Last Updated on March 26, 2025
This cold Vegan Italian Quinoa Salad is a simply refreshing summer salad.
The slight crunch of the quinoa and tomatoes paired with the tangy taste of the Italian dressing would compliment any meal.
But it also makes for a perfect protein and fiber filled main dish all on it’s own.
One thing I love about this salad is that it can be customized with all kinds of different add ins that you and your family will like.
Examples would be different vegetables, such as cucumbers, avocados, different types of beans, peppers, or even fruits!
Not only is this salad a great dish for your family at home, but it’s a great one for those family reunions and potlucks during the summer months as well.
Just throw everything together ahead of time, keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to go, then grab it and serve!
Ingredients needed for the dish
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a perfect replacement for pasta or rice. These seeds are rich in protein, fiber, B vitamins, minerals, magnesium, and is naturally gluten free.
- Italian Dressing – A homemade or store bought Italian dressing can be used in the dish.
- Fresh Spinach – The fresh spinach adds a clean, mild, earthy flavor to the dish. Don’t like spinach? Try kale, dill, oregano, basil, thyme, or cilantro.
- Tomatoes – I prefer to use a grape sized tomato in this salad, that way you will not have to cut the little tomatoes in half because they are to big. Cherry tomatoes will work just as well, but cut in half if to big.
- Olives – I used both a black and green olive in the salad.
- Onion – Use a fresh onion of your choice or you can use a onion powder for the salad.
- Minced Garlic – I like to use minced garlic in the salad, but garlic powder can be used in it’s place.
- Salt and Pepper – To taste.
How to make a Vegan Italian Quinoa Salad
Cook the quinoa to the package directions and set it aside to cool.
Once the quinoa has cooled, add to a medium mixing bowl.
Clean and wash the spinach, add to the bowl.
Slice up the black and green olives and add to the bowl.
If using a fresh onion, clean, chop, and add to the bowl.
But if you are using onion powder, just sprinkle over everything in the bowl.
Next, add the minced garlic to the bowl.
Clean the tomatoes (if tomatoes are to big, cut into half) before adding to the bowl.
Finish off by adding the salt, pepper, and the Italian dressing.
Stir everything together and place into the refrigerator for a couple hours before serving.
Serve the salad with bread sticks or a toasted artisan bread on the side, Enjoy!
Vegan Italitan Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cup Cooked Quinoa
- 1/4 Cup Italian Dressing
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder or 1/4 of a Onion, chopped.
- 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
- 4 Large Black Olives Sliced.
- 4 Large Green Olives Sliced.
- 1 handful Grape Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes
- 1/2 Cup Spinach
- Salt and Pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa to the package directions and set it aside to cool.
- Once the quinoa has cooled, add to a medium mixing bowl.
- Clean and wash the spinach, add to the bowl.
- Slice up the black and green olives and add to the bowl.
- If using a fresh onion, clean, chop, and add to the bowl.
- But if you are using onion powder, just sprinkle over everything in the bowl.
- Next, add the minced garlic to the bowl.
- Clean the tomatoes (if tomatoes are to big, cut into half) before adding to the bowl.
- Finish off by adding the salt, pepper, and the Italian dressing.
- Stir everything together and place into the refrigerator for a couple hours before serving
- Serve the salad with bread sticks or a toasted artisan bread on the side, Enjoy!
