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Spicy Quinoa Salad With Broccoli, Cilantro and Lime

5.0(745)

The grassy flavor of quinoa works well with cilantro in this main-dish salad. I love the versatility of quinoa. It can be the building-block ingredient for a salad, as it is in this main-dish salad, or it can be added to salads in smaller amounts, almost as a garnish. Its grassy flavor marries well with cilantro, itself an herb with a grassy, though more pungent, taste. I added sieved hard-boiled eggs for protein – though you could leave them out if you want to make a vegan version of this dish, and toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. Another ingredient that contributes crunch as well as color is the soaked split red lentils. They also contribute more protein to an already high-protein grain. They are optional – make this salad whether or not you have the lentils.

by Martha Rose Shulman

Open original recipe

Dinner, Lunch

Servings

4 servings

Total time

15 min

Calories / serving

527 kcal

Ingredients (14)

serves

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoaquinoa
1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli florets (about 1/3 of a crown), steamed for 4 to 5 minutes then separated into smaller florets
1/2 cup chopped cilantrocilantro
1 to 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (to taste)pumpkin
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons minced serrano or jalapeño chili (to taste)
1/4 cup split red lentils, soaked for 2 hours or longer and drained (optional)
1 ounce crumbled feta cheese (1/4 cup)
Freshly ground pepperpepper
3 tablespoons fresh lime juicelime-juice
Salt to tastesalt
1 garlic clove, minced or pureedgarlic
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilolive-oil
2 hard-boiled eggsegg
1 avocado, slicedavocado

Instructions (3 steps)

01In a large bowl, combine quinoa, broccoli, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, minced green chile, red lentils if using, feta and freshly ground pepper. Toss together.