A meal prep superstar, this Quinoa Spinach Salad can be made in advance for tasty portable lunches and as a speedy side dish for healthy weeknight dinners!
First rinse and drain your quinoa using a mesh strainer or sieve. Bring a small pot to medium heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water, stirring often. This step is optional but really adds to the nuttiness and fluff factor of the quinoa! Next add your water, set burner to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 12-13 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and the liquid has been absorbed.
While the quinoa cooks, use this time to prep remaining ingredients.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients listed in a small bowl and whisk together or add all the ingredients to a lidded mason jar and shake well.
Once your quinoa is ready, fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. For a chilled salad, chill your quinoa in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Add chopped spinach, corn, and tomatoes. Whisk/shake dressing once more then pour over salad. Mix well and serve room temperature or chilled. I love it the first day and even better the next!
Notes
Have fresh dill handy? Feel free to use it in place of dried. Since the flavor of dried herbs is more concentrated, you'll just use a bit more fresh dill in the dressing, to taste.Nutrition Facts below are estimated for both salad and dressing using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!