Quinoa Spinach Power Salad

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This Quinoa Spinach Power Salad is made with tender quinoa, vibrant tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and raisins dressed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette. It's refreshing, colorful, and healthy - packed with so many nutrients to keep you full and feeling good.

Quinoa Spinach Power Salad is made with tender quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, and raisins dressed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette. Gluten-free and vegan too. | aheadofthyme.com

Happy Sunday! Sundays are my day for prepping lunches for work throughout the week. My criteria for meal prep basically comes down to this: easy, quick and nutritious. One of my favourite go-to meals to prep is this quinoa spinach power salad. It's a fit-for-all salad tht satisfies almost every diet. It's gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan - you name it! So is that why I call this a power salad? Nope. The reason is because it is packed with so many nutrients that is it truly a powerhouse.

Why You'll Love This Quinoa Spinach Salad

Packed with nutrients. From the spinach to the quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, and more, this easy quinoa salad recipe is full of good-for-you, nutrient-dense ingredients you'll feel glad to put in your body! The quinoa provides plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and the spinach and veggies offer lots of fiber and antioxidants. It's a real powerhouse of nutrition!
Super simple ingredients. You only need about a handful of ingredients for this recipe, and I mean it! Once you have some fluffy cooked quinoa, add the spinach, raisins, tomatoes, cucumbers, and the homemade lemon vinaigrette (4 ingredients). Stir and serve. It's the perfect last-minute healthy side dish, but it also makes a nice light lunch on those hot days!
Perfect for meal prep. Once assembled, this hearty salad can last in the fridge for about three days! It's so nice to grab a container and go.

What is in Quinoa Spinach Salad?

This salad pretty much makes for a complete meal. And although it is complete in itself, you can consider this a base salad. Add any ingredients that you want to it (See our Recipe Variations section below for ideas). Just remember that if you are adding lots of ingredients, you may need to double up on the vinaigrette.

To make this delicious Spinach Quinoa Power Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

Quinoa

Quinoa is a super food (or power food). It is a tiny grain that is extremely nutrient dense. It completely stands out from any of the other traditional grains and does not even compare. Although termed a grain, quinoa is gluten-free and is not even part of the same plant family as wheat, oats, barley, or rye.

There are so many health benefits to quinoa consumption that to list them all would take up this entire blog post! So I will keep it brief. One of the main features of quinoa is its high protein content. It contains all the essential amino acids required and thus serves as a complete protein source. It is also a great source of healthy fats, fiber, B vitamins and other minerals.

Spinach

But quinoa is not the only super food in this salad. That's right, there is not just one super food, but two!! Spinach is another amazing super food. I list the many health benefits of spinach in my gomae spinach salad post.

Other Ingredients

tomato - feel free to chop up some tomates, or use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes cut in half.
cucumbers
raisins - you can substitute with other dried fruits such as cranberries, dried figs, or dried apricots.
lemon vinaigrette - made in just seconds by combining lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and a cooking pot (for cooking the quinoa).

How to Make the Best Quinoa Spinach Power Salad

Cook the quinoa. In a medium bowl, rinse the quinoa a few times. In a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups of salted water. Add the quinoa and continue to boil for about 10 minutes until the quinoa is tender. Drain the quinoa and let it cool.

Make the lemon vinaigrette. In a small mixing bowl, make your lemon vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Combine the salad ingredients. In a large serving bowl, combine the spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, raisins and cooled quinoa. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss to coat.

Serve. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Recipe Variations

Add more protein. Garbanzo beans or cannellini beans would pair well with the quinoa and add extra protein. Grilled chicken is a great choice for meat eaters.
Add cheese or nuts. There are so many ways to customize this healthy salad recipe. Add some creamy goat cheese or salty feta cheese for a tangy flavor contrast, or sprinkle some pine nuts or pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Add other veggies. Mince some fresh herbs like basil or parsley for extra freshness, add sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers for sweetness, avocado for flavor and texture, and more. A little sliced red onion would add a nice spicy kick, as well!
Change the greens. Of course, you'd need to change the name of the recipe, but if you get tired of fresh spinach or need to change things up, you can use other leafy greens like kale or chard. They can handle sitting in the dressing for a while, although more delicate leafy greens should be added right before serving.
Try other dried fruits. Instead of raisins, try using dried cherries or cranberries. You can even throw in some fresh apples for an added crunch.

How to Serve

This Quinoa Spinach Salad is delicious served on its own as a light lunch, or paired with a protein including:

For more recipe ideas, see our 50+ Healthy Lunch Ideas.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Strain off any excess moisture from the quinoa. You want the quinoa to absorb the dressing, not water down the flavor. Let it cool in a fine-mesh sieve or strainer to wick off any extra water.
Cut the spinach into strips. The spinach pieces need to be small enough to eat easily without disappearing into the fluffy quinoa and veggies. It's easiest to cut full-size spinach leaves into strips but you can certainly use baby spinach to skip that step!
Cook the quinoa in broth. With so few components, it's important to add flavor wherever you can. One easy way to do that is to cook the quinoa in chicken or veggie broth to infuse flavor into every bite.

How to Store

This quinoa salad is so easy to make and it lasts several days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

FAQ

Is quinoa spinach salad served warm or cold?

It depends. As written, this recipe was formulated as a cold salad that would be filling enough to serve as a complete meal or as a hearty side salad. But it's also great with warm quinoa! For this option, store the quinoa separately from the veggies and spinach, and then add those right after you heat the quinoa in the microwave. This is a really satisfying option on cooler days.

Can you use storebought dressing?

Absolutely! However, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how much flavor you can get from a four-ingredient salad dressing. It's just lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you can even use bottled lemon juice to make things easier. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl or shake them in a jar for less clean-up! If you use a store-bought dressing, look for a lemony option to keep the same flavor profile.

Can you use precooked quinoa?

Whether you have leftover cooked quinoa in the fridge or containers of precooked quinoa from the grocery store, either will work in this spinach quinoa salad. Homemade quinoa shouldn't be any older than a day or two, and for food safety, it's best to eat all of the salad within 1-2 days.

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Why You'll Love This Quinoa Spinach Salad