Quinoa Salad with spring green peas, cottage cheese, walnuts and an easy basil vinaigrette is the perfect recipe for a healthy meal. It’s also a great healthy side dish for grilled chicken or fish or meat.
My dad loves having delicious and wholesome dishes like this Green Pea Quinoa with Basil Vinaigrette. I normally make it and store it for a few days in the fridge. Everyone likes to eat healthy and tasty food but doesn’t have time to prepare for it and cook it from scratch. Meal prepping and pre planning meals is a good way to eat homemade delicious healthy food. This healthy salad recipe is one of the recipes that you can make ahead and store for a few days in the fridge.
This salad is a regular side dish or a full meal itself in my house. It is healthy, delicious and wholesome! The basil vinaigrette makes this quinoa salad a refreshing summer salad. It can be eaten warm or cold, as you like it. It is a perfect healthy family meal to serve along with a piece of grilled meat.
The combination of green peas and cottage cheese is a match made in heaven! This combination is great for the grains in this salad. Being North Indian, my fridge is always stocked with cottage cheese. But if you want to be fancy, serve it with feta instead of cottage cheese.
What else can I add to my Green Pea Quinoa Salad with Basil Vinaigrette?
There are many variations to this salad. There are many ingredients that you can add according to the taste you prefer. Simply add your favourite vegetables or sliced grilled chicken. A few options are:
- Drained and Rinsed Chickpeas
- Sliced Grilled Chicken
- Dried Cranberries/Apricots
- Chopped Cauliflower
- Chopped Broccoli
Basil Vinaigrette
My recipe for the Basil Vinaigrette is the easiest and tastiest salad dressing. It works great as a salad dressing but also as a sauce for chicken, fish or even pasta. It is amazing on just about everything!
During the summer when my dad is craving refreshing and wholesome salads, I’m always looking to try out new salad dressings. But this Basil Vinaigrette is my favourite.
It is easy, refreshing and requires minimum prep and ingredients.
Use a blender or a food processor and you’re good to go! Simply blend together, basil, coriander, vinegar, honey, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. The end result is a bright green vinaigrette that is bursting with flavour.
Store it in a jar and keep it in your fridge for up to 5 days! I highly recommend you to have it with grilled chicken. Use my recipe for the grilled chicken marinade from the Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken Salad. It is life changing!
I can guarantee this healthy salad dressing recipe will be a staple in your house too!
Green Pea Quinoa Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Course: Salads, Side DishDifficulty: Easy6
servings5
minutes15
minutes20
minutesQuinoa Salad with spring green peas, cottage cheese, walnuts and an easy basil vinaigrette is the perfect recipe for a healthy meal.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
4 cups water
pinch of salt
handful chopped walnuts
1 cup crumbled cottage cheese
1 cup frozen peas blanched
- Basil Vinaigrette
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp chopped coriander
3 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Combine the quinoa and water in a sauce pan. Season it with salt and let it cook on medium heat until the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off and cover the quinoa. Allow it to steam for 10 minutes until the quinoa grains are al dente.
- While the quinoa is cooking, combine the ingredients for the basil vinaigrette in a blender. Blend until the dressing is smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Add additional honey if you like the dressing sweet. 1 tbsp was enough for us.
- In a large combine the quinoa, peas, cottage cheese and drizzle the dressing on top. Mix together well. Add the chopped walnuts and serve.
- You can serve the salad warm or cold too.
