Right now I am craving fresh summer produce! Unfortunately, it’s just not here yet. My pepper plants in the garden are still only 4 inches tall! Therefore, I made this roasted red pepper quinoa salad using pantry staples instead.
A jar of roasted red peppers is an easy ingredient to keep in the cupboard to make a quick meal. It’s perfect for this time of year when you want fresh peppers that aren’t quite in season.
I also used frozen corn in this recipe. I always have a bag of frozen corn on hand for tossing into meals like this quinoa salad, quesadillas, soup or stuffed peppers!
During summer, you could also try grilling your own red peppers and corn-on-the-cob! Until then, this salad with will have to do!
Variations to the Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad recipe:
- Protein: I added chickpeas for protein in this dish. You could omit them, or try black beans instead!
- Grain: Try bulgar or brown rice in place of quinoa if you prefer a chewier grain!
- Make it creamy: Replace the olive oil with sour cream for a creamy version of this salad!
- Add some crunch: Use toasted pepitas or sliced almonds to give this salad just a little more texture!
Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad
Cook time
Total time
Author: Alison's Allspice
Recipe type: Entree or Side
Serves: 3 lunch servings or 6 sides
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry quinoa (makes about 2 cups cooked)
- 12 oz jar of roasted red pepper, drained and diced
- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup sweet corn (frozen/thawed)
- ½ cup minced cilantro
- ¼ cup minced onion
- 3 TBS each: olive oil and white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp each: salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a rice cooker or pot on the stove top, combine quinoa with 2 cups water. Cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
- Mix quinoa with the diced roasted red pepper, chickpeas, sweet corn, cilantro, and onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and toss to coat.
Adapted from Eating Well.
