Curried Quinoa Salad

This salad combines all of my very favorite things at the moment: quinoa, curry paste, tahini, and all the vegetables. It’s tangy, it’s vibrant, it’s fresh, and it’s the perfect side dish or salad main to lift you out of any winter eating rut. 

The base for this 10-ingredient recipe is quinoa cooked with curry powder until tender. Then come fresh vegetables, herbs, and an utterly delicious tahini green curry paste dressing.  The result is a hearty, savory dish that is easy, delicious, and quite versatile (adapt to what season you’re experiencing).

**adapted from the Minimalist Baker recipe

Ingredients:

QUINOA

• 1 cup quinoa, well rinsed and drained
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 3/4 cups water

DRESSING

• 4 Tbsp green curry paste (or store-bought, though fresh is best)
• 3 Tbsp tahini
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• Pinch each salt and black pepper
• optional: 1 Tbsp olive oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
• Water to thin

FOR SERVING

• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• optional: 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• optional: 4 green onion, thinly sliced
• optional: 2 Tbsp nut or seed of choice (e.g. hemp seeds or roasted cashews)
• optional: fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1. Add quinoa to a small saucepan and toast over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to burn. Then add salt, curry powder, and water and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Set aside off heat, uncovered, to cool - at least 15 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare dressing by adding curry paste, tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and oil (optional) and whisk to combine. Then add water to thin until a pourable dressing is achieved. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, lemon for acidity, salt for saltiness, or curry paste for intense curry flavor.
4. Add all ingredients (quinoa mostly cooled) to a mixing bowl and top with dressing. Then toss to combine and serve. Enjoy at room temperature or chill. Garnish with additional pomegranate, radish, green onion, or cilantro (optional).

Coach Note: Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Dressing will keep for 5 days.