This is refreshing Watermelon Quinoa Salad The recipe is meant for hot summer days! Dig into a delicious, sweet summer fresh salad! Quick and easy to make in 20 minutes!
Watermelon is one of my favorite summer fruits! So, this week, I picked up a watermelon at the farmer’s market and made a refreshing watermelon quinoa salad for dinner. I have made watermelon cucumber salad in the past and my family loved it. So, I’ve taken this Watermelon Quinoa Salad recipe to the next level by adding some savory ingredients to create a refreshingly savory and sweet salad.
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How to choose a watermelon
The biggest frustration is choosing a whole watermelon. Cut it open, and discover it is neither ripe nor bad; It is overripe. Heavy, cut-open watermelon back pain! So learning some of the secrets to picking a perfect watermelon helps avoid such pitfalls.
- You want to find a watermelon that is heavy for its size. This usually means it will be sweeter and have more water content.
- Look for an orange-cream field spot. Dark yellow field spots usually mean it was long on the vine and full of flavor.
- Choose a watermelon that has a strong, consistent stripe pattern. Green stripes should be a deep, dark green, while pale stripes should be a creamy, light yellow.
- In addition, you can choose a dull-looking watermelon. If the watermelon is too shiny, it is probably underripe.
- Inspect its stem, which should be dry and yellowish-brown. A green stem may indicate that the watermelon is not yet ripe and will lack flavor and sweetness.
- Knock on the watermelon. If the pitch feels deep and hollow, the fruit has more water and is probably overripe. Conversely, if your knock seems high-pitched and dense, it may mean that your rind is too thick and your fruit has not fully ripened to its optimal state.
- Look for a rounder and more evenly shaped watermelon as opposed to an oval one. Rounder melons are sweeter, while more oval ones are watery and less flavorful.
- And, last but certainly not least, shop in season. Seasonal fruit is the freshest and cheapest, especially for this watermelon salad recipe.
Watermelon Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- Watermelon: Fresh summer watermelon is delicious this time of year. I chose seedless watermelon.
- Red quinoa: Quinoa has a mild and slightly nutty flavor. It is commonly used in places
- Pickled Red Onion: Pickled red onions are tangy, slightly sweet and crunchy at the same time.
- Cucumber: I used less watery English cucumbers and removed the seeds. Because watermelon has a lot of water and so does cucumber, I removed the seeds to reduce the water in the salad, so it doesn’t get soggy.
- Mint: I used fresh basil for the best flavor.
- Balsamic Glaze: Balsamic glaze Also called balsamic reduction. It’s a sweet and tangy syrup that you only need a little bit of depending on the recipe you’re using it for. It’s quite intense in flavor, so start adding slowly.
- Lime: I used fresh lime juice!
- Salt: A little salt enhances the flavor of the ingredients in the Watermelon Quinoa Salad. If you’re a fan of watermelon sprinkled with salt, this is right up your alley!
- Mint: I used fresh mint, which is added as a garnish at the end without stirring in the ingredients.
- Tofu Feta (optional): The addition of tofu feta cheese adds another layer of flavor.
Substitute watermelon quinoa salad ingredients
- If you’re not a fan of watermelon, opt for cantaloupe or honeydew watermelon.
- Choose any color of quinoa or use barley, farro or couscous instead.
- Instead of pickled red onion, use raw red onion slices.
- Zucchini is similar to cucumber with fewer seeds. Or if you can’t find English cucumber, Persian cucumber is similar to English cucumber.
- Substitute 1 teaspoon of dried basil for every 2 teaspoons of fresh basil.
- When in doubt, use bottled lime juice if fresh juice is not available.
- Another option is to add balsamic vinegar instead of the balsamic glaze.
- Skip the tofu feta and add white beans for an extra protein source.
How to Make Watermelon Quinoa Salad
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Let cool completely before adding to salad.
- Red onion pickle should be prepared a day in advance or use raw red onion.
- Place pickled onions on paper towels to drain excess brine from onions.
- Place all ingredients except the mint leaves in a large bowl.
- toss Chill until ready to serve.
- Serve in a bowl or dish and add a garnish of mint leaves and drizzle with extra balsamic glaze.
- If adding tofu feta cheese, crumble it over the top as a garnish.
Recipe FAQs
Lime and lime zest liven up the smooth watermelon. Others sprinkle the watermelon with salt.
Wrap the cut side tightly with cling wrap. When you remove the cling wrap, replace it with a new one. Once the watermelon is sliced, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Watermelon is good for 3-5 days. However, if it is stored properly and stays in the pores without shredding, it can last longer.
advice
- Do not cut the watermelon until you are ready to make the salad.
- Use seedless watermelon when adding watermelon to salads.
- Quinoa only takes 15 minutes to cook, but it must be completely cooled before combining with the other salad ingredients.
- If balsamic glaze is purchased, not all balsamic glazes are vegan. Some contain honey.
- Add lime zest for even more flavor.
- Include tofu feta cheese, fried tofu or white beans for added protein.
- Serve with toasted crusty bread.
- Make this salad a day ahead to let the flavors develop.
- Drizzle with additional balsamic glaze for more flavor.
- The salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days.
This summer, make a refreshing watermelon quinoa salad as a side or main dish! You will love this easy delicious, sweet salad recipe.
More delicious salads to celebrate summer
If you like this Watermelon Quinoa Salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We want to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Watermelon Quinoa Salad
This is refreshing Watermelon Quinoa Salad The recipe is meant for hot summer days! Dig into a delicious, sweet summer fresh salad! Quick and easy to make in 20 minutes!
instructions
Pickled onions
Prepare the pickled onions a day in advance so they have time to absorb the brine in the refrigerator.
Remove ½ cup pickled onions and place on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Assemble the salad
Place all ingredients except mint leaves in a large bowl.
Toss together.
Refrigerate covered until ready to serve.
To serve, stir and add mint leaves as a garnish.
Sprinkle the tofu with feta, if using, or consider adding white beans.
Drizzle with additional balsamic glaze.
Comment
- Do not cut the watermelon until you are ready to make the salad.
- Use seedless watermelon when adding watermelon to salads.
- Quinoa only takes 15 minutes to cook, but it must be completely cooled before combining with the other salad ingredients.
- If balsamic glaze is purchased, not all balsamic glazes are vegan. Some contain honey.
- Add lime zest for even more flavor.
- Include tofu feta cheese, fried tofu or white beans for added protein.
- Serve with toasted crusty bread.
- Make this salad a day ahead to let the flavors develop.
- Drizzle with additional balsamic glaze for more flavor.
- The salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days.
nutrition
Calories: 160kcalSugars: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gTrans fats: 0.01gSodium: 101mgPotassium: 321mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 725IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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