Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

This Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad is packed with over 15 grams of protein per serving, which makes it great for a healthy and filling vegetarian lunch that can be prepped ahead of time. It’s full of fresh and flavorful ingredients and is sure to leave you feeling satisfied all afternoon long.

Warning: This Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad is truly loaded with all of the ingredients! But most are budget-friendly, and if you have a fully stocked garden, that should take care of the rest (but if not, fresh herbs are usually pretty cheap). Each serving is packed with over 15 grams of protein, and this salad can easily be prepped days ahead of time.

Why You’ll Love This Loaded Quinoa Salad!

• Filled with protein – This recipe’s protein comes mostly from quinoa, black beans, feta cheese, spinach, and pumpkin seeds. They help keep you feeling satisfied for hours after eating.
• Full of flavor – There are many flavors in this quinoa salad, but I find that they go together well and none of them compete. Just lots of lovely flavor!
• Great for meal prep – I like to make this salad on a Sunday and then pack it for lunch in my meal-prep containers so I can easily grab it and go in the morning.

Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad Recipe Ingredients

• Quinoa – I used quinoa because it’s quick and easy to prepare and is packed with nutrients. You can use any kind of grain you like, though.  Cauliflower rice could also be used.
• Sweet Potato – You can use orange, red, or purple sweet potatoes for this salad. You will need about one large sweet potato, but feel free to add extra if you like.
• Black Beans – I used canned black beans, but you can also use home-cooked beans. Any other bean can be substituted: chickpeas, white beans, pinto beans, lentils, or kidney beans.
• Feta Cheese – I love the saltiness and richness that feta adds to this salad. It helps make it more filling while also adding great flavor. Regular or dairy-free feta cheese can be substituted.
• Spinach – I like to add finely chopped spinach to this quinoa salad for extra nutrients and bright color. You could also use kale or another hearty green of choice.
• Onion – I used a combination of thinly sliced red and green onion. I love the different flavors they both add.
• Tomato – I used cherry tomatoes, but you can also use a large tomato and dice it into small pieces. If you don’t love tomatoes, red bell pepper could be used in place.
• Fresh Herbs – I used about half a cup of fresh cilantro leaves. Parsley, basil or mint could also be used if you don’t like cilantro.
• Jalapeno – Pickled jalapenos add some heat and a vinegary flavor, which I love. You could use diced-up raw jalapeno if preferred.
• Pepitas – I always like to add a little crunch to my salads and I thought the toasted and salted pumpkin seeds worked great. Any other nut/seed/crouton would also work.
• Dressing – The dressing is really easy. It consists of olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.

How To Make Loaded Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse the quinoa well and add it to a small pot. Pour in two cups of water and place the lid on. Cover and allow the quinoa to cook until all of the water has cooked out and the quinoa is cooked through, 15-20 minutes.
2. Wash and peel your sweet potato and cut it into small pieces. Add sweet potato to a large sheet pan and use your hands to toss with the olive oil, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast sweet potato until fork tender, about 25 minutes, flipping once.
3. Add the roasted sweet potato to the bowl with the quinoa. Next, add the black beans, feta cheese, all the veggies and herbs, pepitas, and the dressing ingredients. Use two large serving spoons to mix everything together until completely combined.
4. I like to portion out my quinoa salad into 4-5 meal prep containers for the week. Loaded quinoa salad can also be served as a side dish. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Enjoy!

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

• This quinoa salad is gluten-free.
• To make this recipe vegan, use a vegan substitute, either homemade or store-bought.
• Can the quinoa be substituted? Yes, you can use any kind of grain you like, or even cauliflower rice if you want to lower the carbs and add more veggies.
• How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, they should last about 4-5 days. Always inspect them before eating and throw them away if you aren’t sure.
• How can the fat in this recipe be reduced? The olive oil, feta cheese, and pumpkin seeds probably contribute most to the fat content. To lower it, simply reduce/omit some of those ingredients.

Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.

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Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

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5 from 1 review

• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 5-6 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad is packed with over 15 grams of protein per serving, which makes it great for a healthy and filling vegetarian lunch that can be prepped ahead of time! It’s full of fresh and flavorful ingredients that it’s sure to leave you feeling satisfied all afternoon long!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 3 cups small diced sweet potato, about 1 large sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup toasted and salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapenos, or regular jalapeno (or more if desired)

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Rinse 1 cup quinoa well and add it to a small pot.  Pour in two cups of water and place the lid on.  Bring water to a boil and then immediately turn down to the lowest heat setting.  Allow quinoa to cook, covered, until all of the water has cooked out and quinoa is cooked through, 15-20 minutes.  Keep covered for at least 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork and pour into an extra large bowl to let cool completely.
2. Wash and peel your sweet potato and cut it into small pieces.  You can cut them larger if you like, I just like them small so they cook faster and they are similar in size to the other ingredients in the salad.  Add sweet potato to a large sheetpan and use your hands to toss with the olive oil, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper.  Roast sweet potato until fork tender, about 25 minutes, flipping once.
3. Add the roasted sweet potato into the bowl with the quinoa.  Next, add in the black beans, feta cheese, all of the veggies and herbs, pepitas and the dressing ingredients.  Use two large serving spoons to mix everything together until completely combined.  Give the salad a quick taste and add extra salt, pepper, oil, or lime juice, if desired.
4. I like to portion out my quinoa salad into 4-5 meal prep containers for the week.  Loaded quinoa salad can also be served as a side dish.  Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.  Enjoy!

Notes

Avocado would be a great addition to this salad, but it is best added just before serving as it doesn’t age well in the refrigerator.

• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Oven, Stovetop
• Cuisine: American