Cucumber and Onion Quinoa Salad
Many of us grew up eating sliced cucumbers and onions as a dinner side dish on hot summer evenings. This recipe is a twist on that old favorite. The addition of quinoa — a gluten-free whole grain, with nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein — turns a familiar small vegetable side salad into a hearty and delicious vegetarian entree! Serves 6 as a side and 3 to 4 as an entree.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa (dry)
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups diced cucumber
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups grilled bunching and cipollini onions
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
For the dressing
- 1/3 cup White Wine Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- S+P to taste
Instructions
Bring quinoa, water, and salt to a boil in a saucepan, cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. When the quinoa is finished cooking, fluff it with a fork. Set the cooked quinoa aside in a large mixing bowl.
Slice onions into half-moons and grill, using a pinch of salt. (I used a grill skillet on the stovetop.) Dice the cucumbers (I like to leave the peel on). Chop the fresh dill.
For the dressing, whisk the vinegar, oil, and sugar with a fork in a small bowl.
To assemble, add cucumber, grilled onion and dill to the quinoa and lightly toss in the large mixing bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the quinoa and toss gently. Salt and pepper to taste.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving, but this salad is even better the next day, so plan to chill overnight! Garnish with dill and serve.