Emerald Quinoa Spinach Lemon (Printable)
Nutrient-rich quinoa tossed with fresh spinach, herbs, and a zesty lemon dressing for a light dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Greens and Herbs
03 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
04 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
05 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Vegetables
07 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
08 - 1 small cucumber, diced
09 - 1/2 avocado, diced
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
17 - Lemon wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Place spinach, parsley, cilantro, and mint into a large mixing bowl. Add the warm quinoa and toss gently until the greens begin to wilt.
04 - Incorporate green onions, cucumber, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently to evenly combine.
05 - Transfer to serving dishes. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and lemon wedges as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's ready in under 40 minutes and tastes like you spent hours on it.
- The warm quinoa wilts the spinach just enough while keeping everything fresh and alive.
- It works as a standalone meal or a perfect companion to grilled fish or chicken.
02 -
- Adding the dressing while the quinoa is still slightly warm helps it absorb the lemon and garlic flavors instead of sitting on top.
- Don't make this more than an hour ahead or the avocado will oxidize; prep everything separately and toss just before serving.
03 -
- Toast your own pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes and you'll taste why store-bought suddenly feels lazy.
- A microplane zester makes lemon zest effortless and catches all that aromatic oil that a box grater misses.