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A mix of beets, beet greens, quinoa, fresh herbs, and nuts comes together in this vibrant Beet & Quinoa Salad. From the hot pink color to the tangy balsamic dressing, it’s a side dish or light meal not to be missed. Vegan and Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Option.
You don’t have to be the world’s biggest fan of beets to get a kick out of this Beet Quinoa Salad. A hot pink mix of fluffy quinoa and shredded beets is combined with fresh herbs, beet greens, and walnuts and tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. It’s so fresh and filling, you’ll be eating it year-round!
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A Vibrant Quinoa Salad
You don’t have to be Barbie to admit that eating pink food is so much more fun. Just get a load of this Beet and Quinoa Salad! As if its hot pink color wasn’t enough to make you want to dive right into the bowl, its fresh flavors, tender greens, and tangy dressing will also have you asking for seconds.
Just like my Beet Pasta and these Vegan Rainbow Flatbreads, beets are the secret behind the eye-popping color here. They’re shredded and combined with cooked quinoa (instantly turning the grains hot pink), then tossed with fresh herbs, leafy beet greens, and a balsamic vinaigrette.
Enjoy it as a hearty side dish or a light lunch. No matter how you serve it, this one’s a head-turner, so be prepared to share!
Ingredients for Beet and Quinoa Salad
Other than the obvious beets and quinoa, you need around 10 simple ingredients to make this salad. A combination of fresh ingredients in the salad and pantry staples in the dressing leaves you with a simple salad with layers of flavors. Here’s what the recipe calls for:
- Quinoa: opt for white quinoa for the brightest pop of pink. Save the red or tri-colored quinoa for this Southwest Quinoa Salad instead.
- Beets and Beet Greens: raw red beets are shredded, while the beet greens are repurposed for the salad (they have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor that marries well with the nutty quinoa and bright herbs). If your beets did not come with the greens attached, replace them with 2 to 3 cups of chopped spinach, chard, or arugula instead.
- Green Onions: these add a subtle oniony bite to the salad. If you don’t have green onions, finely dice a quarter of a red onion instead. Feel free to soak the chopped red onion in cold water for 10 minutes to tone down its sharp flavor.
- Fresh Herbs: a mix of fresh parsley and fresh mint brings a lovely burst of brightness that cuts through the stronger savory flavors.
- Walnuts: the walnuts are soft and buttery but still crunchy enough to bring some exciting textures. If you love beets and walnuts together as much as I do, then you should try this Roasted Beet Salad with Fennel as well.
- Dressing: this salad is served with a simple dressing made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
How to Make a Quinoa Salad with Beets
- Cook the quinoa in a saucepan with boiling salted water until tender and fluffy. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.
- Shred the beets into the bowl with the quinoa. Use a spatula to mix the two together until the quinoa turns bright pink.
- Next, separate the beet green stems from the leaves. Finely chop the stems, and roughly chop the leaves.
- Shake the dressing ingredients together in a sealed jar until emulsified.
- Add the beet greens and stems, green onion, parsley, mint, and walnuts to the bowl with the cooled quinoa. Pour the dressing over top and toss to coat.
- Serve the quinoa salad right away or chill it in the fridge before serving.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Always rinse the quinoa first: Add the uncooked quinoa to a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cool running water. This will wash away the bitter outer coating and make the cooked quinoa much tastier and fluffier.
- Peeled beets vs. unpeeled beets: Honestly, anything goes here. You can peel the beets if you’d like, but I find that they’re just fine with the peel kept on (I always give them a good scrub under running water before shredding).
- Work smarter, not harder. Why peel the beets by hand and turn your hands pink when a food processor can do the work for you? Just fit the processor with a shredding blade, then shred away.
- Marinate the salad for 15 minutes before serving. This gives all of those wonderful ingredients and flavors time to get to know each other and taste even better.
Serving Suggestions
You can pretty much serve this gorgeous pink salad year-round. Beets are in season from summer to winter, which means you can serve this salad as a refreshing light meal at backyard barbecues or as a stunning side dish at holiday dinners.
And just like any quinoa salad recipe, you can also take this one to lunch with you. I’d suggest serving it with my Rosemary Garlic Tofu to stretch each serving further, or on the side of a Rainbow Veggie Sandwich for a complete (and extra colorful) meal.
If you’re looking for more crave-worthy vegan quinoa salad recipes, you’ll also love this Kale & Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad, this Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad, and this Rainbow Quinoa Salad!
How to Store Leftover Quinoa Salad
Leftover beetroot quinoa salad will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If you’d like to make it in advance or for meal prep, store the quinoa and beet mixture, fresh ingredients, nuts, and dressing separately, then toss everything together before serving.
Enjoy the chilled leftovers straight from the fridge or place them on the kitchen counter for 20 to 30 minutes to bring them down to room temperature.
Substitutions and Variations
- Balsamic Vinegar Substitutions: If you’re all out of balsamic, replace it with equal parts red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Nut-Free Variation: The walnuts can be replaced with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Optional Vegetable Add-Ins: Combine the red beets with a shredded carrot or golden beets, or bulk up the salad with extra leafy greens.
- For a Protein Boost: Add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans when tossing the salad together. Or, serve the salad with my Crispy Tofu or Baked Tempeh on top.
Recipe FAQs
No, the beets are shredded raw for this salad. They’re still tender when raw, but the warm cooked quinoa does a good job of slightly softening the shreds.
Yes, you can freeze the beets and quinoa mixture for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight, then toss with the fresh ingredients and dressing before serving.
Quinoa in and of itself is gluten-free, but it’s often harvested with wheat. Always buy certified gluten-free quinoa to avoid any potential for cross-contamination.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Beet & Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 1 bunch of beets about 3 medium, greens and stems included*
- 2 green onions thinly sliced (or ¼ red onion, fine dice)
- 1/2 bunch parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar*
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa well, then add to a medium saucepan with the salt and water. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, then turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes before you transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.
- Shred the Beets: In the meantime, trim the ends off of the beets and set the beet stems and greens aside. (You can peel the beets if you’d like, but I prefer to just give them a good scrub.) Cut the beets into quarters and use a food processor to shred them, or shred by hand using a box grater. Transfer the shredded beets to the bowl with the quinoa and use a spatula to mix well, until the quinoa is a bright pink color. Set aside to let cool.
- Trim the Beet Greens: Wash the beet greens and stems well and pat dry. Separate the stems from the leaves; finely chop the stems, and roughly chop the leaves. Set aside.
- Make the Dressing: Add the oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a small jar. Seal the jar and shake until emulsified; set aside.
- Combine: Once the quinoa has cooled to room temperature, add the beet greens and stems, green onion, parsley, mint, and walnuts. Pour the dressing over the salad and use tongs to mix well, until combined. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Serve & Store: Serve immediately, or place in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill and let all of the flavors combine. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Beet Greens: If your beets did not come with the greens attached, add 2-3 cups of chopped spinach, chard, or arugula to the salad instead
- Balsamic Vinegar Substitutions: replace with equal parts red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Nut-Free: Replace the walnuts with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Add Protein: Add 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans to add a boost of fiber and protein to this recipe, or pair with my Crispy Tofu or Baked Tempeh.
Made the recipe per the recipe. It was really good, and better the next day. I like that it calls for raw beets, greens, herbs etc.There is a lot of opportunity to change this up. Just a really good and versatile recipe. Thank you for sharing!
You’re so welcome!