Quinoa Salad with Lentils and Beets

Add something special to your lunch rotation with this fantastic salad! Quinoa Salad with Lentils and Beets is a tasty way to combine nutritious ingredients together and end up with a little number that is pure joy to look at and even more to eat.

If you are looking for more lunch ideas try out this fantastic Savoury Galette with Grilled Eggplant and Roasted Red Peppers!

I’m always looking for a salad that will eat like a meal, and especially one that will make my kids as happy as it makes me. I love adding quinoa, bulgar or couscous to my salads as a way to make a like dish more substantial. 

What goes in this salad

The ingredients in this salad are both inexpensive and easy to find. I love lentils in a salad, and cereals are always a winner. 

Beets add a lot of flavour and colour. It’s possible to use fresh beets, which are very easy to prepare. Boil the beets like you would potatoes until you can easily pierced with a knife.

If you have access to vacuum packed cooked beets, then the work is already done for you. Just avoid canned beets. They are pretty horrid and will not go well in this salad!

Goats cheese is a fantastic topper, finishing off the salad with a bit of tang. Traditional goats cheese is not vegetarian as it is made with animal rennet. Fortunately there are a lot of good goats cheeses available now that are vegetarian, just make sure you check the label!

Spinach adds a bit of bulk to the salad and plenty of fresh taste. The radishes also add a pleasant crunch and peppery flavour. 

The dressing is very simple, with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon and salt. I love this dressing, and use it on a lot of salads. 

Sprinkle the salad with a bit of parsley and you are done!

How to make quinoa salad with lentils and beets

Start by combining the quinoa, lentils or chickpeas with grated beets and radishes and set them aside.

Time to make the vinaigrette. You can use an immersion blender or food processor if you like your vinaigrette to be very smooth. A regular whisk will also do the trick. Or you could combine the ingredients in a jam jar and shake, as I did.

Mix together the balsamic vinegar and chopped up parsley with the juice of half of a lemon. Then slowly pour in olive oil in a thin and steady stream while whisking the whole time.

Dress the salad with the vinaigrette until it is even coated. Give the salad a taste to see if more salt is needed. Toss with rocket/arugula and vegetarian goats cheese.

This recipe will taste better after 15 minutes in the fridge before serving. This allows the flavour to completely meld.

Recipe tips

Tips for making quinoa salad with lentils and goats cheese:

• The ingredients for the salad can be prepared in advance. This makes assembling the salad quick and easy.
• Don’t forget salt! A salad without salt will always be bland!
• Slice the radishes very thinly. Use a mandolin if you have one so you have thin and even slices.
• There are a lot of ways to change this recipe with substitutions. Swap lentils for chickpeas, spinach for rocket, or creamy goats cheese for feta.