Green Bean Quinoa Salad with Maple Citrus Dressing
This Green Bean Quinoa Salad with Maple Citrus Dressing is totally crave-worthy and can easily be made in advance for a tasty holiday side dish that's sure to impress!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa (white, red, or tri-color)
- 1 lb green beans
- 3/4 cup mandarin orange segments or clementines
- 1/4-1/3 cup feta
- 1/4-1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley optional garnish
MAPLE CITRUS DRESSING:
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 TBSP fresh lime juice
- 2 TBSP orange juice
- 2 TBSP pure maple syrup
- a pinch of sea salt
- a dash of black pepper
Instructions
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Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer and cook according to package directions.
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While your quinoa cooks, trim green beans, cutting each in half.
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Set aside a medium bowl of ice water for your ice bath.
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Fill a pan with water and set to boil on high.
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Once water is at a rolling boil, add green beans and cook for 5-8 minutes or until they reach your ideal tenderness. I like mine al dente; softened but still crisp!
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Drain and immediately submerge beans in ice bath to halt the cooking process.
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While the beans chill, fluff your quinoa and add a dash of salt and pepper, to taste.
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In a serving dish, combine quinoa with beans, along with orange segments and chopped almonds.
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Whisk together dressing and pour over salad.
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Allow salad to sit and soak up dressing for optimal flavor. I left mine for 30 minutes but since the salad and dressing are dairy-free, you could even leave it out for longer.
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Top with feta and optional parsley to garnish before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I typically blanch my green beans but feel free to cook them via your favorite method. Roasting or sautéing are both delicious options!
Light olive oil or grape seed oil will also work with this recipe if you don't use avocado oil. Though do yourself a favor and try it sometime - it's healthy and delicious!
If you don't have maple syrup handy either, honey may be used instead.
Love lime? Serve alongside a lime and a grater for an optional zing of lime zest!
ADVANCE PREP TIPS: If you're making the salad the morning of your holiday meal with friends and family, you can simply leave the completed salad out with the dressing on it to soak up all the flavors. Save a little dressing to pour over just before serving and add feta before serving as well. If you're making this a day or two in advance, cook up your quinoa and green beans as directed. For best results both visually and flavor-wise, I suggest keeping everything in separate containers in the fridge (the nuts can stay in the pantry) and then toss together and add dressing/toppings an hour or so before serving, allowing the salad to return to room temperature and the flavors to meld. Lengthy description; easy peasy execution!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!