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!
Ingredients
Scale
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
