be absorbed by the quinoa. If making this recipe in advance, store the dressing separately to the salad and only toss when ready to eat. This will help keep the salad as crisp and fresh as possible, because the wetter vegetables (the carrot and bell pepper) remain at the bottom, and will not leak any liquid onto the quinoa or broccoli.
Step Ten: Serve for lunch or as a side dish.
For exact timings, temperatures, and quantities, check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & Variations
The dressing is what really ties this salad together, so if you need to make a substitution, it’s pretty forgiving. Here are some swaps I recommend:
- Quinoa: Substitute with brown rice, freekah, or pearl couscous.
- White Beans: I often make this salad with chickpeas instead of canned white beans. Really, you could use any legume you’d like. I think lentils or black beans would be very tasty. Just make sure to give whatever canned legume you’re using a good rinse and allow it to drain completely. We don’t want any of that beany can water in the salad.
- Shallot: If you don’t have a shallot, you could use green onions (scallions or spring onions) or some finely diced white onion.
- Red Wine Vinegar: I have made this with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and they all work well.
Storage
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but I would recommend trying to eat this salad as soon as possible, as it will become noticeably less crisp and fresh once all ingredients and the dressing are combined.
If you are making this in advance for meal prep, it works very well if you keep the dressing separate to the salad, and don’t mix the salad until you’re about to eat. Layer the ingredients portioned out into individual serves in your salad jar or container, in the order specified in the recipe. This way it will stay as fresh as possible.
Do not freeze this salad, it will not thaw well.
Expert Tips
If you’re serving the salad immediately: for the best flavor, let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the dressing to meld with the vegetables.
If you’re making the salad for meal prep: then do not mix the dressing with the other ingredients. It will stay fresher for longer by storing the dressing separately. To keep it nice and crisp, make sure to layer the ingredients in your salad jar or container in the order specified in the recipe. This way the wetter ingredients stay on the bottom and won’t leak liquid onto the quinoa and broccoli. Nobody likes a soggy salad!
FAQ
No, I would not recommend using frozen broccoli, fresh is essential for this salad.
Yes, it’s perfect for meal prep and can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Check out my expert tips on how to store it best so it doesn’t go soggy.
Any canned legume will work here. I like it with chickpeas but lentils, or black beans would also work very nicely as a substitute for white beans.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
Looking for more filling salads? Some of my other favorites are the Baked Cabbage and Tofu Satay Salad (it’s basically a cold stir fry but in the best way possible), The Jennifer Aniston Salad, the Italian La Scala Salad (supposedly Kim Kardashian’s favorite salad) or my Chopped Kale Caesar Wrap for more of a sandwich vibe.
This Broccoli and Quinoa Salad is perfect for a healthy workweek lunch or filling side dish. It’s also very tasty as a filling for wraps, or layered onto a serve of avocado toast. Plus, as a bonus, it’s very dietary-friendly – gluten free, vegan and nut-free!
I’d love to know what you think of this recipe, please leave a star rating and review—it really helps the algorithm send my recipes to more people 🙂
You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your posts to stories—I am so proud to see you make my recipes!
Broccoli and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (290g)
- 1 (400g) can of white beans (cannellini) drained and rinsed
- 1 large broccoli crown, chopped small (1 lb/450g)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded (125g)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (225g)
Dressing
- 1 small shallot, minced (35g)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (15ml)
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar (60ml )
- 4 tbsp olive oil (45ml )
- 3 tbsp tahini (44ml)
- 3/4 tsp salt (4g)
- 2 tsp ground coriander (4g)
- 1-2 tbsp water (15-30ml)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. Fluff with a fork and allow it to cool completely.
- Trim the rough end of the broccoli stem and separate the stem from the head. Break the head into florets and trim off any rough edges of the stem. Finely chop the broccoli into very small pieces, florets and stems separately so that the stems don’t end up too large.
- Peel and finely shred the carrot. Slice the bell pepper into thin strips, roughly 1/4”/6mm wide and 1-2”/2.5-5cm long.
Dressing
- Mince the shallot very finely.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients, except water, in a small bowl or large jar and whisk until smooth. Add 1-2 tbsp of water or enough that the dressing has reached desired consistency.
Assembly
- If serving immediately: add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl, plus the dressing. Toss to coat. Set the salad aside for at least 30 minutes, in the refrigerator, covered. This allows the flavors to develop. Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- If meal prepping to eat later: get 3 individual size salad jars or airtight containers. Divide the components amongst the containers in the following order: bell pepper, carrot, beans, quinoa and broccoli. By placing the wetter ingredients on the bottom, the salad will stay fresher for longer. Store the dressing separately. Salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- For extra flavour, cook quinoa in vegetable broth.
- Nutritional information is based on 3 serves as a main dish.
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