Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella, and Herb Quinoa Salad
My husband, Scott, has one of those little countertop garden systems that grows herbs, vegetables, or flowers from seed pods. The light that shines overtop is brighter than any light in our house and it's on 16 hours a day.
The glow coming from his office at night makes a nice night light, but I wonder if the neighbours are curious as to what is really going on in the room where the light is almost always on and the blinds are always closed at night. Well, he is growing herbs (the legal kind). Basil (Genovese and Thai), mint, parsley, and cilantro. Some more successful than others.
Okay, so his little garden is going a little crazy. New growth, brown leaves, and massive roots.
A bouquet of herbs.
It was time to pick off the remaining good, green herbs and make something with it. Of course, it's not necessary to have a herb garden. All of the herbs used in this recipe can be found (usually) at your local supermarket year-round.
This salad is filling, simple, easy to put together, and full of fresh flavours. Quinoa, which makes up the bulk of the salad, is fluffy, slightly crunchy, and a little nutty in flavour. It is packed with protein, fiber,and is gluten-free. The mozzarella cheese is mild and slightly sweet, the tomatoes are juicy and sweet, and the lovely fresh herbs (basil, mint, and parsley)enhance the overall flavour.
Now onto the recipe.
Mise en place {see Ingredients for amounts}. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
Place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
Gently combine the ingredients. Cover and let it marinade in the refrigarator for at least 15 minutes.
Once cooked quinoa is cooled down, carefully toss all the ingredients together. Add additional salt and pepper to taste and squeeze lemon juice on top.
Bowl it up!
Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella, and Herb Quinoa Salad
A filling, delicious quinoa salad featuring fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and herbs. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and nutrient-rich.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
- 2 tablespoon sweet onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to finish
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to directions on the package.
- Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and let it marinade in the refrigerator as the quinoa cooks. Marinade for at least 15 minutes.
- Once the cooked quinoa is cooled, gently toss all the ingredients together. Salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze a little lemon juice on top if you would like. Serve immediately or chilled.
Notes
- My quinoa took about 20 minutes to make. One cup of uncooked quinoa yielded three cups of cooked quinoa for me.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 519Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 517mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g
Caprese salad is one of my favorite apps, it's so fresh with tomatoes and basil, yummm. The other herbs you've added look like they would pair really well! And I love the idea of adding quinoa to the mix...it ups the protein and makes it a great side dish. I'm totally going to bring this to a barbecue in the summer.
Yes! There is just something wonderful about eating fresh tomatoes and basil (and mozzarella) together!
I love this, Marie! This is such a beautiful, creative salad. Quinoa is one of my favorites and I'm always on the lookout for new uses for it. I'm not eating as much dairy now, so I may try to do this without the mozzarella. Or maybe replace it with small chunks of tofu for a vegan version? It would also be great with some smoked mozzarella or feta for dairy eating folks. This dish is so versatile that the possibilities are endless! Can't wait to try it!
Thank you, Alyssa! Firm tofu would be a great substitution or a vegan cheese can be used instead of mozzarella. 🙂
The world needs to eat more fresh mozzarella. I love the idea of this salad. It's like an amped up caprese salad with quinoa. Looks fantastic straight up but I'm just drooling thinking about this as a side for some grilled chicken seasoned with just salt and pepper.
That would be a wonderful combination! Thanks, Romain!
I love how simply healthy this is! Fresh mozzarella is my favorite and quinoa is so high protein! Plus this will be a perfect on-the-go salad that will pack well for work. Thanks for giving me another salad to put into the lunch rotation!
You're welcome, Mikaela!
Love the ingredients in this salad and this is awesome for me because I have been trying to incorporate more quinoa in our meal plans lately! Unfortunately, I don't have grow lights set up in the house, but I can't wait to make this when I have everything growing outside! Pinning for later for sure!
I am glad that you like this salad recipe! Thanks Erica!
This looks amazing! So fresh! I really love your one bowl meals, so easy to nom and watch netflix to. 🙂 I love your huge bouquet of herbs haha! Who needs flowers when you have that! I bet it smelled awesome!
That bouquet of herbs was outrageous and it did smell great!
These photos make me want to jump into the screen and munch on this salad!!! YUMMMM! Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome! Thanks for stopping by!