Black Quinoa Salad With Lemon, Avocado And Pistachios
This vibrant quinoa salad is a celebration of wholesome ingredients coming together harmoniously. Nutty black quinoa is combined with a medley of cooked and finely chopped greens, tossed in a zesty lemon-cumin vinaigrette, and adorned with creamy avocado slices, crumbled feta, and crunchy pistachios. Each bite is a delightful symphony of flavors and textures, making it a captivating dish to savor.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 cup black quinoa
- Scant 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 8 oz. or more greens, such as quinoa, beet greens, quelites or
- chard, cooked, drained and finely chopped
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- Sea salt, to taste
- 10 fresh mint leaves, slivered
- A heaping 1 Tbs. finely sliced fresh chives
- 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced crosswise
- Crumbled feta, ricotta salata or smoked ricotta for serving
- Pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped, for serving
Instructions
- To prepare the quinoa, rinse the quinoa in cold water. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the quinoa and salt, then cover until most, if not all, of the water has been absorbed and the germ of the seed shows, about 30 minutes, adding more water if needed. There will be a little texture even when the quinoa is fully cooked. Drain off any excess water before using the quinoa. You should have about 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.
- In a bowl, toss the cooked quinoa with the finely chopped cooked greens, using your fingers to distribute the greens.
- To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and a pinch of salt. Pour it over the quinoa and greens, add the mint and chives and toss to coat. Taste for salt.
- Spoon the quinoa mixture onto a platter. Cover the surface with the avocado, cheese and pistachios and serve. Serves 4.
- Adapted from <i>Vegetable Literacy,</i> by Deborah Madison (Ten Speed Press, 2013).
Yield
Serves 4.
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