This smoked salmon and quinoa salad is a healthy and easy main course salad, perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
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The salad is packed with healthy fat, protein and whole grains. Perfect to keep you feeling full for a long time!
🥘 Ingredients
To make it, you will need smoked salmon, quinoa, avocado, rocket or other leafy greens, plus a dressing of your choice.
🔪 Instructions
Start by cooking the quinoa. Rinse raw quinoa under running cold water for a few minutes, or until the water runs clear. This helps remove the bitterness from the quinoa grains, and gives it an overall more pleasant flavor.
Boil quinoa in water following package instructions, about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess water, and rinse the grains under cold water to cool it down.
Add cooked quinoa to a salad bowl, along with roughly chopped smoked salmon, arugula and sliced avocado.
Optionally, pour dressing of your choice over the salad, and combine!
🐟 Smoked salmon
This recipe uses regular cold smoked salmon. This is the most common type of smoked salmon, and can be found in all grocery stores and supermarkets.
If you wish, you can also make the salad with warm smoked salmon, or even leftover cooked salmon.
🍴 Dressing
A good dressing really makes the salad. Smoked salmon and quinoa salad can be paired with different types of dressings, but here are some of my suggestions:
- Pesto, or a pesto based vinaigrette
- Lemon pepper vinaigrette
- Creamy ranch or yogurt based dressing
💭 Top tips for the best result
- Make sure to rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove the bitterness in the grains.
- You can use leftover cooked quinoa or leftover salmon in this recipe - a perfect way to reduce food waste!
🥗 Serving suggestions
This salad is very filling, and perfect as a main dish for lunch or a light dinner.
You can serve salad as is, preferably with a delicious dressing, or with crusty bread on the side.
🍲 Leftovers
Leftover avocado tends to brown quickly. You can store smoked salmon and quinoa salad in the fridge for up to a day.
If you leave out the avocado, the other ingredients can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
💡 TIP! If you are meal prepping multiple servings, I recommend making the salad without the avocado. Slice and add avocado right before serving. This helps the salad stay fresh.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Can I omit an ingredient? - Yes. Omit any ingredients you don't have available or don't like.
Can I add an ingredient? - Absolutely! Add anything you like to this salad. Try adding spinach, tomatoes, peppers, a mild cheese, walnuts or fresh dill.
More salad entrees
- Quinoa salad with black beans and avocado
- Pasta salad with tuna
- Tuna nicoise
- Italian salad with mozzarella and salami
- Shrimp and avocado salad
Recipe
Smoked salmon and quinoa salad
Ingredients
- 100 g quinoa
- 120 g smoked salmon
- handful arugula / rocket
- 1 avocado
Instructions
- Start by cooking the quinoa. Rinse raw quinoa under running cold water for a few minutes, or until the water runs clear. This helps remove the bitterness from the quinoa grains, and gives it an overall more pleasant flavor.
- Boil quinoa in water following package instructions, about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess water, and rinse the grains under cold water to cool it down.
- Add cooked quinoa to a salad bowl, along with roughly chopped smoked salmon, arugula and sliced avocado.
- Optionally, pour dressing of your choice over the salad, and combine!
Notes
🥗 SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This salad is very filling, and perfect as a main dish for lunch or a light dinner. You can serve salad as is, preferably with a delicious dressing, or with crusty bread on the side.🍲 LEFTOVERS
Leftover avocado tends to brown quickly. You can store smoked salmon and quinoa salad in the fridge for up to a day. If you leave out the avocado, the other ingredients can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 💡 TIP! If you are meal prepping multiple servings, I recommend making the salad without the avocado. Slice and add avocado right before serving. This helps the salad stay fresh.🍴 DRESSING
A good dressing really makes the salad. Smoked salmon and quinoa salad can be paired with different types of dressings, but here are some of my suggestions:- Pesto, or a pesto based vinaigrette
- Lemon pepper vinaigrette
- Creamy ranch or yogurt based dressing
💭 TOP TIPS FOR THE BEST RESULT
- Make sure to rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove the bitterness in the grains.
- You can use leftover cooked quinoa or leftover salmon in this recipe – a perfect way to reduce food waste!
Amy Chung
This salad looks so hearty and healthy! Love the pesto based vinaigrette. And my daughter loves smoked salmon too so would make a great lunch option for her as well.
Tonje
Happy you like it, Amy!
Cate
I love all these things, they must be incredible in a salad together, can't wait to try it!
Tonje
Thanks Cate, hope you like it 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I've never thought to pair smoked salmon and quinoa in a salad but it sounds totally delicious. Definitely going to try this for lunch one day!
Tonje
You should! Let me know how it goes!
Jacqueline Piper
Quinoa is my favorite! I love this simple, nutritious recipe 🙂
Tonje
I'm glad you like it, thank you!
Danielle
This is such a unique salad! I'm always looking for new ways to make quinoa, love the creamy avocado and salty smoked salmon combination.
Tonje
Avocado and salmon is one of my favorite combos.