There is so much to love about this Spinach Quinoa Salad!  This completely addictive quinoa salad is a healthy mix of quinoa and spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and almonds all tossed in a delicious basil vinaigrette.

bowl of spinach quinoa salad

The combo of flavors in this quinoa and spinach salad is completely addicting, and it makes a perfect as a side dish or vegetarian main. 

bowl of spinach and quinoa salad ingredients

This salad is a gluten-free and protein-packed that’s both filling and satisfying.

Spinach Quinoa Recipe

You’ll need just 5 simple ingredients to make this delicious salad.  It’s the basil vinaigrette that makes this salad completely addictive!

How to Make Quinoa and Spinach Salad

This quinoa and spinach comes together in about 30 minutes start-to-finish.

  1. Cook quinoa.
  2. Add cooled cooked quinoa, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and almonds to a bowl.
  3. Gently toss ingredients with basil vinaigrette to lightly coat

bowl of tossed quinoa and spinach

The inspiration for this easy spinach salad came from a penne dish served at Whole Foods. I’d find myself at lunchtime picking through the noodles to pluck out the spinach, tomatoes and almonds. So, here I’ve replaced the penne with quinoa, and I’ve loaded it much more generously with fresh baby spinach and delicious sun-dried tomatoes. I love the simplicity of this salad.  It’s one of my favorites!

plate of spinach quinoa

Looking for more healthy spinach recipes to serve?

These fresh spinach recipes are just a few of my favorite recipes that use baby spinach as a main ingredient.

Want more ideas? Check out all my healthy salad recipes

Looking for more quinoa salad recipes to make?

Here’s some more – check out all my quinoa salad recipes.

Spinach Quinoa Salad
Yield: 6 servings

Spinach Quinoa Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

There is so much to love about this Spinach Quinoa Salad!  This completely addictive quinoa salad is a healthy mix of quinoa and spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and almonds all tossed in a delicious basil vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dried, rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water)
  • 2 cups raw baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup sliced raw almonds
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained and chopped)
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/3 cup basil vinaigrette (add more if you prefer)

Basil Vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 cups water in saucepan and add 1 cup dry quinoa. Place lid on pan and turn heat to low simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Remove quinoa from heat and after liquid has all evaporated, fluff with fork.
  3. In a large bowl add the cooled cooked quinoa, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and almonds.
  4. Add the basil vinaigrette and gently toss to distribute evenly.
  5. Garnish with more almonds and grated parmesan cheese.

For the Pesto Vinaigrette

  1. Place basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, mustard and lemon juice in a blender.
  2. Pulse a few times, then slowly pour the olive oil in the blender.
  3. Continue to blend until dressing is smooth.
  4. Best if refrigerated for 1 hour before serving

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 405mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 7g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations.