Healthy Quinoa Salad w/ Blueberries & Arugula

This Healthy Quinoa Salad features arugula, blueberries, feta, slivered almonds and the best homemade red wine vinaigrette. So tasty!

This healthy quinoa salad makes the best side dish or healthy summer lunch! Bring it to a potluck, serve it at a party, or whip it up as a healthy side dish next time you break out the grill. I also love this easy quinoa salad recipe topped with chicken as a lunch or light summer dinner.

And we all know summer evenings can be packed with time at the pool or squeezing in a little more fun with all of that extra daylight. That's why I love meals like this one that are perfectly designed for meal prep in the summer months. Make sure to scroll down past the recipe for meal prep instructions.

So how do you make this healthy quinoa salad? Start by making the red wine vinaigrette. Next, you'll cook your quinoa. While it cooks, you can wash your blueberries and toss your arugula, blueberries, feta and almonds together with the vinaigrette.

Once it's cooked, divide the quinoa among your plates, top with the salad and enjoy!

 

Healthy Quinoa Salad – Tips & Variations

This healthy quinoa salad is so versatile! Mix it up to include something growing in your garden or an item that looks amazing at the farmers market. Here are a few tips and ideas for variations:

• Try raspberries or sliced strawberries instead of blueberries if you like.
• For extra flavor, cook your quinoa with broth. I love homemade broth for this!
• Try goat cheese instead of feta for something different.
• Use whatever nuts you like and try toasting them! This brings out so much flavor. (Just cook in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they start to smell amazing. Be careful though, nuts burn quickly!)
• Add an extra veggie like cucumbers, celery or thinly sliced carrots – whatever you have on-hand!
• Top your summer quinoa salad with grilled chicken or shrimp for extra protein. Or, add chickpeas for an extra dose of vegetarian protein!

What's the nutrition like for this summer quinoa salad?

This summer quinoa salad is quite healthy. It's full of plant-based protein and so many nutrients. Here are a few of the nutritional highlights:

Quinoa (Iron, Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Folate)

One cup of cooked quinoa has 8 grams of protein (including all 9 essential amino acids) and 15% daily value of iron, making it an excellent choice, especially for vegetarians. Quinoa is also high in manganese, magnesium, phosphorous and folate.

Olive Oil (Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Monounsaturated Fats, Antioxidants)

Due to the type of fat it contains, olive oil may reduce inflammation. It also reduces the risk of Alzheimer's, stroke and heart disease. Make sure to get high quality extra virgin olive oil, as it retains more antioxidants and nutrients.

Red Wine Vinegar (Acetic Acid, Antioxidants)

Made from fermented red wine, red wine vinegar may help with blood sugar control, help with weight loss, fight skin damage and benefit your heart.

Blueberries (Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Manganese, Antioxidants)

Arguably one of the healthiest foods in the world, blueberries are packed with fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and antioxidants. Pro tip – wild blueberries are even higher in some antioxidants, look for them in the frozen section!

Arugula (Calcium, Potassium, Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A)

As with all types of greens, arugula offers substantial nutrition and, in particular, may help prevent and fight cancer. In addition to being full of vitamins, arugula also offers a lot of fiber.

Almonds (Magnesium, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, Antioxidants)

Almonds' high antioxidant content can help fight inflammation. Much of the antioxidants are in the skin of the almond so try to find almonds with the brown skin on (not blanched) to maximize nutrition. Almonds are one of the best sources of vitamin E which may help prevent diseases like heart disease, Alztheimers and cancer. Furthermore, the magnesium in almonds may help lower blood pressure in those with high blood pressure.

Feta (Calcium, CLA)

Feta cheese is quite high in calcium and thus can be good for your bones. Feta also contains lactobacillus plantarum, which is beneficial for gut health. It also offers conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which has numerous health benefits, including potentially helping to fight cancer.

However, on the flip side, feta is high in sodium and also high in lactose and thus may not work well for those who need to watch their salt intake or are sensitive to lactose.

Does this make a good meal prep quinoa salad?

Yes, this makes a perfect meal prep quinoa salad! Like all Prep Dish recipes, this one was specifically designed to prep ahead because I know how busy you are.

To prep ahead, cook the quinoa and make the red wine vinaigrette ahead of time. With those steps completed, all you need to do when you're ready to serve is bring the vinaigrette to room temperature and assemble the salads. So quick and easy!

I want more recipes using quinoa!

If you're looking for more recipes using quinoa, I've got you covered! Below are some of my favorites, all meal prep friendly of course.

Healthy Quinoa Salad FAQ

Is quinoa salad healthy?

Whether or not quinoa salad is healthy depends, of course, on the ingredients. My quinoa salad with blueberries is quite healthy with both arugula and blueberries providing tons of vitamins and nutrients.

What is the healthiest way to eat quinoa?

The healthiest way to eat quinoa is the one you actually enjoy! I'm a huge proponent of preparing healthy food you actually want to eat. It's the best way to move towards healthier eating and nutritious food really can be totally delicious.

What is the best dressing for quinoa salad?

A homemade vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for a quinoa salad. The acidity is a nice contrast to the earthy tones of quinoa and a vinaigrette is light enough not to weigh the quinoa down.